You Know Your Husband Loves You When...

I've discovered in the last two and a half years that Josh and I have an odd relationship. Some would say that it is warped, I say that it's real. Maybe relationships aren't supposed to be like the relationships I have with my family members, but the way we interact with each other is the only way I can stay sane.

Case in point: Josh and I are sitting in front of the TV watching the news, like we do every night. From five o'clock to seven, like little sheep herded by our Shepard we sit every day just like thousands of other people getting our daily feed of depressing stories. The depressing stories seem to drone on like that awful teacher that you had in high school with that damn (pardon my language) monotone voice that made your cringe in agony. The voice that made you think about unlatching the windows and jumping off the roof of the school, only to break your legs, and not end your suffering as you had so hoped. We hear stories about our plummeting economy, Auto Industry Bailouts nixed for the time being,the rule breaking golfer that confessed, starving people all over the world and The Crapple Cup as Eric Johnson calls it.

And so brings us to our story: It is a known fact throughout my family, and many of my friends that I absolutely hate football. Josh asked me once why I hate football so much. "Is it because you don't understand it?" he asked. "No. I just don't like it." "Then what?" I told him that I hated that we spend 5 hours watching a game that only should add up to an hour. I also hate the fact that we cheer over two guys smashing heads and scream at that guy down there who clotheslined that other guy not only because he didn't want him to make a touchdown, but because deep down he is a bastard. And the thing I hate the most about football, (aside from the much overweight men in shiny tight pants, and the highly inflated egos) the victory dances after a touchdown. Yes, maybe you did make a great play, but you couldn't have done it by yourself. Some guy last weekend tore his ACL while doing a victory dance. Was there a twinge of sadness in me when that happened? No, but there was that twinge of satisfaction and that feeling of "serves you right for being so arrogant."

So why wouldn't I make fun of Josh when he has been making a huge deal about the Crapple, I mean Apple Cup coming this weekend? Sometimes I swear that he is the only person who cares about which awful team will win. Because in his words, "What's awesome is... Someone has to win." Like with most games, there is always a winner. People rarely tie 0-0, well there were those years back in t-ball when we ran around picking daisies in the field, but that's another story. We have even rescheduled our anniversary dinner from Saturday to Monday (I know our anniversary is Monday, but Josh planned dinner for Satuday, and I thought we could spend the day doing something nice together). No, instead we are trekking it up to Monte so Josh can watch it on the big TV at his parents house and I am venturing off with my mom to spend money I don't have at the Christmas Bazaar in Elma.

Apparently Josh felt the need to give me a little jab, which he usually does after I make fun of something he so covets. How dare I make fun of his scared sport of choice. Something so many men hold so dear that we reschedule anniversary dinners, skip church, and find ourselves attached to a chair, surrounded by cheap beer and chips only getting up to pee and gather more crap to eat.

The insult that ensues I felt was funny enough to make me cry, probably not funny to you, but is a small look into the relationship that I have with my dear husband. He proceeds to take my insult with stride and the statement that he wishes I would suffocate. Would he help me while I was dying one the worst deaths ever imaginable? No, he claimed. But he said that while I suffocated he would make it known that he, in fact could breath, all the while taking in gasps of sweet oxygen while I slipped into a breathless hell. No, he didn't say it in so many words, and yes it was an insult but I felt loved right then. Loved enough for him to think up such an awful thing to say... Yes, folks, this is the world that I live in. Jabs and insults abound, but I know that when my husband looks at me he truly loves me, and that is more than I could ever hope for.

Have a wonderful day!

Alyssa

My Anniversary Present

Our first anniversary isn't until next Monday, but Josh's present came in the mail yesterday, a whole week before our anniversary, and to save myself from saying the same thing over and over again, "No you can't open it" and "No, I'm not telling you what it is." I knew we wouldn't last 7 days, so I gave Josh his present. I'm promoting bad health by getting him a variety pack of 50 cigars and a nice mahogany humidor with the temperature gage and other little do dads inside. I feel awful that I'm saying, "Here! Go smoke some." But I'm assuming he won't be smoking all 50 at once. I didn't think about that, though, when I first decided what I wanted to get for him back in August.

Now, my present was too big to fit in our tiny mail box, and because I was out of town yesterday, I wasn't available to sign for my gift. I heard a knock at the door at 9:30 and they dropped off a huge box. Try waiting until 3:45 to open your anniversary present. Not cool. I do admit I tried to look in the box, but I couldn't see anything, so I waited paitently (yea right).

As soon as Josh got home I got to open it, and here is what I got!

If you read this blog, You might have seen this picture before. It' a Monet painting, my favorite! This is a replica, obviously. So no it's not a real painting, but I still love it so much. It's beautiful and I can't stop looking at it. It makes me so happy! My husband gives wonderful gifts! I can't wait to hang it on the wall. Josh, if you read this, I love you so much! Sorry about the awful pictures, these are just a couple quick snapshots. I hope you are having a wonderful week!

Alyssa

A Break From The Computer...

