Third Anniversary Recap

On November 26th, Matt and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary. Three great and perfect years. 

Our anniversary landed on a Tuesday, so we both had to work, but we made sure we celebrated as much as we could. 

For lunch before work we went to our favorite Pho restaurant, and for dinner we went out to eat Korean BBQ. It wasn't that exciting of a day, but we were together and that's all that counts. 

Matt got me a Pandora bangle bracelet and a London Telephone booth charm for the bracelet. I got Matt some art supplies that he had been wanting. I also made a gift of letters for Matt to open at different times. I will do a post on that later. 

To end the night, we had cake and bubbly. It really was a great day. 

If you are curious, here are the recaps of Anniversary One and Anniversary Two. 

Anniversary Questionnaire: Year 3

Last year, Matt and I completed an Anniversary Questionnaire and I wanted to continue this tradition on our 3rd anniversary. 

I can't believe it's already been three years! Time goes so fast when you're having fun. Later this week, I'll do a recap of our anniversary, but for today I'll share this year's Anniversary Questionnaire. 

{My answers are in black. Matt's are in purple.} 

1. What is something you learned about your spouse this year? 

Alex is a really good teacher. 

Matt is really good at navigating around Korea. He has the subway and bus systems pretty much down pat.

2. Something you love about your spouse. 

Her sense of humor. 

His patience. 

3. A habit that is driving you crazy. 

When Alex wants me to rub or scratch her back, she will shake her body at me instead of asking. 

Matt has a habit of leaving cabinet doors open.. and it drives me a bit crazy. :) 

4. Something thoughtful they did this year. 

There are a lot of things, but the best was she sent me a birthday package when we were apart this summer. It included a list of 26 things she missed about me and a photo-booth picture of her. 

Matt put together the most amazing birthday celebration for me. He made sure my birthday was completely taken care of even though he was miles away. 

5. A tradition that you have and love. 

We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition this year. I love our Elf Norman and had a fun time with him last year. We also always watch A Christmas Story on Christmas Eve. 

Norman- I love our little Elf. I can't wait to see him again this year. I'm also excited for our Advent Calendar. 

6. A major accomplishment your spouse had this year. 

Alex finished her first year of teaching at Mililani Middle School 

Graduating with a Bachelors in Social Work

7. What brought you closer together. 

Moving to Korea. 

Surprisingly, it was the 10 week separation. Being apart for that long really made me see how lucky I was to have Matt in my life. 

8. Use 5 words or less to describe you as a couple. 

Funny, Wanderers, Smart 

Expats, Two Peas in a Pod (oops I used 6)

9. What is your favorite memory of this past year? 

Picking Alex up at the Incheon airport this August after being apart for 10 weeks. 

Getting all the paperwork together for our E2 Visas- it was stressful, but it was proof that we were moving to Korea. {The move to Korea was pretty great as well.} 

10. What has surprised you the most about being married? 

Just how, if you love a person, that you really can spend all your time with them and not be bored. 

I'm honestly surprised that I can literally spend all this time with Matt and not get tired of him. I love being together. I guess I just thought after all this time I would want a little more space. But I don't. 

Anniversary Celebration Recap {A Link Up}

I am linking up with Wifessionals for one last week to share in the First Year and Beyond series.  

{If you missed the last week's click here.}

This week's topic is an Anniversary Celebration Recap. 

Matt and I celebrated our first anniversary on November 26, 2011. 

{We are only 5 months away from our third anniversary!}

I blogged about our first anniversary in 2011, so if you want to skip you can go ahead and click here. 

But if you are patient, I shall recap right now. 

We had been living in Laie on the North Shore of Oahu for the past year and wanted to get out of our little town for our special day. We couldn't afford to go to a different island, so we opted for a mini-cation to Waikiki. 

We stayed here: 

{The Mona Surfrider} 

Where they gave us leis as we checked in. 

We hung out at the beach and looked at Diamond Head.

{Where we saw some awesome beach-goers.} 

We spent some time at the pool. 

{Where it got a little cold and rainy.} 

We had drinks by the pool. 

{Where we talked about our first year of marriage.} 

We went out to eat at our all time favorite restaurant: Roy's. 

{Where we stuffed our faces with delicious food.} 

We went back to the hotel and got in the comfy robes the hotel provided. 

{Where we took funny pictures.}

We toasted with Martinelli's.  

{Where we drank the whole bottle with no shame.} 

We had a great night! It was such a blessing to be able to have had a mini-cation in Waikiki. Matt and I figured we only get 1 one-year anniversary and we better celebrate with a bang. 

The next morning Matt and I ate at the hotel breakfast buffet, which was awesome, and treated ourselves to a couple's massage. It was a perfect end to our first year anniversary. 

And that's the recap of our one year anniversary. If you are curious about what we did on our second click here, and if you are wondering what we are going to do for our third... stay tuned! 

I am going to miss this series. I have enjoyed looking back on our first year and remembering all the great memories. Many thanks to Wifessionals and all the many other great bloggers for making this possible.

300 Down... Many More to Come

This is my 300th blog post. 

I can't believe it. 

I have been in the blog world since May of 2009, and I gotta say: I love it. 

I am so glad I started this blog. It's my little corner of the web and I like to think people enjoy the things I share. 

One thing I have struggled with, especially in the past year, is feeling like my blog isn't good enough. Or that people don't really care. I see other blogs with tons of followers and tons of comments being left, and I think- how can I make my blog like theirs. 

And this is what I have figured out: 

{image via} 

And I am finally fine with myself... or I should say my blog. I am happy that this blog is part inspiration... part journal... part venting... part recipe sharing... part crafting... and part sharing myself with y'all. 

