Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
A husband's "Man Cave"
I read several blogs, written by talented wives, to try to understand that funny species otherwise known as "The Husband." In doing so I've learned a few notable items over the past several months:
1. All men share a single brain that they pass around. Some use it more frequently than others, but nonetheless share it with the remainder of the species.
2. They think nothing of beating their chests to declare they are man, they are the "hunter," so forth so on and yet when sent on a "Hunt" to the fridge, grocery store, fill in the _____ holiday to obtain wife's gift with picture, ISBN, and exact location within the store inevitably they will be unable to locate said item.
3. In referencing back to item 2, when they in turn need the wife to "hunt" they think nothing at all of providing a description akin to "babe, while you are at _____ please pick me up that favorite thing I love. You know what I mean. Its smaller than a beer case and it used to be in a black wrapper but its now in something different and I have no idea what its called, but you know what I mean."
4. If it has no defined, illustrated, with directions they can ignore, purpose....its trash.
That, my friends, is the sum total of a man's logic. Its really quite simple to follow once you understand the basic principles. Men are like children, accept this fact now and be resigned to the fact that you will from now on play your own spouse when it comes to gift giving, shopping, and parenting. Now don't get me wrong. I love my hubby. I would not give him up or trade him for anyone else, but this "logic" amuses me. Now mind you - I, being a female, seeing nothing wrong with owning 20 pairs of shoes. Something that just throws Alex's poor mind for a loop. :)
Now to explain the title: in shopping for the house, what do you suppose was the first thought process my darling hubby had? Was it - we have a lawn, we need a lawn mower? Or perhaps it might have been "the house needs new floors desperately - we'll save up and get those in ASAP" Oh no. None of the above, no his first thought was "Hey I get a man - cave! Now I can buy that Jeep Wrangler grill wall mounted light and put that and my PS2 and the t.v. in there so you can watch t.v." Of course sweetheart, lets not forget the stove needs replacing immediately and those various other silly things and lets go ahead and buy that wall light that looks like the front end of the car you drive every day and what you work on almost every day at work. Brilliant! I'll go shopping for my new shoes while you are picking up the light!
Its just one of those quirks of fate I suppose. How two total opposing forces can attract one another. I have me a GRIT (gentleman raised in the south), a true southern man, who always holds his elbow out for me to tuck my arm into, opens the door, and in general treats me as though I'm made of a fine bone china. But I also have a bone-headed, stubborn fool who refuses to ask for help or realize that when the store we've been to 50 times is ahead on the left does not mean turning right here will be a "shortcut" just because his buddy told him so. And despite all that - it works.
1. All men share a single brain that they pass around. Some use it more frequently than others, but nonetheless share it with the remainder of the species.
2. They think nothing of beating their chests to declare they are man, they are the "hunter," so forth so on and yet when sent on a "Hunt" to the fridge, grocery store, fill in the _____ holiday to obtain wife's gift with picture, ISBN, and exact location within the store inevitably they will be unable to locate said item.
3. In referencing back to item 2, when they in turn need the wife to "hunt" they think nothing at all of providing a description akin to "babe, while you are at _____ please pick me up that favorite thing I love. You know what I mean. Its smaller than a beer case and it used to be in a black wrapper but its now in something different and I have no idea what its called, but you know what I mean."
4. If it has no defined, illustrated, with directions they can ignore, purpose....its trash.
That, my friends, is the sum total of a man's logic. Its really quite simple to follow once you understand the basic principles. Men are like children, accept this fact now and be resigned to the fact that you will from now on play your own spouse when it comes to gift giving, shopping, and parenting. Now don't get me wrong. I love my hubby. I would not give him up or trade him for anyone else, but this "logic" amuses me. Now mind you - I, being a female, seeing nothing wrong with owning 20 pairs of shoes. Something that just throws Alex's poor mind for a loop. :)
Now to explain the title: in shopping for the house, what do you suppose was the first thought process my darling hubby had? Was it - we have a lawn, we need a lawn mower? Or perhaps it might have been "the house needs new floors desperately - we'll save up and get those in ASAP" Oh no. None of the above, no his first thought was "Hey I get a man - cave! Now I can buy that Jeep Wrangler grill wall mounted light and put that and my PS2 and the t.v. in there so you can watch t.v." Of course sweetheart, lets not forget the stove needs replacing immediately and those various other silly things and lets go ahead and buy that wall light that looks like the front end of the car you drive every day and what you work on almost every day at work. Brilliant! I'll go shopping for my new shoes while you are picking up the light!
