marriage: week forty-nine

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Ninth Week of Marriage:
-mini recliners are adorable


Week Forty-Nine Challenge: start each day by agreeing on five things

Week Forty-Nine Highlights: visiting grandma and cousins

marriage: week forty-eight

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Eighth Week of Marriage:
-chimichangas are delicious


Week Forty-Eight Challenge: go to the movies on a week night

Week Forty-Five Highlights: we had Mexican food with Amy and Josh and saw The Grand Budapest Hotel at the dollar theater (4 out of 4 patrons approved)

marriage: week forty-seven

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Seventh Week of Marriage:
-You can hear a baby move on a stethescope (!)


Week Forty-Seven Challenge: begin work on the baby's room (this originally said "computer table", but our priorities have shifted slightly)

Week Forty-Five Highlights: Luke primed and painted the baby's room and I'm obsessed with it.

marriage: week forty-six

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Sixth Week of Marriage:
-how to play Five Kings
-Kubb is harder in long grass


Week Forty-Six Challenge: play a different game each night this week (kubb, five kings, words with friends, rummy...!)

Week Forty-Five Highlights: Ryan and Shannon came over for Kubb and taught us Five Kings

marriage: week forty-five

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Fifth Week of Marriage:
-the name "Bethany" means "house of poverty"
-the name "Andrea" means "manly"
-Baby Name apps are addicting


Week Forty-Five Challenge: go to a bookstore, pick out books for each other.  Luke chose a baby name book and a bird identification book for me (it's impossible to tell the difference between birds, you guys).  I chose a libertarian-ish book and a paleo cookbook for Luke.

Week Forty-Five Highlights: We got to go to the lake for the first time this year! My parents' cabin is unfortunately under construction, so we hadn't been up at all...then Jamie and Bill invited us and all was right with the world.

AND THEN! On the way home, I made Luke stop at we mutually decided it was a great idea to stop at a 50s style diner and it was the greatest dinner of my life.

marriage: week forty-four

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Fourth Week of Marriage:
-I didn't learn very much, but I did learn that I will NOT throw up the following things: spiral mac and cheese, Ritz crackers, Northstar Niman Ranch Cheeseburger.  I WILL throw up pretty much anything else.  Love you, Ritz crackers.


Week Forty-Four Challenge: turn off all electronics after 8pm this week (this was a little challenging since we were out of town for a bit of it and you need phones for directions, information, etc...but we did it anyway)

Week Forty-Four Highlights: Toledo visit for Cam's graduation

marriage: week forty-three

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Third Week of Marriage:
-morning sickness is not a joke. It's also not strictly in the morning.


Week Forty-Third Challenge: no TV during dinner this week (this was fairly easy considering I didn't eat much dinner)

Week Forty-Three Highlights: Luke built many things and I read many things (as a result of being fairly couch-ridden).

marriage: week forty-two

Things I Learned in Our Forty-Second Week of Marriage:
-building forts big enough for adults is hard.


Week Forty-Two Challenge: build a fort (we watched Harry Potter in it, obviously)

Week Forty-Two Highlights: Harry Potter in the fort

marriage: week forty-one

Things I Learned in Our Forty-First Week of Marriage:
-if you fall asleep on the couch, and your husband uses a nail gun approximately 20 feet from you, it will be the most terrifying experience of your life.

Week Forty-One Challenge: go antiquing (we didn't buy anything, but we saw some cool stuff!)

Week Forty-One Highlights: we watched Harry Potter in the basement one night this week, which is one of my very favorite activities with one of my very favorite people and one of my very favorite blankets

marriage: week forty

Things I Learned in Our Fortieth Week of Marriage:
-the lottery is cruel.

Week Forty Challenge: each play 5 scratch off lottery tickets (no complaining! it's fun!) Luke chose to ignore the "no complaining" part.  I've played scratch off lottery tickets a semi-embarrassing amount (hi Ali!), and I have always won at least something--even if I didn't make my money back.  We spent $20 and won nothing!

Week Forty Highlights: pool time at my parents' house, pretty weather

marriage: week thirty-nine

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Ninth Week of Marriage:
-substituting sugar for honey is not as simple as Pinterest would lead you to believe

Week Thirty-Nine Challenge: make your spouse something this week (this went a bit awry...I tried to make Luke paleo peanut butter cookies...and they melted.  Luke made me broccoli and I threw up.  Marriage is hard, you guys.)