At the end of the day, I think what I write is awesome, and so does Matt. Honestly, that's what counts the most. I am happy with my blog and I am proud that I take the time to write my feelings out and share them to the world. It's a great feeling, and I definitely recommend it!

So here's to a Happy 300! Enjoy. 

Love, Alex 

Anniversary Questionnaire

{I know our anniversary was awhile ago, but I forgot to post this questionnaire.}

I love traditions (which you guys know). And I love documenting our lives (which you know). 

When our 2nd anniversary came around, I wanted something to reflect that year together. 

So I came up with the idea to do an Anniversary Questionnaire. 

This way we would have a few questions we answer every year on our anniversary. 

Matt and I put our heads together (with a little help from the blogging community) and came up with these 10 questions. 

{If you guys want to use this feel free! Just make sure you share your answers with me!}

My answers are in purple. Matt's are in green. 

1. What is something you learned about each other this year? 

Matt hates lotion. Like hates it, but he is still willing to rub my feet with it. 

Alex does have a creative side; she just has to find the stuff she wants to create. 

2. Something NEW you love about your spouse. 

I love that Matt is always working hard to help provide for us. Even with putting time into his unpaid internship he continues working at the Reading Writing Center. 

She is a teacher. 

3. A habit that is driving you crazy. 

Sometimes at night Matt makes this really strange noise. And it makes trying to go to sleep impossible. 

Making me decide where we are going to go eat and then not wanting to go there. 

4. Something thoughtful they did this year. 

Matt let me spend the money to go home to see my family in October, even though we were planning on going in December. 

Alex made a photo album for Abeula's birthday. She got everyone to say why they loved Abuela and put everything together. 

5. New tradition you started this year that you love. 

RAKs (Random Acts of Kindness) 

Ditto- RAKs

6. A major accomplishment of your spouse this year. 
Matt finished all his classes for his undergrad and secured an internship for next semester. 

Alex got her first official teaching job at Mililani Middle School. 

7. What brought you closer. 
Being really really poor for a good part of 2012. We didn't let the money (or lack thereof) come between us. 

Trying to get healthy together. 

8. Use 5 words or less to describe you as a couple. 
Unique, funny, and completely in love

Fun, Humorous, Responsible, Romantic, Ambitious 

9. What is your favorite memory of this past year?
I have two. Going to Moab to visit Arches National Park, and going to Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, Oregon. 
Going to Moab.  

10. What has surprised you the most about being married? 
How much I have become dependent on Matt. I literally count on Matt for everything. Like my little sister Olivia said, "Alex, you are so lucky." Me "why? " Olivia: "Because you have Matt to do all your work." 

I thought we would have more money than we have... I mean there are only two of us. 

The Year of Cotton aka Year Two

I can't believe it has been two years! Looking back I found a little pattern that matches this two year anniversary.

2004- I met Matt for the first time. He claims we met at a mutual friends birthday party, but I have no memory of meeting him there. (I know I had seen him around here and there because we were in the same stake, but our first 'meeting' wasn't until 2004) I do remember meeting him at church when my family moved into his ward, and I thought this kid is a little strange, but still cool.

For 2 years, we continued a pretty casual friendship; in fact, I was better friends with his sister.

2006- Matt left for his mission. We wrote each other for 2 whole years! We were just friends, but I consistently wrote him and kept in touch.

2008- Matt comes back from his mission and we continue to talk as friends for another 2 years! It was not until 2010 that we started dating... got engaged... and got married!

2012: And now 2 years later we celebrate our second anniversary.

2 + 2 + 2 + 2= 8 years! 

Matt and I have been a part of each others lives in some way or another for 8 years! People always are surprised when they realize how fast we got engaged and married, but we had been friends for so long!

So November 26, 2012 we celebrated our second anniversary. The night before we had just gotten back from California, and we both had work and school so we wanted to do something small but special.

We decided to have a picnic at Sunset beach. We don't know where we will be next year, so we thought this might be our last chance to have a beach side anniversary. I picked up Stortos sandwiches from Haleiwa, we had Martinells, and ended the night with Sprinkles cupcakes. It was nice to just have a small picnic with just the two of us. 

 

Gift wise we did not go with the traditional cotton gift. I bought Matt these Adidas shoes he really wanted and I got these Gandake journals- yup obsessed I have told you! I am looking forward to documenting our first two years in both journals.

Matt and I had a great time and we continued the celebration by going to Wicked Sunday night. I am extremely happy Matt is in my life and will be for all eternity! If I have to be with anyone for eternity I am glad its this guy. 

One Year Already- WHAT?

(I know this post is overdue- but I have been busy! Enjoy)

Saturday, November 26 Matt and I celebrated our one year anniversary!

We wanted to do something special and decided- what the heck let's celebrate somewhere fancy! We live in TVA (Temple View Apartments) on campus and we thought we deserved a night of comfort.

We decided to stay at the Moana Surfrider hotel in downtown Honolulu! We got there and like all fancy people- valeted our car and got leis! Then we headed out to the pool and tried to catch a little bit of sun. When we got checked into the room we found out they had robes for us- and slippers! We lounged around a bit in those and then got ready and went to eat at Roy's- this Hawaiian fusion restaurant! If you ever have the chance to eat at Roy's DO IT! Our food was delicious. We walked back to our place (unfortunately in the rain) and then got into the wonderful robes and finished the night with Martenellies! (Tacky but a must!) The next morning we ate at the hotel buffet- awesome of course. And then we ended our trip with hour long massages at the spa. Like I said we were fancy people for two days!

While we spent a little too much money- it was nice to get out of Laie and relax. And like we said- We only get one 1 year anniversary!

Enjoy the pictures:

(The pink hotel is the Royal Hawaiian- another nice hotel in Honolulu)

(It was a little cold hanging out at the pool!)

(The Surfrider has these rocking chairs out front so we thought we would people watch for a while)