Its just one of those quirks of fate I suppose. How two total opposing forces can attract one another. I have me a GRIT (gentleman raised in the south), a true southern man, who always holds his elbow out for me to tuck my arm into, opens the door, and in general treats me as though I'm made of a fine bone china. But I also have a bone-headed, stubborn fool who refuses to ask for help or realize that when the store we've been to 50 times is ahead on the left does not mean turning right here will be a "shortcut" just because his buddy told him so. And despite all that - it works.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
2010 is just on the horizon
Who would have believed that this year would just fly by! In 2009 Alex and I got married, and it through him WAY off when I got a letter addressed to Mrs. Lee. HAHA. We've put a home under contract, we've paid off major debt to do so, and taken a lovely vacation together. We've also had storms....the texting is still a major issue. We're working on that, but for now it remains a challenge.
Alex's job remains a constant stress because every single time we try to take a weekend together they yank him in to work. Its an amazement to me that we managed a honeymoon and to pull off Christmas eve with the in-laws. Speaking of Christmas, he did a wonderful job this year. Kudos to my momma for working with him to obtain something for me rather than the trashcan I hear he had planned. :-D Its definitely been a learning curve with in-laws. We have a strong set of differences and are very vocal in those differences at time. I try to not pull Alex in one way or another, but there are times when I do look at him and say its time to go. I don't sense that feeling from him regarding my family, but he is notoriously grand at hiding his feelings from me. Still we are each learning, and given its only been 3.5 months since we got married I think we are allowed mistakes. :)
Things to look forward to in 2010:
We have this amazing house that I am absolutely elated about. :) We are already starting to "shop" for furniture. I.E. we are window shopping. I have found several pieces that I think would work wonderfully, but also realize that we need to wait for a budget.
Alex's potential new job. Not only will this job provide a better salary and better hours, but it will also reduce stress (hopefully) and allow him to train for a better future.
Trip back to Disney! We want to go for our first anniversary, but we may adjust the time to account for our good friends' wedding in October. The plans will be made closer to spring once we've received the Save-The-Date card and have that silly budget thing we are talking about.
Finally - a church. We are seeking, slowly, a church home for our needs. There is very little out there for young, married, adults without children. While we want children in the future, that time is not going to happen for at least another year or two. So the search will continue until we find that perfect "home."
I think that covers everything for now, but if not check my facebook or I'll post another post to the blog. Either way, live a happy life.
Alex's job remains a constant stress because every single time we try to take a weekend together they yank him in to work. Its an amazement to me that we managed a honeymoon and to pull off Christmas eve with the in-laws. Speaking of Christmas, he did a wonderful job this year. Kudos to my momma for working with him to obtain something for me rather than the trashcan I hear he had planned. :-D Its definitely been a learning curve with in-laws. We have a strong set of differences and are very vocal in those differences at time. I try to not pull Alex in one way or another, but there are times when I do look at him and say its time to go. I don't sense that feeling from him regarding my family, but he is notoriously grand at hiding his feelings from me. Still we are each learning, and given its only been 3.5 months since we got married I think we are allowed mistakes. :)
Things to look forward to in 2010:
We have this amazing house that I am absolutely elated about. :) We are already starting to "shop" for furniture. I.E. we are window shopping. I have found several pieces that I think would work wonderfully, but also realize that we need to wait for a budget.
Alex's potential new job. Not only will this job provide a better salary and better hours, but it will also reduce stress (hopefully) and allow him to train for a better future.
Trip back to Disney! We want to go for our first anniversary, but we may adjust the time to account for our good friends' wedding in October. The plans will be made closer to spring once we've received the Save-The-Date card and have that silly budget thing we are talking about.
