traditions.

{here}

we would have all of our halls decked around here by now, but our christmas decorations are mia. i have no idea why they disappeared from where we stored them, but hopefully they'll turn up. 

for now we have an artificial pre-lit tree and nothing else. 

artificial because last year we had a real one and i literally couldn't breathe for 2 months. it sucked and i'll never have a real tree again. i would be sad, but i value breathing too much.

the tree looks stupid. there are no ornaments. 

i'm not buying anymore. maybe after christmas is over i'll buy a few, but not before then. and maybe not even until next year. the lack of ornaments now has me too annoyed to bother spending anymore money. that stuff is expensive!

i'm trying to get more into the christmas spirit that i was in pre-disappearing ornaments but it's hard when our apartment looks the same but with some random tree in it. 

i'd like to start some new traditions and watch old christmas movies. i'd also love to have hot chocolate but it's 65 degrees outside and our apartment is always so hot, so i don't know if hot chocolate is in the cards for me. 

maybe the missing ornaments are a lesson in my goal to live more simply. i had 3 themes of ornaments purchased, planning to use them on a rotating basis. i can't do that anymore. now, i'll just but 1 theme and live with that. having less is much better anyway. 

my life is full.

{via}

i have so much to be thankful for, and i'm so happy that yesterday reminded us all to be thankful for our many blessings. i'm so lucky to have such a wonderful husband that i can journey through this life with, who loves me so much and makes me laugh everyday. my life wouldn't be complete without him. i'm thankful for in-laws who love me and have become my family, too.

i'm so excited to get ready for christmas, something that is new for me. i could care less about the gift part of christmas. i'm looking forward to all of the warmth and love that christmas brings and i can't wait to decorate our home and bring that love and warmth to us. i plan on watching old & classic christmas movies, curled up with my husband drinking hot chocolate many times this christmas season.

i hope thanksgiving was a blessing to you, as well.

black friday.

i'm recovering from some early morning black friday shopping, so here's a link to a post that will remind me of what i will be signing up for in the future. it reminds me to tell my husband "i love you" everyday, and give him at least a kiss goodnight someday when i haven't had a chance to shower in 3 days because of a baby. but hopefully it won't be like that, right?

babies are good, but hard.

best friends.

"I don't want to hear about the endless struggles to keep sex exciting, or the work it takes to plan a date night. I want to hear that you guys watch every episode of The Bachelorette together in secret shame, or that one got the other hooked on Breaking Bad and if either watches it without the other, they're dead meat. I want to see you guys high five each other like teammates on a recreational softball team you both do for fun. I want to hear about it because I know it's possible, and because I want it for myself." 

- Mindy Kaling, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)

***

there are times when ben and i are laughing so hard our stomachs hurt, or sitting talking with each other, or cooking together that i remember "he is my best friend." 

whether i'm sitting and watching some ridiculous manly show on the discovery channel with him, or i'm making him watch a girlie movie, or we're shopping at target together, or eating dinner together, or taking a road trip, i know that we're really enjoying each other. 

it's important to enjoy each other in marriage. it's not about the heavy stuff, it's about being friends. 

yes, i love ben. a lot. but i also like him. 

i love being around him. we make each other laugh and do really embarrassing things together that create a stronger bond. 

take the photo for example. 

we were goofing around, taking tons of pictures. during this picture we didn't know what the other was doing. we know what the other finds funny, and so we did that. 

it's moments like those that make our marriage great. 

obviously we're only a little over a year into this lifelong journey, but i'm glad we have a large part of the battle understood. it's about having fun and liking the person you're married to. i'm lucky and thankful to have that.