I think depression has set in with this whole job search. I know I need to get out there and look, but I'm always discouraged about what I am going to do, and what I am quailfied for. I spent a couple of hours scouring the internet trying to find something in the area, and I haven't found much. For anything that is going to be of any interest I will have to travel 40 minutes each way to Vancouver every day to work. Between job searching, laundry, vaccuming, cleaning and searching for some inspiration, fixing my blog, and working on photography stuff, my eyes were about ready to fall out. I decided I couldn't look at the computer for another second. So what am I doing on here? (I'm very contradictory). Anyway, I decided I would take some time to slap another coat of paint on one of my canvases I'm trying to reuse. I decided to finally paint what I've been planning on it. Trying to cover up a painting that is already on it can be done, but it's proving to take alot to cover it up. This is coat three, and I'm thinking of at least slapping another coat on it.

So what was underneath it? Well, I don't think I have a picture of it, too bad, there's no proof other than from those who have seen it, but it was a replica of an Audrey Hepburn picture from Breakfast at Tiffany's. The one with the long cigarette and the cat on her shoulder. It had the pink background and everything. It was almost finished, save for the cat and a little bit of shading, but I wasn't feeling it anymore, and obviously didn't like it enough to leave it as a canvas sitting in the back of my closet, so I'm going to revive it into something I hope I like.

This was just another canvas in the long line of partial paintings. I have three in this apartment, I threw one away when we moved, and I'm not sure, there might be one at my mom's. I am notorious for starting a project, getting bored with it and letting it sit forever until I decide, or not to come back to it. It started in childhood with coloring books. I colored the parts I wanted to, and when something seemed to boring to color, I went on to a new picture. No one else could ever color a picture in my color book because there were only partially uncolored photos. Sorry friends, but I guess if you want your color page could be our page and we can go in it as a collaboration? No one ever liked that idea. And 18 years later, I am the same way. Funny how some things just stay with you.

So here are a couple pictures, one to give you an idea of what was underneath, and one to give you a view of the progress of the preparation of the new painting to come. Do I know what I'm painting? Yes, and I'm not saying. :) Don't be sad, it didn't look this good. Close, but no cigar.

And now: There's some texture visible still where

Audrey's cigar, tiara and jewelry are

Not sure what I'm going to do yet! Sorry for the terrible photo.

Too bad I can't get paid to do the things that I do during the day. :( Have a wonderful Monday!

Alyssa

A New Look

I have changed my blog template due to the fact that my photos were always getting chopped off on the right side of horizontal (landscape) photos. There is nothing worse than only seeing part of a photo. Your comments and thoughts on this new blog setup would be much appreciated! I hope you are having a wonderful start to the week!

Alyssa

Things I am Loving Right Now

I haven't felt any inspiration to do anything creative in awhile. I haven't done much aside from getting packed and then getting unpacked and now settled, but tonight I was in desperate need of inspiration so I started to visit a few blogs I love to stalk and let them take me where they felt I needed to go. I went from one blog I visit, to one I will now check up on, and then that led me to a site I've visited before, and had forgotten about. I was talking to Josh a bit ago, and had the realization, which I said out loud that, "I am just so obsessed with everything... I just love pretty things: paints and wallpaper, paper and furniture, interior design, clothes, and people and photography. How can I surround myself with all these pretty things."

I've found that I am a complete mish mash of likes and loves. I think I remember my mom mentioning that my room always looked like a complete havoc because nothing was ever cohesive. I'm getting better with what I choose to put in my house, but if I could have it all I would. My style ranges from the love of victorian furniture to clean lines of some modern stuff to totally distressed and cozy. What am I going to do with myself? So I thought, because I am so excited at some of the finds I arrived upon tonight, I would share them with you... Sorry if you don't like them. Let me know what you like! I would love to hear all about it! Seriously... Comment.

apartmenttherapy.com

Finally something we agree we like, the bed. Josh likes it because it looks like a throne. He thinks he's king apparently.

I'm usually all about color, but there is something about a white room I find so peaceful,
as long as it doesn't look like a hospital room. apartmenttherapy.com

I've always wanted a library with so many shelves I need a ladder. HEAVEN

http://apartmenttherapy.com/

See, I can go from all white to black walls just like that. LOVE the tub!!!

http://dominomag.com/

Can't remember where I found this but this

cabinet and organization and colors are to die for.

In love with this artist out of England. I am determined to buy most of her stuff for my childs room, although I dont have one. I can stock up in preparation for some day. I almost didn't show this I don't want anyone else to know my secret loves. http://belleandboo.com/

This is from the movie "The Holiday" Kate Winslets bedroom from the little cottage in England. I needed to find it because I loved it so much. Sad, isn't it?

Last one... Love this bathroom so much. A tub and a pretty shower. I love a good bubble bath.From one of my most favorite blogs ever: theinspiredroom.net

So there you have it, a menagerie of things I love. A mish mash, right? What sort of things do you love?

Have a beautiful rest of the weekend!

Alyssa