Week Thirty-Nine Highlights: I took my kids bowling at work, and it was hilarious.

marriage: week thirty-eight

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Eighth Week of Marriage:
-naps are the worst/best thing

Week Thirty-Eight Challenge: have dinner with another couple this week (we ate sandwiches with my parents and Blythe and Travis)


Week Thirty-Eight Highlights: celebrating Luke's birthday! Luke-O-De-Mayo came again!

marriage: week thirty-seven

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Seventh Week of Marriage:
-Luke thinks my waterfowl confusion is super hilarious


Week Thirty-Seven Challenge: Question Card!
Monday: What is your favorite book of the Bible and why?
Tuesday: Name one person in your life that inspires you to be a better person.
Wednesday: The house is on fire! You can only grab 3 things! What are they?
Thursday: I laugh every time I think of you _______________.
Friday: Tell your spouse one way he/she impressed you this week.


Week Thirty-Seven Highlights: Easter festivities

marriage: week thirty-six

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Sixth Week of Marriage:
-it's hard to keep secrets/surprises from people with whom you live (I lasted 2 hours)

Week Thirty-Six Challenge: text your spouse a bible verse every day this week

Week Thirty-Six Highlights: something top secret that I will divulge later, Jenna's confirmation

marriage: week thirty-five

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Fifth Week of Marriage:
-how to make Mexican pulled pork

Week Thirty-Two Challenge: be in bed by 10 every night this week (hockey playoffs made this challenge more difficult)

Week Thirty-Two Highlights: cooking with Andrea

marriage: week thirty-four

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Fourth Week of Marriage:
-how to roast Brussels sprouts
-I definitely do not like Brussels sprouts
-how to spell Brussels sprouts

Week Thirty-Four Challenge: take a great photo together this week

Here it is, you guys. 

Week Thirty-One Highlights: Work BFF and I cooked a delicious meal for our boys (chicken cutlets! salad! no one was harmed in the making of this meal!)

marriage: week thirty-three

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Third Week of Marriage:
-how to roast broccoli
-how to glaze carrots with honey

Week Thirty-Three Challenge: go for a drive together this week; stop at three places.  We drove north from our house (AKA to the middle of nowhere)...we found a windmill, some crazy expensive houses, a maimed goose, and dinner (it was not goose).

Week Thirty-Three Highlights: visiting Toledo and...

I also got re-tested for allergies.  Congratulate me, you guys.  I was allergic to 79 out of the 80 things they tested (take that, mold!).  I almost posted pictures of my back looking disgusting and then I remembered that that is a terrible idea (take that, internet!).

marriage: week thirty-two

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-Second Week of Marriage:
-if you decide to wear sweats the entire way to Cincinnati for a wedding, there will not be a place to change when you arrive
-abandoned alleys are harder to find than movies want you to know

Week Thirty-Two Challenge: eat breakfast together three times this week.  This was really actually quite a challenge.  We do not leave the house at the same time.  At all.

Week Thirty-Two Highlights: we went to see a Beatles tribute band with my parents, then saw tons of friends at a wedding

marriage: week thirty-one

Things I Learned in Our Thirty-First Week of Marriage:
-how to whip cream
-getting my food processor

Week Thirty-One Challenge: spend an hour each night this week not talking (this lead to hilarious charades)

Week Thirty-One Highlights: spring break (aka spending tons of time with Brandon), Luke resuscitated a woman at a restaurant (!!) she was blue!!

spring break!!!!

marriage: week thirty

Things I Learned in Our Thirtieth Week of Marriage:
-how/why to brine chicken
-how to make chicken saltimbocca (not not how to pronounce it)
-how to make glazed carrots
-how to make the perfect omelet

Week Thirty Challenge: read a book out loud to each other.  About 2 months ago, I read Three to Get Married by Fulton Sheen and got super obsessed with it.  Now I'm re-reading with Luke and it is the best.

Week Thirty Highlights: learning to cook, Luke doing crazy things at The Burrow like putting up beadboard