Hungry Hungry Hippo's

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me his try anything hungry belly!  I love cooking for James!  I'm very cautious about what I cook him but with what he is limited to eating, it's my chance to get really creative. 


Yesterday I was watching Man vs. Food and it got my creative mind thinking, so this morning, I made James a different kind of breakfast. 

This is my Garlic Texas Toast Special!  This amazing sandwich (which had meat's I do not eat) is constructed very percisely, Garlic Texas Toast, Egg (you can do Sunny-Side Up or Scrabbled just make sure it crumble off the bread), Sage Sausage, Sharp Cheese, Hickory Smoked Bacon, and top it off with another piece of Garlic Texas Toast.  To make Special and to keep it together, I stuck a overly large tooth pick with an "I Love You James" flag at the top.  

What did you think about my Special Sandwich: "It was good but too much Texas Toast" - James

This photo doesn't do it justice,... the sandwich was VERY tall, probably my obsession with Man vs. Food.

I really do enjoy cooking for him and he tells me all the time how much he appreciates it.  He is an AMAZING cook himself, however I do not let him in the kitchen very often.  I have specially organized the kitchen because I use it the most and he gives me a hard time about how he can never find anything. 

Starts with F and ends with Amily

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love shared with me his wonderful family!  We visited with James' parents today, it's always so much fun just to see them and spend time with them.  When I first met his mother, James and his best friend gave me the "Heads up", telling me to be careful, one mistake and she may never invite me over again.  At this point, I was terrified, and I spend countless hours trying to pick out the perfect outfit and figuring out how I should do my hair and makeup.  Once we arrived at their wonderful home, I was shaking as we walked up and the door opened.  She came to greet me with her arms wide open for a hug.... Great joke guys, we all had a great laugh and when his parents found out why I was nervous, they joined in on the laughter.  


I have learned so much from his family, I truly cherish them and look forward to all the amazing family camping trips, hunting trips, amazing dinners, Thanksgiving dinners, and much more! 


I see James' father in him, his values and how he was raised.  James is a true gentleman, just as much as his father is, always opening doors for me, watching where I am to protect me, really treating me like a Lady.  


One thing that James has taught me is that family is important no matter what, as much as I have heard that so many times before, what he has shown me with him and his family is much more eye opening.  I love my family and I love his as my own as well.  What a wonderful gift!

What else is there to say?

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me great conversation.  I've seen the good, bad, and the ugly with relationships.  One key things in a relationship is communication, however it can be quite easier said than done.  I'm still working on that, usually James just tells me to spit it out and so I do so.  Communication doesn't always have to be about how you're feeling, James and I have nights where we talk forever, just like we did when we first met.  What's so perfect is that everything really does flow, whether we sit quietly or we are literally interrupting each other because we have so much to talk about, it always stays interesting.  

Someone made a comment to me once, she showed me a text her husband had sent to her (It said I love you) and said you know the love is still there when he sends you things like this daily.  It really got me thinking about how I think.  I always take everything James says so seriously and I am an over-analyzer.  When he tells me he loves me, it feels so sincere, so real, and then I say it back knowing from the deepness of my heart I truly mean it.  If only hearts could fly out of my mouth when I tell him I love him, that's actually something I picture sometimes because I mean it so much.  


We converse so well, we always have things to take about, and it's great to talk to the person who cares about you the most.  Now, sometimes he needs a break from my jibber jabbers, that's usually when he's playing his video games. Tip: It's great to talk with your man, just make sure you give him a scheduled amount of time for his ears to rest.


Some things James told me tonight:
- James gave me a smooch goodnight and told him he still loves kissing me (too mushy gooshy?)
- I told him that I loved him the same way I did when we first met, then he said "Well I love you more than when we first met".... Way to go on one uping me on that one (We're both pretty competitive so what do you expect)

P.S. He actually asked for seconds of dinner tonight! There's no name for it, but I made amazing refried beans mixed with sharp cheese and mozzarella, taco sauce, zesty chicken sausages inside of Tortilla's.  I'm not sure if he asked more because I didn't feed him enough or that it was so good he had to have more! Oh well, he liked it!

No Questions Asked!

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a lending hand.  Touching back on support, it's always important to have someone back you up 100%, it feels good right?  In order to do great, and this I have learned, you need motivation.  You see so many great business owners make speeches based around thanking people for helping get them there.  That's James.  Since the very first time we talked, he wants to know what I want and what I need and help me get there.