Finally - a church. We are seeking, slowly, a church home for our needs. There is very little out there for young, married, adults without children. While we want children in the future, that time is not going to happen for at least another year or two. So the search will continue until we find that perfect "home."
I think that covers everything for now, but if not check my facebook or I'll post another post to the blog. Either way, live a happy life.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
3 plus months
Well married life is just swinging right along. Its a roller coaster to be sure, but for the most part we are having fun. We finally found a house & have it under contract. Now we are just completing all those fun little steps that are necessary according to the bank, the agent, and everyone else under the sun. :)
Christmas was wonderful this year, Alex did an amazing job at gifts. I think I got every single item on my list! I'm so happy that he was able to get me the charm bracelet though. Really, that is my favorite gift because its something he can add to for years & that I can make as personal as I want. So far I have two honeymoon charms & a personalized heart from Alex. I wish I had more to share now, but we are kind of boring. I hope to get pics of the house soon (probably Monday) and I will post them. Until then. . . enjoy life!
Christmas was wonderful this year, Alex did an amazing job at gifts. I think I got every single item on my list! I'm so happy that he was able to get me the charm bracelet though. Really, that is my favorite gift because its something he can add to for years & that I can make as personal as I want. So far I have two honeymoon charms & a personalized heart from Alex. I wish I had more to share now, but we are kind of boring. I hope to get pics of the house soon (probably Monday) and I will post them. Until then. . . enjoy life!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
We’ve been married for going on three weeks now & the most common question I receive is “how is married life treating you?” Now, I know that this question is asked with love & care, but how does one respond? Do I sound positive and go “Great!” like the infamous Tony the Tiger, or do I respond honestly and state that it’s not any different than life before marriage? It’s a quandary to be sure.
I think the most stated difference is the lack of wedding stress, thus leading to a calmer household. I’m more relaxed about “boys’ night out” and he’s less stressed about me being stressed about imaginative things. That and we both get to wear our wedding bands. Still, all in all – it’s good. It’s nice to have Alex call me his wife . . . because he had a hard time with the girlfriend to fiancé switch. Wife he’s great at.
The next goal we have now is to purchase a home. We’re moving right along on that goal, it’s really only a matter of months which is truly exciting. Plus we’ve been able to find a furniture set that we both truly like which is great, because you can bet as soon as we have that house I’m getting us new couches, living room furniture, dining room furniture, and bedroom furniture. Probably in stages starting with the bed, dining room set up, and living room tables. Followed by the dresser/nightstands & couches. I really hate living in a hodgepodge like we do now. It will be beautiful though, that I can promise.
I think the most stated difference is the lack of wedding stress, thus leading to a calmer household. I’m more relaxed about “boys’ night out” and he’s less stressed about me being stressed about imaginative things. That and we both get to wear our wedding bands. Still, all in all – it’s good. It’s nice to have Alex call me his wife . . . because he had a hard time with the girlfriend to fiancé switch. Wife he’s great at.
The next goal we have now is to purchase a home. We’re moving right along on that goal, it’s really only a matter of months which is truly exciting. Plus we’ve been able to find a furniture set that we both truly like which is great, because you can bet as soon as we have that house I’m getting us new couches, living room furniture, dining room furniture, and bedroom furniture. Probably in stages starting with the bed, dining room set up, and living room tables. Followed by the dresser/nightstands & couches. I really hate living in a hodgepodge like we do now. It will be beautiful though, that I can promise.
Monday, August 31, 2009
12 days and counting
Well its only 12 days until I become a married woman & my emotions are swinging from ecstatic to mind-numbing panic to sick with nerves. We’ve been planning this event for 10 months, who would have thought that I’d get nerves??? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m really excited to be marrying Alex. I truly believe he is the one for me. Its just such a huge step!
We’ve only got one more weekend to get stuff done and its not much stuff, but its enough. Luckily, for me, it’s a 3 day weekend. We need to assemble the favors & the programs. We need to iron on the bridesmaid shirts. We need to wrap all the gifts, and lastly we need pack. :-D
That is right, pack for our honeymoon. Oh and write our personal vows, nothing big right??!!
