Tagged

I have been tagged by both Kristine and Bonnie, so I thought it was about time I responded.

Have you ever...
Gone on a blind date? (Yes, only once)
Skipped school? (Yes and got caught)
Watched someone die? (No)
Been to Canada? (No, I had the chance and it fell through. But I was only 45 minutes away…)
Been to Mexico? (No. Why must you keep rubbing it in that I haven’t been out of the country?)
Been to Florida? (Yes! And willing to go back. Road trip anyone?)
Been on a plane? (Yes)
Been lost? (Yes, many times but they always ended in some beautiful car rides.)
Been on the opposite side of the country? (Yes)
Gone to Washington, D.C.? (Yes, one of my fav places in the world!)
Swam in the ocean? (Yes, I love it! I actually prefer the Atlantic though)
Cried yourself to sleep? (Yes)
Played cops and robbers? (Last night, how’d you know?)
Recently colored with crayons? (Yes, hurray for primary callings!)
Sang Karaoke? (Yes, fat chance ever hearing it again.)
Paid for a meal with coins only? (Yes, Breakfast at work - aka soda and candy)
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? (Probably?)
Made prank phone calls? (Yes and got caught. I wasn’t a very sneaky child.)
Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose? (No, but I’ve seen it. Gross!)
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? (Yes)
Danced in the rain? (Of course!)
Written a letter to Santa Claus? (Again, Probably?)
Been kissed under the mistletoe? (Yes)
Watched the sunrise with someone you care about? (Yes, and then we got mooned)
Blown bubbles? (Yes, both gum and soap bubbles)
Gone ice-skating? (Yes - HATE it)
Been skinny dipping outdoors? (No. Too cold)

1. Any nicknames? Stace, StacyLynn, StacyLu
2. Mother's name? Liz
3. Favorite Drink? Peanut Butter Smoo from Maggie Moo’s. Mmmmmmm!
4. Tattoo? Does Henna count?
5. Body Piercing? Pierced ears
6. How much do you love your job? I don’t think I could possibly hate it more.
7. Birthplace? TX
8. Favorite vacation spot? Anywhere with a beach and lots of sunshine.
9. Ever been to Africa? No
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? I prefer them for breakfast.
11. Ever been on TV? I was on the news once - the camera went right by me, so you saw my face for like 2 seconds. Go me!
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? No
13. Ever been in a car accident? Yes, but not until this last winter. Stupid snow.
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? 4 door
15. Favorite salad dressing? Balsamic Vinaigrette
16. Favorite pie? Any, as long as it doesn’t have a “pie” crust. I prefer a chocolate or graham cracker crust.
17. Favorite number? 5
18. Favorite movie? So many choices! While you were sleeping.
19. Favorite holiday? Halloween and Valentines (doesn’t that seem contradictory)
20. Favorite dessert? Molten chocolate cake (Chilis)
21. Favorite food? Seafood
22. Favorite day of the week? Fridays (TGIF!)
23. Favorite brand of body wash? As long as it smells nummy, I will use it
24. Favorite toothpaste? Crest
25. Favorite smell? Fresh Chocolate Chip Cookies.
26. What do you do to relax? Go for a walk, take a bubble bath, write, read.
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? With a couple kids and a few best-selling novels =)

28. Who are you tagging? I don't know...Matt, your turn! ;)

How to Have Fun

Ten ways to have fun in your marriage while keeping things alive and mushy:

1. When you are driving in the car together, kiss at every red light. Just make sure one of you has their eyes slightly open so you can tell when its green again. This can also double as a cure for road rage.

2. When shopping together, hold hands. This may seem simple enough, but the trick is not letting go. From the time you step in the store until the time you leave, your hands must remain touching. You haven't experienced fun until you've tried picking up a 20 lb bag of flour from the bottom shelf...together.

3. Hide and kiss. This game works best when you are in a public place together. While walking past a deserted hallway, empty room, or behind a block of some kind, grab the other person and kiss them until someone else appears. You then continue walking as if nothing happened. The trick is not getting caught.

