Birthday fun...in Texas!!

Another reason I am a lucky girl is that I have AWESOME in-laws! I have known Nick's family almost as long as I have known Nick, and I look forward to the time we get to spend together!

Jenny (Nick's sister), Tim, Ryan, Alyssa, and Brianna live in Texas. We do not get to see them as much as we'd like, and the holidays this year did not give us quite enough time together! I wanted to do something special for Nick's 30th birthday, so I half-surprised him with a weekend in Texas! (I say "half-surprised" because I was too scared to actually buy the plane tickets without talking to him first, so I spilled the beans!) Tim realized that our trip coincided with the KU vs. Baylor game, so Tim and Jenny gave us tickets to the game and a hotel room for our birthdays - SUCH a great gift! We extended our trip by one day (for only $12!!), and the timing worked perfectly!

I left work a few minutes early on Friday, and we hit the road to the airport! We were in TX by 10:00 pm!

Saturday we got up early and went to Ryan's basketball game! SO SO SO fun to watch him skip run around the court! We showered up and went to The MAT to watch the KU vs. Nebraska game and to meet some of Nick's friends from Lawrence (who also live in TX). The game was a bit of a nail-biter, but we WON: )

 Pals in the car!

 Getting ready to watch the game!

 Rock Chalk!!

Jayhawk puppet!!

After the game, we headed back to Tim and Jenny's to relax for a little bit. I also went for a 6-mile run because I had assured Natalie that I would run during my trip! It was AWESOME to run outside!!!

Saturday night we went to BJ's Brewhouse for dinner! The food was yummy, and the company was excellent: ) After dinner, we went to a nearby bar, and the girls chatted and the boys played pool.

Sunday was a day of relaxing and napping! After eating lunch from Freebirds, I did head outside for a short walk with Max! 


For dinner, we ate at a Mexican restaurant, and it was SO yummy! The best part = the sangria swirls! 

After dinner, we went to the bowling alley for Tim and Jenny's bowling league. Nick and I played some games in the arcade, and  then we bowled a few games with Jenny and Tim. Let's just say that I'm still not very good at bowling: (

Monday morning I went for a 4-mile run, and then we packed our bags to head to Waco for our last night of fun! After freshening up at the AWESOME hotel, we tried to find a place to eat. Waco is NOT a booming metropolis, so it took us a while to find anything: ( After dinner, we watched KU beat Baylor, 85-65. There were SO many KU fans! The place was packed...until halftime when most of the Baylor fans left! We returned to the restaurant for a few beers and shuffleboard! SO fun!!!

This trip was a reminder of why we always look forward to spending time with the Lairds! Thank you, Jenny and Tim! We always have a great time making memories together! Nick and I can't wait for our next trip to TX!

I am a lucky girl: )

I am not quite sure where to begin because it is hard to put my feelings into words.  Maybe my smile in this picture will help...

I think it is pretty apparent by my smile that there is no where in the world I would have rather been than right there, hand-in-hand with the love of my life, being pronounced husband and wife.

As everyone already knows, I have known since high school that I should be with Nick forever.  Sure, I am lucky that I returned from college to marry my high school boyfriend - but, that is now only a little part of the reason that I feel so lucky.

It becomes more apparent every day just how AMAZING he is as a husband!  

In December, after 2.5 years of school, he stood beside me at my graduation party - an exciting day for us!

When we first started dating again (almost 5 years ago!), I was preparing to start my first year of teaching.  I explained to Nick that it could be quite a difficult year, and I tried to prepare him for what that year would be like.  We soon found that my 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year were just as hard - if not harder! I coached soccer for the first two years, and I took grad school classes during the 3rd and 4th years. Throughout it all, Nick encouraged me and reminded me that I worked so hard because I care so much.

He also supported me when I decided to quit teaching - in an economy that wasn't (and still isn't!) very friendly to those without jobs and to those looking for jobs.  He never expressed concerns about how we'd make it financially; he only worked harder to make sure he hit his budgets (and was sales-person-of-the-month twice!) and reminded me that I need to be happy.  

This fall, I worked two jobs and worked on my degree; he continued to cook dinner every night after work and to clean the kitchen after we ate.  On the weekends, he encouraged me to take a break from work and school, but he supported me when I became frustrated because I always had so much to do.

When I did not get the first job I interviewed for, he remained positive and told me he knew I would find something better. When I was offered my current position, he gave me a thoughtful card and beautiful flowers. He continued to cook dinner every night and to look at my master's project...over and over: )

My first few months at my new job have been hectic, and I have continued to put in some long hours.  You guessed it - Nick continues to be AWESOME, and he continues to cook every night and to have a big hug waiting for me when I come home!

I have never been very good at saying "I'm sorry!" or admitting that I'm wrong. Nick is just as competetive as I am, but he is always the first to say "I'm sorry!" and the first to give a hug after a fight.  He is willing to let down his guard to quickly end any disagreements we have. I know he truly wants us to be happy and that it is not only because of the advice he received over and over on our wedding day - "Happy wife, happy life!" ; )

Nick always remembers to take the trash out, to run hot water in the dirty pans, to say "I love you" before bed, and to put the toilet seat down. He consistently puts Callie to bed at night and helps me prepare all my "stuff" for the next day.

In addition to all he does EVERY day, in just the last six weeks he has also:

- surprised me with flowers, chocolates, wine and a home-cooked meal to celebrate my graduation

- surprised me with a Tervis tumbler cup/lid/straws (filled with diet coke!) just because he knew I was kinda jealous of his cup: )

- surprised me by cleaning the WHOLE house so that I could relax one day on the weekend

- reassured me over and over that my hard work will pay off

- surprised me with a GIANT diet coke while I was in the middle of a BORING conference call on a snow day

- made me a yummy breakfast on another snow day

- shoveled the snow in our driveway (I haven't helped at all - oops!)

- "taken care of" the mouse in our garage (RIP Stinco!)

- cleaned the house - again - before (and after!) my college friends came to visit

- brushed Callie for hours (and vacuumed some more!)

- made time to take Callie to the vet

- French-rolled my pants so they wouldn't get wet in the snow; )

I know I don't tell him "thank you" enough - and I hope this post will help him see just how thankful I am. I sincerely appreciate all that he does to help make my life a little bit easier. I am also so thankful to find myself more and more in love with my best friend every day!

Nick turned 30 in January, and I really liked this card I found for him! 

I hope this year is his best yet! I look forward to being a part of it, and I look forward to playing video games, visiting wineries, taking a trip to North Carolina, playing at the dog park, watching KU games/Bones/American Idol/HIMYM/Modern Family - and to cooking him dinner once in a while; )

To Nick - Thank you for being you. I love you.