Share + Tell About February

It's been a recurring theme that I have been letting a few weeks lapse before I blog - eeesh! 

I feel like I have lots to write about, then I'm not sure who reads this and then realize that it's my blog (hello!) - doesn't matter who reads it, it's my own little public journal anyway. ;)

I'll share some February sparkly moments to recap the last 4 weeks or so.. (I like to think I forget the snarky moments). Plus the happy is always worth re-telling I think. :)

Sparkly: to be brilliant, lively, or vivacious.

1. Taxes Filed. Ba-bam! We did our taxes ourselves this time and it was so much simpler than I expected it to be!! If you want to know the site we used (it's totally legit), message me and I'd be happy to give you the details!

2. Financial Blessings. So after filing our taxes, we got our tax money which is pretty awesome.. but we also had a few other prayers answered. For the past year we have been really getting serious about our debt repayments (credit cards, student loans, etc.) kicked to the curb. I have definitely been one who has stressed about money and how in the world we will save for a house, our future family, etcetera etcetera. Well, we are seeing a few prayers get answered! We paid off a credit card last month! Yeah!! We also have been given "breaks" on a couple medical bills for both of us. Nothing we sought out or asked for, just blessings that were total surprises for us.. example: I called my dental office to get clarity on my latest bill that seemed a little bit higher than usual. The billing person on the phone waived nearly half the bill. Just Because. Amazing.

3. Travis's foot. It's healing!! On the outside it looks totally normal and healthy. Although the bone break is a slow heal at this point, there is progression and we are so thankful that surgery was not required and that Trav can get around okay and still do his work as well! We also got a surprise on the medical bill we were anticipating this month too. There was more credit (billing money) on a medical card that is through T's work so we didn't have to pay as much as we thought we would on our end. Praise the Lord!

4.  Sweet Valentine's. Knowing that Trav was still on crutches and not driving when that lovely day rolled around. I didn't anticipate flowers or anything really. And I was totally okay with that! As I pull up to his work to pick him up, he was standing outside crutch under one arm and flowers in the other. He had someone at his work take him to the store so he could surprise me with my favorites. Yellow daisies. :)

5.  We have been getting more involved in our church community. I said before how we were getting involved in a new group of 'young marrieds'. (Couples married 5 years or less led by a couple who've been married 20 years.) It's been so cool! We get together with about a dozen or so couples for dinner and talk about married life and how to encourage each other to still fulfill the mission of God in our relationships.

6. We booked our Anniversary trip for the summertime! July 10 is our wedding anniversary and this summer we are going back to where we Honeymooned because we loved it SO much! The San Juan Islands. We cannot wait to go back and visit and play on the islands up north. I'm already looking forward to wearing sun dresses and enjoying the water in the evening time.

So that's a fun recap of our February goodness. I also am going to add this super cute link because it is just too darling not to share and I'm sure you will smile - in fact I'm quite positive you will say "aww" within a minute of the video. It's that adorable.

36!

Happy Anniversary to my parents! Today would be the 36 year mark of marriage for them. Even though my dad passed away just over 4 years ago, my sister, mom and I make it a point to make sure that February 7 is still a day of happiness and celebration. My parents were in love and I LOVED that they showed how a marriage should be in front of my sister and I. They were not afraid to say sweet things in front of us and I loved how they bragged on the other when out and about. They also simply: just took care of one another. Most especially, I loved when my dad would tell me or my sister 'your mom is so beautiful.' Amazing. Trav and I will celebrate 36 years in 2046. That seems SO far away, but I look forward to seeing what's going on around us but most importantly being able to share our affection for each other in front of our kiddos and family. Thank you mom and dad for being such an incredible example. I wanna share a couple photos from their wedding day.. I think it's crazy cool that my dad wore a blue tuxedo at their wedding. Love that personality. :)

I love the look my mom is giving my dad in this photo. T and I have one that is actually similar. <3

;)

LOVE.