He never judges my opinion, nor my actions, instead he stands right behind to catch me if I fall and help me back up or to pat me on the back when my ideas become reality.  I'm a dreamer, always have been, and I've been told so many times that is was unrealistic, it wouldn't happen, but how wonderful to have James intrigued by my dreams!  One thing I love that he does, is he challenges me, asking all sorts of questions and what if'.  If I can support and answer every question, that's when we both know it will work and I can move forward with the idea.  He touches most unthought of questions, it makes me broaden my thoughts to think realistically and understand the outlook of it all.  


I would like to thank James for lending his help hand out to me when I needed it the most, through any circumstances, he never judged.  He has truly helped build Un Amore Weddings and is still contributing to what is to come. So thank you!

Patience IS a virtue!

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me lots and lots of patience.  I have always been a klutz and instead of turning everything I touch into gold, I break it.  This evening I was trying to make soup, sandwich, and chilly fries for dinner, sounds easy, but I hadn't cut the can properly to the chilly and it was still attached.  I thought I could just push hard on it (I probably wasn't because I was too paranoid that I would cut myself) but all of my chilly was squishing out the sides. I knew it was too late now and I was sure I lost half the can to the sink so I pushed a little hard, next thing I knew, I had chilly in my eyes, it was all over the sink, on my nice cream sweaters, and ALL over the windows.  Thankfully, James has the most patience I have ever seen someone have and just laughed it off!  I now sit here, lightly smelling like chilly with half a bowl left of chilly fries... They're great but it is going to a hassle cleaning that mess!  


Moments like this bring back more good memories, like the time I broke the new big screen tv (Shattered, there's no coming back from that and I thought I could hide it but James found out and again laughed it off), burnt the life out of several pots and pans, many sweaters I've shrunken, (he's currently naming the items off that I've broken) and James says that I lost the truck keys and cellphone, both which were on my car and are long gone now.  The list goes on and will forever grow, moments like create such a fun twist to the relationship and when we always talk about that one time, we laugh soooo hard!  


I remember, right after getting brand spanking new carpet, I spilled bright red fingernail polish all over and my mother lost it (I ran straight for the bathroom, I was so scared of what she would do).  


Big question is: James, what is it like living with a klutz and how do you do it?
-"Dangerous and I assume that nothing lasts forever, if it's broken that's okay"


Him and his father give me a hard time about it but they know how to make the situation brighter.  If I have burnt the pot, James bends it and says well now we HAVE to throw it away.

Sleep talking and snuggling

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, lots of mumble jumbles and some cuddling.  Today felt short and abrupt! One moment, I was awaken by my alarm, the next, James was home.  I love it when he comes home early from work, however, from waking up so early and working an energy consuming job, he is always most tired.  


I decided to watch a movie when James crawled over, covered himself with the blankets, and laid his head down on my stomach.  A few moments later, he began twitching which then triggered the snoring and sleep talking.  He  usually never says full sentences, it's sometimes a laugh or two, or some sort of gibberish.  


I love it when he falls asleep on me.  I feel like the protector, the angel who watches over the little lamb as he sleeps. Every time he falls asleep on me, my thoughts always go back to the beginning of our relationship when he first told me he loved me.


We were relaxing, similar to today, he had fallen asleep with his head on my lap as I watched a movie.  He had passed out and I let him sleep for a good hour until I could no longer feel my legs.  I leaned over, whispering to him that I had lost all feeling in legs and he mumbled "I love you too" in his sleep.  I kind of laughed because I knew I loved him back but he was sleep talking, it would be weird if I blurted out randomly that I loved him back and him not knowing what I was talking about.  He finally lifted his head and I immediately told him what had happened.  He laughed a little, laid his head back down, and softly said "Well, I do love you".  I remember everything about that day, how the room was set up, about what time is was, and the exact tone he said loved me in.  That was the very first time we exchanged the I Love You's.


Cheers to the good memories we've made and to the ones still to come!

Super Support!

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me his support!  Today was fantastic, as I was invited to participate in a photo shoot with Ashley Genevieve and Katie Lomax, both amazing photographers.  I was honored when James asked if he could come along to see me model!  He has seen pictures of previous modeling I've done but never seen me in action, it was actually very wonderful to have him come.  I became very nervous that he would be there watching me twist around in funny poses, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect.