4. Play games together. Matt and I love playing racquetball together! But, unlike our competitive friends, we celebrate the wins together. If I score an exceptionally good point, Matt will give me a high five, kiss me, or pull me into a big hug. I do the same for him. This way, the game stays fun and neither of you feel like you've lost.

5. If you don't want to join 'em, beat 'em! Have you ever gone somewhere public and seen those disgusting couples (usually teenagers) who are all over each other? Well, the best way to turn one of those awkward situations into a good laugh is go and stand right next to that couple, and start making out. Most of those lustful teenagers will feel threatened by your obviously superior skills and leave. (probably to find a hotel). I know you have to be similarly disgusting for a little while, but its totally worth it to watch the other couple look disgusted and scamper away. Plus, kissing is fun!

6. Jump back in time. Remember the first time you met your spouse? Your first date? The first time you held their hand? To make the evening a little more exciting, pretend you are on your first date again. Get ready for your evening in different rooms. Ladies, if you can, buy a new top or try your hair in a different way. Men, go out and buy her some flowers and come back to pick her up. Ring the doorbell as if you don't already live together. Then, have a nice evening and exchange small talk. Get to know each other's likes and dislikes, share your hopes for the future. Who knows, they may have changed since you first started dating. Stay away from discussing the kids, or anything that ties you together. This will give you a relaxing, stress-free evening alone. The best part will be at the end of the night, when you don't have to say goodbye on the porch and leave!

7. Pet names. I'm not really sure how this started, but some days it results in stomach aches for both of us from laughing so hard! Everyone uses pet names now and then; Matt and I use them to compete. Every once in awhile one of us will say, "I love you sweetie." When the other replies with a funnier pet name, the challenge has been issued. "I love you too, Googly bear" "Ok, Smoochy poo". And we continue back and forth, coming up with the silliest pet names we can think of, until one runs out of ideas and gives up.

8. Work together, play together. Until we moved into our house, we didn't have a dishwasher. So we would often stand, side by side, and wash the dishes. And no dishwashing experience is complete without a bubble fight. Have fun and do the work together. After awhile, it won't seem like work anymore. One of our favorite "work" activities is raking leaves together. As soon as we get a large enough pile, without a doubt, Matt will pick me up and throw me in it. I'll dump leaves over his head as well and sometimes we team up against the dogs, throwing leaves on them.

9. Always say "I love you". Whenever you are on the phone with your spouse, whether its a half hour call when he's out of town or a thirty second call to come upstairs for dinner, do not hang up without first saying "I love you". Its something that can never be said too much. I'm shocked at how many people tell us we're cute because we still say "I love you" to each other. I truly hope no married couples ever stop!

10. Save water. Shower together. ;)

Just Because

"What are the flowers for?"
"Because my husband loves me."
"Is it your anniversary?"
"No."
"Is it your birthday?"
"No."
"Did he do something wrong?"
"No."
"He just gave you flowers?"
"Yup."
"For no reason at all?"
"Just because."
"Wow!"

Sound the alarm! Call out the troops! Dial 9-1-1! These are pretty much the reactions I got from people when Matt surprised me with flowers at work this week. It was actually really entertaining to watch the wheels turning in some people's minds as they tried to grasp the concept. "Just because. He brought her flowers just because." The dazed and confused expressions I saw told me full well that too many marriages had lost their spontaneity. (If they had any to start with). I thought I might have to call an ambulance to revive a few that seemed to have gone into shock. Matt has always been very good at surprising me occasionally with flowers or small presents to remind me I'm loved. I enjoy doing the same for him too. If he's had an especially bad week at school, I'll pick up the latest CD he's been wanting or that movie he's had his eye on. Why? Because I love him! He knows I love him, but sometimes a surprise gift is a nice reminder. I've heard men use the argument that flowers die. Well, I don't care if flowers die, they are beautiful while they last and a wonderful reminder of Matt. When I look at the flowers he's bought me, sitting on my desk, a smile comes to my face every time. So he is on my mind all day. And to those who are too cheap to buy your spouse an occasional "just because" gift my only reply is it'll save you money in the long run. I hear divorce is expensive.

