wood and daisies (5 years)
The traditional fifth year anniversary flower is the daisy. Fitting for us, as we used all daisies at our wedding five years ago this March.
To celebrate five years, we started our morning off right at Lucile’s Creole Cafe, followed by window shopping – and a purchase at the Boulder Bookstore – on Pearl Street. Brunch plus bookstore equals perfect date for us. And now we have a third party member to join us.
five years
(No, that’s not a stylish new X shirt my husband is wearing. It’s a sling to carry our baby. I love being married to a baby-wearing papa.)
pick up chicks
Introducing…
Curious George (Monster Max's favorite character and color)
Gertrude "Gertie" Birdie
Pippi
"Duckie" Burnside (dubbed by Cecily and Kellen after Portland's Burnside Bridge)
Matilda
Henny Penny
pumpkin cinnamorgasm
Here is a link to the most magical tasting pumpkin cinnamon roll recipe you will ever experience:
Tasty Kitchen pumpkin cinnamon rolls
happiness is gingerbread lips
Last Saturday, I baked. For 4 hours. I prepped gingerbread cookies and rolled them out to refrigerate. Beware when adding baking soda, your molasses will inflate 10-fold. Then I got some pumpkin cream sandwiches going — my favorite holiday cookie indulgence. Baked the pumpkin cookies and set out to cool while whipping together the cream cheese mixture and cutting the chilled gingerbread into fun shapes. Upon a cookie cutter scouting trip through our cupboards, I found one Christmas tree, two fish, and a box of Valentine-themed shapes (because who wouldn’t want to bite into a pair of cookie lips?).
The original purpose of my baking extravaganza (yes, I consider two types of cookies an extravaganza — I’m not usually the baker in my house) was to feed my art-and-crafting lady friends for my third art party gathering. Most of our time is used knitting adorable baby hats and scarves. (‘Tis the age of birthing: I personally know at least 15 girls who have either gotten pregnant or had a baby in the last year. In fact, one of the party attendees gave birth just last week, and another is due in January!)
Once I got into my baking, I surprised myself by how much I was enjoying it. I was… happy. And it caught me off-guard. Not that I’ve necessarily led an unhappy existence. I just tend to feel guilty when happiness begins to rise within me. I attribute this to a solid beating of Romans and Corinthians, twisted and taught to me over the years as a desire for hardship over success. I remember being told countless times that my life wouldn’t be difficult if the devil didn’t think I was a “threat” to his schemes. So, if life wasn’t difficult, my peers and I wondered if we were too “lukewarm” to be bothered with. Saying this aloud to my new* therapist makes me feel more than a little psychotic. But perhaps not as psychotic as the people who encouraged me to feel this way.
All to say, I’ve been happier. And I can admit it. Hopefully there’s more where that came from.
* When my old therapist told me that I need to believe in Satan before I can experience any recovery, I decided it was time to move on.