When I woke up this morning, he was still snoring, dead asleep and I knew he had a very late night, so it was likely he was going to enjoy this long day. I got everything together and snuck back into the room to find him still passed out, so I quietly leaned over the bed and said goodbye.  He jumped up and said "I'm getting ready right now!" with a happy smiley face.  I was very surprised, he quickly got ready and helped me to remember what I wanted to bring to the shoot.  He drove us to get coffee and we chatted happily all the way to the location.  We sat in the car waiting to be let into the BEAUTIFUL house where the photo shoot was to happen and I watched him play a silly game on his phone (I expected him to want to sit and play on his phone the whole 5 hours).  Once we were waived to come in, he helped me out of the car and helped bring in all of my stuff, which would have taken me two trips, into the house.  We got a great tour of the house and there he was following right behind us, still with the biggest smile on his face.  


I started getting ready for the shoot and he sat in the kitchen waiting for hair and makeup to be completed.  I started the shoot off working with Katie Lomax, comfortable as ever, I did see him peek around the corner trying to stay out of my sight so he would not make me nervous.  Hours passed and it was time to eat but our food hadn't been dropped off yet, so James stepped up and offered to go pick up food for everyone!  


The day continued and James continued to watch as much as he could.  He was SO supportive the whole time and continued to smile, ear to ear!  I had so much fun and felt so much more confident with James there, I never felt alone (I didn't know anyone there very well) and I felt special to have the most important person there watching me.  Great day!

Security is somethin'!

On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me security.  Your home is were you feel most safe, a place of serenity and coziness. We had a great discussion this evening, wont get into details, but he shared with me how important my safety was to him.  I'm best thought of as a bunny, so docile yet I can be very paranoid at times.  James has never crossed his boundaries, he continues to look out for me and still treat me like a lady.  For example, while walking through the parking lot tonight (I do this enough now he doesn't have to grab me and move me) I walk on his left side and a car drives up on the right.  I have never had anyone do something like, so as you can imagine, our first date to the Tacoma Dome was hilarious!


He always reassures me he will always do his best to protect me, and he has actually been teaching me new things on how to protect myself if he's too far away.  As paranoid as I started out, he has helped me come to peace with myself and any possible situations (I worry about everything, this isn't an exaggeration) that may occur.  As I have my suspicions with on how December of 2012 may play out, I know he's right there always.  

What an amazing feeling!

I hear my cellphone ring-a-ling!

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me 2 calls on his lunch break. I remember all the way back to when we first started dating, we talked all the time!  We would stay up late talking on the phone, next morning we would text each other all the way up to lunch and he would always call me around noon (I tried to schedule my breaks at that time). Now, we see each other daily but he still always checks in around noon to see how my morning has been.  I know that when I always have a rough morning, I start to consistently check my phone to see what time it is and if he's called, he always says the right thing to put me on the right path.  


I usually lay down on the couch and play with my hair when we talk, like a giddy school girl.  I always ask him how waking up was (sometimes I will say funny things to him while I'm still asleep when he says goodbye), how the drive to work was, and how work is going so far (if work has been awful, means I make a super big dinner to cheer him up when he gets home).  


I love it when he calls anytime of the day, sometimes more than once, because it means he's thinking of me.

What my true love gave to me!

This is my intro to the 25 days until Christmas and each day follow the count UP! 


On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me my laughter!  I am always so excited to see him at the end of the day, even if I'm stressed or don't have dinner ready.  

When he walked through the door he came into the kitchen as I was cooking dinner to talk to me about how he could help me feel better about life, encouraged me to make changes for myself (In a good way people, he wasn't asking me to change my personality or nothing!), and he helped me recognize how hard I was working along with motivating me to keep up the good work.  


His excitement rubs off on me and always puts me in such a better mood, it's like he's a handsome walking happy pill! The one thing I always look forward to is him talking about his day, me talking about mine, and making jokes we both laugh at!  


He's funny!  As I sit finishing my evenings work, he puts his hand on my knee and tells me he loves me.  I quickly glanced at him and look back at my computer and told him I loved him back.  Right then, he pinched me... haha this is usually what happens if I don't give him my full attention!  


What a great guy!