School Bites

I hate school. I detest school. I have found school to be the bane of my existence. I can't count the number of times that I have found myself up at 1 o'clock in the morning doing homework. And here's the dumbest part about it all. I'm paying for it!!! I'm convinced that the people who say that college was the best time of their lives, must have been drunk for 90% of their college career. It's the only reason that I can think of that would cause someone to say something so absurd. The one thing that makes my constant academic torture bearable is my wonderful wife. Seriously, I don't know that I could have made it this far without her. She has always been so helpful and supportive. When we first got married I told her that if one of us cooks then the other one should do the dishes. However, I can't count the number of times that Stacy has cooked a meal, served it, and cleaned it all up on her own just so that I can study. Time after time she tells me that school won't last forever and that she knows that I can make it. It's her encouragement that has helped me time after time to keep plugging along. Well, I don't have time to write much more. I am, in fact, right now using this blog as a way of putting off my homework for just a little longer. I have to read 2 books, write a 7 page paper, rewrite another paper, prepare for a test, 2 quizzes, 2 group projects, and try to keep up with all of the homework that my professors are assigning daily. Oh, and did I mention that this is just what's coming up these next 2 weeks. After all of this I get to take finals. I'm so thrilled that I can barely contain myself. So, needless to say, I probably should stop procrastinating and get to work. *Sigh* I hate school :(

Beating the Odds

It's very simple to tell who is happy in their marriage and who is not. Matt and I have been married for two and a half years now. I know that doesn't seem like a lot to some people, but for many, its nearly impossible. We have always enjoyed showing our affection for each other around other people. Since we started dating, we've often gotten comments from those people around us. The happily married people say, "You two are so cute". The unhappy people often make comments like,"Just wait till you're married, it'll stop." Then after we got married, "Just wait till you've been married about a year, it'll stop." Then we hit our first anniversary and it turned into, "Just wait till you've been married a couple years, it'll stop. You'll see." Well, I have one thing to say to those people. =P
We happen to still love each other. So I'm sorry to those who aren't happy, but stop spreading your bitter manure views to those who are.

Matt and I work together at the same company. I've also heard many people say, "I don't know how you can stand working with your husband every day!" Let me tell you...its great! He often tells me he loves me throughout the day and he'll come over and kiss me frequently. Who wouldn't like that? I guess I don't understand why you would marry someone if you can't stand being around them. People baffle me. Anyway, I was at work the other day and Matt had just kissed me goodbye before returning to his desk. A newer lady at work asked, "So how long have you two been married?" I told her two and a half years and she snorted. The woman actually snorted! Red flags were going up all over the place. "Warning! Angry married woman ahead!" After doing her pig impression, which was quite good actually, she said "Oh, that's why. Just wait till you've been married for ten years. It'll change, you'll see." Wow! This woman can impersonate a pig and a female dog! Now there's talent for you.

Matt and I may lessen our cuteness slightly as the years go by, but we've made it a goal to always show affection for one another. We want to still be disgustingly in love when we're old and wrinkly. So say what you want, but we plan on acting this way for many years to come. If for no other reason than to prove the cynics wrong.

What's in a name

FACT: Most cool blog names are taken.
So after much thought, deliberation, and trying about a million other choices, we decided upon BLiNK. You may be asking yourself, "Why did they choose that?" "What were they thinking?" "Was it late?" "Were they drunk?" Well, it was late, but we weren't drunk. We just wanted a name that would best describe what we think marriage is and to us it's like the colors blue and pink colliding. When we got married, suddenly aftershave and cosmetics had to share a shelf, chick flicks and action movies got the same amount of screen time, and dresses and old t-shirts had to learn to make room for each other in the closet. To say the least it's been an adventure for us both. Through this blog we plan on sharing what we've learned, what we'll continue to learn, and what others have taught us about marriage. And best of all, how to remain in the "newlywed" phase forever. So get ready and try not to BLiNK. (Ok, that was cheesy. But come on, it just had to be said.)