Our Engagement

One of the best moments in my life occurred this very day (it was just the 19th back then) 2 years ago. On a trip to Seattle, Travis and I enjoyed a day of fun typical Seattle things - Pike Place, eating fish and me gazing forever at the Space Needle. Travis said after a yummy dinner downtown - "lets go to the Needle tonight and go the top!" So of course I said 'okay - sounds good.' We get to the Space Needle and get ready to go to the top and see all the lights and views from the top of Seattle. It was absolutely gorgeous. On a starry night, lights glowing all over down town I definitely was taking in the moment and snapping some photos. Travis said he wanted to get someone to take a picture of us at the top, so I handed him my camera and watched him talk a little longer than usual to someone on how to take a photo using our camera. So, he comes back and I get ready to pose for a photo together, but then the guys says "ok we're rolling..." to which Travis says "he is not taking a picture of us, he is taking a video. I thought this would be something you would want to share with everyone one day and as a memory for us to have." I was a little suspicious about what was going on at this point, but rolled with it. Then Travis gave an incredibly romantic speech to me (and in front of about 2 dozen people outside on the Needle and asked me if I would marry him. Amazing moment. Take a look below to see the photo taken right after we became engaged and after happy tears were wiped from our faces.

Of course I will also include the link and video of our engagement. Yes, it is dark - it was at night friends! :)  Turn up your speakers and then hug someone you love. :) 

"I am my beloved and my beloved is mine" - Song of Solomon 6:3

Multnomah Falls Day Date

This past weekend was great! I indulged in my Pinterest hobby having some girlfriends over (more on our DIY projects in a future post) and crafting followed by a dinner with the couple who did the flowers for mine and T's wedding. 

But moving on into Sunday.. waking up at the crack of dawn at 11:30am felt amazing. I haven't slept in like that since college weekends! After our waffle breakfast (total and forever a weekend tradition in the Waltz household - if you ever stay a weekend with us, come with an empty tummy.. we love a big breakfast!!), and figuring out the agenda for the day; I decided we should have a hiking date. It has been a while since we had done that and unlike our previous hikes we actually went prepared! :)  Prepared meaning: having more than one water bottle and a bag of trail mix. I wouldn't say we often go unprepared but more like we just live on the edge. After packing the necessities: 2 nalgene bottles, peanut butter wheat thins, bananas and chocolate chip dunkers we were all set. :)

Meet the beautiful Multnomah Falls

Now ladies, when your husband, boyfriend, partner, puppy tells you "Oh just ignore the switch backs (the markers on the trail telling you how much further to go), that is for a longer trail - ours is half that." Heh. Half that? Nope you are trekking the WHOLE thing! So if you haven't ascended Mult. Falls - it is all uphill and at an incline that will make you a hot sweaty mess a glowing butterfly. I may or may not have taken a break alongside a 5 year old waiting it out in an old tree trunk.

The view from the top of the falls! Our car is somewhere in that parking lot on the right.

It truly is a gorgeous hike up the hill. Hill makes it sound so dainty.. striding up a huge rock. There, much better description. After enjoying our dunkers and finishing off our water - we took a few "oh yes, we made it to the top photos.."

See that little girl on the step? That was me probably 25 times up climbing up the big rock. But really it was a great time!!

Handsome.. mmm hmmm.

Our afternoon date was super fun but it had its moments. Reminds me of guidelines you hear about marriage. When we were hiking to the the top we encouraged each other to keep going and keep the focus on our goal: to make it to the top! Even for active people like us it was hard. Did I mention it was like a big rock? You look out for each other too. Packing snacks, keeping tabs on how you are both doing and "oh don't touch that - that could be poison oak".. yeah I almost had a nasty run in with some 3 leafed plants. But most of all, doing things together and achieving goals together is always feels good as a couple. Marriage is teamwork and an adventure. Doesn't matter if you're the navigator or captain or other cutesy metaphor, you gotta be willing to lead and support each other. All the time. I'm talking daily friends.

Ice cream after is a wonderful goal to get back down the big rock together. :)