Guess what, we’re back from one amazing anniversary cruise! We can’t wait to share some of our adventures! But guess what, we had one amazing date the night before we left that we were able to squeeze in before packing all night for the big trip.
On our anniversary eve we decided to squeeze in dinner and really enjoyed our date to Pita Jungle in Chandler. We’ve been before and blogged about it even, but we haven’t been to this location together in a few years. It sits on a lake and they have Christmas lights all over the patio- it’s quite romantic! We kept commenting how everyone seemed to be a date and seemed to be having a really fantastic time together! That’s not the norm, we know, we’re people watchers. You know the scene from Date Night where they ask “What’s Their Story?” We laughed so hard we cried when we saw this, because guess what, we do the same thing.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6u6Kn2mi4I]
Anyway, we loved watching everyone around us cuddly, engaged in conversations, and seeming so happy! It was great inspiration! Isn’t it amazing what an atmosphere can do for people?
We probably looked like the awkward couple, but we promise- it was with good reason!
Remember this post about 10 questions to ask on your first anniversary? We printed two copies, and accidentally brought only one pen, and took turns filling in answers and people-watching.
And guess what, we’re going to open up our personal life to you and share our answers. Before let’s just say we learned who the funny one is (Jacob), who writes faster and can barely read their own writing (Camille), and had some trips down memory lane of moments good and bad.
We know we only post our great experiences on dates, but our lives are far from perfect as you’ll see soon. We should mention that there are lots of funny stories about waking up Jacob early and some of the funny comments he makes as he is the antithesis of a morning person. Camille has some endocrine problems that cause blood sugar issues, but seems to forget that at least bi-weekly, we are major deal hunters and have to talk each other into spending money or buying things when convenient since we resent paying full price for almost anything, and Jacob purchased a fantastic bachelor pad to use as a rental for his house that we’ve worked hard to make ours and have grown to love. We’ve realized, it’s not our ideal house as newlyweds and although we’re grateful to have it, we both wish we had some things and could ditch some things we don’t have.
We both also learned this was one of the sweeter, more romantic moments we’ve had together as we read each other our answers.
So without further adieu, here are the questions and our answers!
Anniversary Questions – Answered!
#1
He Said:
Groupon- cheap, fun, easy, local dates- every week!
She Said:
Work struggles and changes, remodeling our house, and date nights!
#2-
He Said:
Christmas, getting 12 months of dates from CAMILLE, and going on a quick trip to Vegas
She Said:
I can’t choose one! I loved our entire honeymoon, the night we stayed up late cuddling and watching “The Holiday” until 2:00 am, and the day I graduated and Jacob made a big “Proud of my MBA Wife” sign that he wasn’t able to take to the arena, but had on the car when we walked out. It was adorable!
#3
He Said:
Camille forgetting her makeup on our honeymoon, walking a few miles to Kohl’s and then having the cab take us to Walgreen’s. (The minimum was still purchased)
She Said:
My Mom put my dress for the luncheon in an area I didn’t know about. I spent an hour looking for it, and stressed having to wear my fancy wedding dress to our more casual luncheon. I found it, but really, it would have been funny to show up all formal to that in retrospect.
#4
He Said:
How important together time is. I hate when we are apart for very long. Who knew you could become so dependent so fast!
She Said:
I thought I’d have some serious trust issues after past relationships, but I haven’t had any! Jacob is so trustworthy! I also had no clue I could be this HAPPY!
#5
He Said:
Even when she says she isn’t hungry, but hasn’t eaten anything, make her eat a hamburger. Joe’s Farm Grill will do the trick.
She Said:
How grumpy he is in the morning. He’s Mr. Sweet 23.5/7 but it’s amazing how grumpy he is for about 30 minutes right after he wakes up. It’s actually pretty funny! Most people have to see it to believe it!
#6
He Said:
What kind of entrepreneurial spirit she has. She’s begun the process of starting her own business and created fantastic blogs.
She Said:
How constant he is! Seriously ALWAYS patient, sweet (minus the wake-up time J), giving, non-judgmental, serving, etc. Nothing seems to alter his good nature- even lack of food or sleep deprivation. He is ALWAYS rock solid!
#7
He Said:
I’d buy a smaller house, on a hill, with an amazing security system and running trails nearby where all the neighbors know our names and love barbecuing as much or more than we do.
She Said:
Communicate better. Sometimes I bottle up negative feelings so I’m not a “downer” but I’ve learned it’s important to share even the bad feelings in life more freely so the other person doesn’t make assumptions or worry.
#8
He Said:
I’ve discovered Adele, and how important thoughtful small gifts can be…Valentine’s Day CD… HELLO! J
She Said:
How much I can do to make him happy/upset/etc. It’s amazing the impact you can have to make your spouse’s life better or worse. If I have a bad day, it hurts him too. If I leave a mushy note it seems to make his whole day. It’s amazing how we are connected and I have realized I always need to put him first and work hard to make him happy since I have the greatest impact on that!
#9
He Said:
I never knew a person could have THIS much LOVE for another person. Seriously, has my heart ALWAYS been this big???
She Said:
I respect Jacob more and more every day! He’s so amazing and has the best attitude! I didn’t think I could love him more or think more highly of him, but I do! It’s amazing how true that cliche is!
#10
(We know this will SHOCK everyone)
He Said:
DATE! Set aside 1 night a week where nothing interferes. Budget, big or small, but do it! EVERY WEEK!
She Said:
Date every week! No matter what! If you don’t think you have time or money consider the expense of divorce or the long-term impact of not having the special moments and memories together. You can do it! We managed while I was working full-time, going to grad school full-time, and planning a wedding. They were sometimes short and sweet, but they happened and are treasured memories! The opportunity cost of not having some special time together is just too great.
Also be intentional about your marriage- have quality listening time for a few minutes every day with eye contact, hugs, and loving words- EVERY SINGLE DAY!
What a fab idea! Hubby and I are coming up on our 12th anniversary, and I think this would be a fun idea.
Thanks!
Oh, and happy anniversary! 🙂
that is such a cool thing to do. and what a fun thing for your kids to read down the road! i love it. and i am a huge advocate of dates every week (or as often as is realistic). thanks for all the fun ideas!
Going on dates really isn't an option for everyone. To go out on a date, we would have to pay a babysitter. So even if we found a completely free date, we're talking $20 minimum (for a decent amount of time). Which we can't afford every week, and not even every month. Trading off with other couples hasn't worked out either. We've tried to be creative with dates at home, but by the time the weekend rolls around and the kids are in bed, we're either exhausted or still have a ton to do. We often find ourselves cleaning, finishing projects, or just wanting to go to bed early. We occasionally do things like make cookies together (thanks for theperfectchocolatechipcookie tip, by the way), but usually we just watch a little TV together and talk. It would be lovely to be able to do fun things together, just us, but at this point in our lives, it's just not really an option. I don't think we have a higher risk of divorce because we can't afford to do fun things together. The memories we have together include our kids, and we're okay with that, actually, we love it. We don't have many specific moments or memories as just a couple, but we do know that we care about each other, respect and support each other, love each other, and even like each other. We work at our marriage and like you said, are intentional about our marriage. One day we will be able to get a babysitter and go out once a week, and when that time comes we will treasure it. For now, though, we just do what we can and that is enough. We have a really, really good marriage- even without “dating”.
I hope you know that this isn't at all resentful. I just wanted to put in my few cents in.