"I get your stinkies out!"

Liv and I flew in late Monday night. We are back home and it feels good to be back to our old routine. Well hopefully we will have a new routine because I will get a job...someday...hopefully.

However, while we are waiting for that to happen, I have a story for you.

Liv and I were sitting on the couch together yesterday morning and this is how our conversation went:

Me: Livi I need to take a shower, I stink.

Liv: you don't stink mama.

Me: Yes, yes I do...I'm going to take a shower.

Liv: (leaning forward with her mouth wide open) RAWRRRRRRRR!

Liv: See, I got your stinkies out mama!

Really kid?! I died. It was hilarious and random. The only thing I can think to blame this on is the Yo Gabba Gabba book "get the sillies out". Clearly her reading comprehension is astronomical, seeing she totally applied getting the sillies out to getting my stinkies out. The roaring, I have no explanation for that, other than she is obsessed with monsters. What two year old welcomes the thought of monsters? Mine :).

spring into vacation

Not that I have been good with updating my blog before, but last Saturday we unexpectedly booked a flight back to Chicago and flew out Tuesday. It's been busy to say the least. We flew into Chicago, stayed with my Dani and Bikey for a day and then Liv and I made the long (9 hour) journey home alone. Honestly, Liv is a really good traveller, so the ride was just long...no major hiccups. Well....she did throw up, but I'm so used to it, because the girl throws up every time we fly anyways. However, this was the first time in the plane that I actually caught her puke. It should be a sport really, puke catching...it's an art. An art that I pray that I've mastered.

We have been here since Thursday the 15th and leave next Thursday to drive back down to Chicago and spend the weekend again until we fly out on Monday.

It's been an unexpected and much needed visit with family and friends. I will leave you with some pictures and hopefully not an empty promise to get writing more. It's hard to figure out what to write when I feel like I'm in such a half-way point in my life. Liv being in daycare three days a week and me looking for a job but not finding one leaves me a bit deflated.

on the balcony in chicago

playing with pippa, catching imaginary butterflies.

new outfit.

small acts of kindness

Or not so small...depending on the person on the receiving end.

I went to a scentsy party on Saturday night. Pat watched Liv and brought her to see the Lorax in 3D. I was home by 10 and asleep by 10:30. Pat and I usually switch "sleep-in" days on the weekend. Sunday was my day, but Liv has a tendency to demand I get out of bed and I usually give in. Not this Sunday though. Pat coaxed her out of bed and I woke up at 9am to a very quiet house....eerily quiet. I just kept lying in bed listening to see if I could hear my family, then I crept out to find nobody. The apartment was empty. I called Pat and he said he took Liv to work with him and they were going to our friend's farm after. It was so relaxing, and while they were gone longer than I would have liked :), I was so thankful.

I don't know if it's my marriage, or everyone's marriage, but sometimes It feels like we live according to a system of tallies.

You did this - check!
Well I did this - check!
Well I did this last week - check!
You haven't done that since then - check!
I cleaned up that disgusting mess - check! check!

My point is, It's easy to get caught up in the "he did/she did" and I wasn't expecting Pat to do that. It made me feel appreciated and made me want to do the same for him. It was so refreshing to feel that way and I am currently swallowing my pride for not being the person to initiate it (I can't change overnight), but that was certainly the budge I needed to put a little more "just because" back into our relationship.

weekend walking

Liv and I like to take Lily for a walk together. Lily is a 5 pound beast. She is ferocious. I avoid all paths that lead to other dogs, we take the path of least resistance, because nothing is more embarrassing than your 5 pound chihuahua barking incessantly at every dog, twice it's size, that walks by.

On this particular walk, same rules applied. We walked the opposite way from everyone. I did see a man walking two big dogs our way, so we took a detour to look at the frozen over river. I was reaching in my pocket to get a treat in order to distract Lily. I was too slow and Lily zipped out in front of me and popped out of her harness! Next thing I know, my rabid chihua is barking and circling the poor man and his two dogs. I had to chase her in circles, because conveniently, she doesn't listen. Gah. I did get some pictures before the "incident". She makes my life interesting thats for sure.

there's something so cute about a 2 year old walking a dog :)

pouting?

pat and liv's snowman :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Pat left today for work, so we had a little photo shoot for our love. I'm going to let the pictures speak for themselves.

What's your love story?

I'm linking up with From Mrs. to Mama with What's your love story. I thought it'd be fun and kind of valentinesy (made that word up). Since Pat and I don't have any valentine's day plans, most likely it will include hanging out at home...maybe some bud light if we're feeling festive. So here's to patty....

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Pat and I have been together for almost 8 years (I know hey?!). We met in 2004 at the end of our Freshman year at University.

2004, the start of our sophomore year.

hello young!