Monday, June 22, 2009
learning curves
So Alex and I are still in that "new couple" phase, not because of time known. Though many might consider the fact that we've only been date 1.5 yrs at this point very little. No, its because we are moving into a new phase of life.
As I see it, each time you enter a new phase i.e. dating, 'going steady', engagement, marriage, babies (OMG cant think of this yet), etc you enter a learning curve with your significant other. Alex and I are still learning...probably always will be ... about each other. Last night was just yet another example.
I must admit, I've just learned to drive a shift stick vehicle. Yes I am almost 25 and just now learned to drive a manual. Saturday was my first venture, on back country roads, alone. So last night I, in my eagerness over of the fact that I CAN drive the jeep, state I'll drive to home depot. Lo & behold the entire way there Alex gives me "pointers." Let me just say, when a child first learns to ride a bike and shows you how well they can do it, do you state things like "wonderful but lean forward more" or "well thats good but you should brake like this." Of course not, you applaud and then enter these tips in to future forays out into the world together. Alex...heaps lessons on you in bulk hoping, I guess, to pass his skill and knowledge through osmosis?
Now then, taking all this into consideration, adding on the Alex is a man...shopping with me, and the fact that we both can be obstinate and have attitudes and you can imagine the conversations. We swung from "jeez if you have such an idiotic issue with me driving why did you let me drive and even teach me to drive your jeep!?!" to "well why didnt you look up pricing online punkin" to "hold my damn hand" (we're terribly romantic arent we?)
All of this ended with a mini-foray through a house we are looking at and compliments to one another. We are def still learning.
As I see it, each time you enter a new phase i.e. dating, 'going steady', engagement, marriage, babies (OMG cant think of this yet), etc you enter a learning curve with your significant other. Alex and I are still learning...probably always will be ... about each other. Last night was just yet another example.
I must admit, I've just learned to drive a shift stick vehicle. Yes I am almost 25 and just now learned to drive a manual. Saturday was my first venture, on back country roads, alone. So last night I, in my eagerness over of the fact that I CAN drive the jeep, state I'll drive to home depot. Lo & behold the entire way there Alex gives me "pointers." Let me just say, when a child first learns to ride a bike and shows you how well they can do it, do you state things like "wonderful but lean forward more" or "well thats good but you should brake like this." Of course not, you applaud and then enter these tips in to future forays out into the world together. Alex...heaps lessons on you in bulk hoping, I guess, to pass his skill and knowledge through osmosis?
Now then, taking all this into consideration, adding on the Alex is a man...shopping with me, and the fact that we both can be obstinate and have attitudes and you can imagine the conversations. We swung from "jeez if you have such an idiotic issue with me driving why did you let me drive and even teach me to drive your jeep!?!" to "well why didnt you look up pricing online punkin" to "hold my damn hand" (we're terribly romantic arent we?)
All of this ended with a mini-foray through a house we are looking at and compliments to one another. We are def still learning.
wedding planning achievements
Well this past weekend, while seemingly slow achieved a lot. Despite not having ordered these items we have successfully found vendors for the following:
1. shephard's hooks
2. tulle - lots and lots and lots of tulle.
3. table overlays
Plus we have the following under control...or at least beginning to be under control:
1. flowers for reception decor
2. groomsmen gifts...FINALLY
3. wedding invites....print and then a month to just address/label/mail. Woot! this makes it feel more real.
4. all my jewelry
5. all the bridesmaid gifts
6. grandparent quick memory books
7. a rough idea of what kind of cake Alex likes....could pulling teeth be any easier than this, I think so!
So go family...it was more than mom and I.
1. shephard's hooks
2. tulle - lots and lots and lots of tulle.
3. table overlays
Plus we have the following under control...or at least beginning to be under control:
1. flowers for reception decor
2. groomsmen gifts...FINALLY
3. wedding invites....print and then a month to just address/label/mail. Woot! this makes it feel more real.
4. all my jewelry
5. all the bridesmaid gifts
6. grandparent quick memory books
7. a rough idea of what kind of cake Alex likes....could pulling teeth be any easier than this, I think so!
So go family...it was more than mom and I.
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