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

Well...let's see. There is more to the story then I am willing to share right now, I will say that Shannon is totally responsible for Pat and I meeting. I had met Pat before, I didn't know his name, but I knew he played hockey at NMU (our University). But, before I go on...there is more to the story. A friend of ours who was the equipment manager for the hockey team told us about this lingerie party. Gave us the address and not being 21, we were super excited for a party. Who doesn't love a good theme party in college?! Anyways, pictures 19 year old Desi wearing tight jeans, a "wife beater" (tight of course) cut so that the top of my bra was showing...I thought I was pretty conservative for a lingerie party. All the girls were decked out, we showed up to the party, and it was a party full of hockey players and their girlfriends. We weren't really welcomed (understatement of the year). Well...I lie, the guys were very excited to see us...the girlfriends, not so much. I became good friends with two of the girls that were there and I know they wanted to beat me up :). So, with all the dignity we could muster while wearing cut up clothing, we slinked out of that party really quickly. We weren't going to let that ruin our night though...we stopped at another party. We never actually made it in, we saw two guys walking out and they informed us that the rugby house was having a huge party and asked if we could give them a ride. Pat ended up in the car that I was riding in. I will never forget that party...there was a girl there that was in love with Pat, it was a toga party and she was wearing a toga. She kept bringing Pat two keg beers at a time and was really hoping for his attention. It was good for me because I just met Pat, so It didn't bother me and he continually gave me the second beer. The girl finally asked Pat why he kept giving me a beer...and he replied "because she's thirsty too!". The rest is history...Pat added me to msn messenger (does anyone still use that? hello skype!) and we got to know each other.

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}

We have been married for a year and a half. We had a small ceremony in Calgary in 2010 and last summer (2011) we had a reception in my home town, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. 

July 22, 2010, our wedding ceremony 

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?  If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

Our ceremony was very small and our reception wasn't Big but not small? It was perfect. I thought I might regret having such a small ceremony, but in the end, I was happy with it. I liked how we had that moment to ourselves and I enjoyed the reception and how stress free it was.

we did all the fun stuff for the reception, like pictures :) 

What's a party without a little flashing?

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

They definitely aren't original, but Pat's family has always called him Patty and it stuck. I call him Patty so much that when we get home Liv starts calling out "Pattyyyyyy Pattyyyyy!". Pat calls me Des...not a lot of people shortened my name to Des and it's something I like that he calls me. I have a love of nicknames (Olivia/Liv, obviously).

proof: pat has always loved to play with my hair :)

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

1. Pat is a hard worker - While me not working can sometimes be a strain on our marriage, he has definitely "bucked up" and provided for our family. Above and beyond anything I would have expected of him. He gave up hockey without a blink of an eye because it's what he had to do. I have talked to some people about it and been asked if I think that he regrets it...and I can confidently say no, he doesn't. He is happy to do what he is doing.


2. Pat is a great dad - I could never have pictured Pat as a father before. It was scary...we didn't plan on having a baby, Pat was gone for the first ten months of Liv's life, but he picked up like no time had gone by. He wasn't afraid to step up and take on his role. Liv is obsessed with him and watching him with her makes me love him more.


3. Pat is loyal and protective and I know he would stand up for me and Liv if need be. I love that about him. I like to know he is on my side.

oh and he loves my twinnie! It's hard to compete with my twin...we are a whole new class of weird.

see he likes it :)

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

ummmm....no proposal? We are a little different? If thats the right word. We decided to get married and 6 months later Pat gave me an engagement ring for Christmas. I wear it now with my great grandma's wedding band. They go perfectly together :).

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

We don't really celebrate Valentine's Day. Sometimes we go to dinner. Our first Valentine's Day he bought me a season of Sex and The City...he knew me too well then too! (If you're reading this Pat, I would really like the Breaking Dawn dvd for Valentine's Day this year {you know the new twilight, teeny bopper, vampire movie I like})

He's clearly a superhero...so much so that he is better than a vampire, yes better than Edward Cullen (almost). But I'll give him props for the cape.

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

I am a pop in a movie and relax on the couch kind of girl. I like the unexpected romantic night, but anything planned makes me have way too many expectations and that with my over analyzing self never turns out exactly as I had planned.

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

Pat played hockey and got his MBA in Belfast the year after Liv was born. After his season he travelled all over europe for a week or so. That year was hard and I was so jealous...so I would like to go back so I can have my own experience with him. New memories :).

Visiting Belfast, at the Giants Causeway

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Honestly...no plans. We haven't even talked about it.

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

See #8...Pat seriously!!!! I won't make you watch it...I want to watch it alone anyways ;)

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

I would say that the biggest lesson I learned about marriage is that marriage itself doesn't change anything. If you're committed, you're committed. Don't expect getting married to change or fix anything. You will still have to work at your relationship regardless. Also, find time to enjoy each other. We need to do this more...but I strive for it. It's hard with a two year old, but it's important.

and be sure to clean out each other's teeth if needed :)

14.  Show us a picture of what love means to you.

I would update on something more meaningful, but really, I have nothing to report. No call backs yet and I am monotonously applying for jobs every day. I told Pat that I feel like I have applied for the same jobs over and over again.

While my day to day activities seem monotonous, Liv certainly is not. She changes things up on an hourly basis. Her newest activity is pulling 20 minute stints on the potty. She likes to go in, chat, and play with toilet paper until she's done with her business. I took advantage of her last 20 minute visit to the potty.

the confidence while sitting on the potty amazes me :)

her pose?