BRANCH PARTY DIRTY SANTA

Our branch always has the best Christmas party (we have a huge potluck and play Dirty Santa) and for the past two years, we've been recruiting other branches to join us. I'll say this year didn't disappoint, even though I had a much better gift than the giant rice krispie treat up until the end when it was stolen. The Cub Scouts highly enjoyed the rice krispie treat at their party that night though... Jay went home with a battery powered tornado lamp, which now lives in Cora's room.

The Christmas decor in my office this year, including my pretty anniversary flowers that lived for weeks!

15 YEARS

Jay and I met 15 years ago. FIFTEEN! Time flies folks...

AN EVEN DOZEN

Twelve years people! This man has held me up, tolerated me, made me laugh, picked up my slack, encouraged and praised me, loved me, and been my very best friend for (over) a dozen years now. We each have our quirks and neither of us are perfect (at least not everyday!), but we know what makes each other tick. And when we forget, we know how to regroup and communicate openly, and get ourselves back on track. Love is not a battlefield, marriage is not a sprint. We joke each anniversary that we have X number of years to go (teasing that we'll be married until we're at least 110 - we plan to live long and move to the moon someday), but it's no joke that I'm one of the luckiest ladies I know. Happy Anniversary Jaybird!

Breakfast of champions: pancakes, bacon, and mimosas!

We told the kids they had to be nice to us today ;-)

Just a little birthday present that I finally got around to putting on the van. Now all I need is a little red heart to place between them!

CEDAR GROVE

A couple weeks ago we bumped into our friend Elizabeth, the girl (woman, these days!) who used to work at the YMCA daycare and who watched our kids there (and a couple times at our house) since before Cora was potty trained. She grew up and got a real job, which was a bummer for us because she is the ONLY person we have ever paid to watch our kids (3 times total now - no exaggeration), and one of the very few people outside of family that we have trusted with them. James and Cora LOVE her (she's the type of babysitter that brings craft projects along and actually plays with the kids and reads as many stories as they request), and very much remembered her when we saw her at the grocery store, so when she messaged me over Thanksgiving week that she was available for babysitting in December, how could I resist?! We took the opportunity to go out (a few days early) and celebrate our anniversary at Cedar Grove (one of the fancy B&Bs in town, located in an historic home). The place was empty (we were their only reservation), the service was perfect, the food was delicious (especially the Blackened Seafood Pasta), the cocktails were themed (I had the Miss Scarlet, a very fruit-juicy concoction, and Jay had a classic Mint Julep), and the free mini self-guided tour of the famous cannon balls (one went through the floor and one is stuck in the wall) and river view from the roof was pretty cool.

 And while we were away...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Anniversary David and Taryn - we love you!

10 YEARS!

Today marks our 10 year anniversary!

 

Where did we think we would be at this point in our lives, 10 years ago when we got married? Well, we figured we'd have kids. We knew we'd have a home. We hoped we'd have good jobs that we liked. We have all those things, so does that make us successful? Sure it does. But what really counts, at this point in our lives, is that we have all those things TOGETHER. We are happily married. We appreciate each other. We take care of one another. We celebrate each other. We are blessed beyond our hopes and dreams to have the relationship that we have, filled with honesty and love. We chose well in each other and we have forever to keep building on that. There have been struggles, and there will be more. We've had ups and downs, and that rollercoaster isn't going to end. Life is filled with challenges, but tackling them together can be part of the fun if you let it. Experiencing this life together is something we are grateful for daily and we think we're doing a pretty darn good job of enjoying it in every way we can.

9 YEARS!

We celebrated 9 years of marriage today! It's been a wild ride so far, filled with love and humor and patience and adventures and ups and downs and support and encouragement and gratitude and learning experiences, getting busier every year, and we're really looking forward to the BIG 10 next year (when we plan to reinstate our much missed anniversary weekend trips - who wants to come out and watch the kids, eh?).

Sophie and Alex watched the kids for us for a couple of hours so we could enjoy a nice (quiet) romantic dinner at one of the fancier restaurants in town, Anchuca. We both picked the chef's special of the evening (salmon and shrimp) and had matching glasses of wine too. And yes, that is THREE desserts on that plate between us. When the hostess came by to inquire about dessert I told her we wanted to try everything on the menu. She looked quite stunned, so I quickly told her that I was kidding, that we only wanted three (there were five options available). She just laughed and came back with the red velvet trifle (the BEST!), Bonzo cake (I'll describe it as a mix between chocolate cake, some type of custard layer, a layer of mousse, then topped with more chocolate and whipped cream), and Black Russian cake (with raspberry and vodka). Believe it or not, we didn't finish our desserts and had to take some home...

And yes, it is for some reason warm enough here this December to comfortably wear a tank-style dress. Sure hope it cools off by Christmas!

INVERSARY

Before Jay and I started (officially) dating, way back in February of 2001, I knew he was the guy for me. Why? Because he's a romantic at heart. He's sweet and sensitive. And he doesn't try to hide that side of himself (at least, not often). The real clincher for me was Valentine's Day that year. Living in the SCAFL compound with 34 other people, just over half of whom were female (and most of whom were not dating anyone, long distance or otherwise), Jay came home that afternoon with a vase full of roses. One for each girl (including staff members) in our group, because, as he said, "Every woman deserves a flower on Valentine's Day." Awwwww...

When he got dressed this morning in his St. Patty's Day shirt and I inquired whether he was gearing up for the holiday early, he said "No, I'm just lucky to have you for a wife. And today is our INversary." Sweet, eh?

(Your inversary, or reversary, whatever you want to call it, is the opposite/reverse date of the date you were married. A one-time-only celebration, just like your wedding day. So today, on 03-06-12, we celebrated our wedding date of 12-06-03 with a lunch date and sappy lovey-dovey comments. Because my husband is adorable and creative, AND he has a good memory for dates!)

CELEBRATING 8 YEARS TODAY

If you don't already know the story of how we met and fell in love and survived a bicoastal relationship (twice) and moved in and out of all the time zones in the continental United States and got married and grew our family, or you just want to reminisce with us, go check out Our Story. Or you can click the link just to see the photo timeline at the bottom of the page and remark over how much we've changed over the years...

Happy 8th Anniversary to us!

OUR OTHER ANNIVERSARY

Jay and I actually celebrate 2 anniversaries: our wedding, of course, and also the day that we met. While it wasn't "love at first sight", it didn't take us long to realize how perfectly we fit together.

So, for anyone who hasn't heard the story of how we met, here it is:

(This was the night of our first kiss)

I had graduated from college back in June of 2000, spent my summer in Alaska working for a PhD student, and had been looking for my next big adventure (and job). My mom found an advertisement for an internship with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) in south Florida, in the Everglades, at Big Cypress National Preserve. My mom drove with me cross-country from Cali to Florida, enjoying stops in Vegas, Tombstone, and San Antonio. I remember dropping her at the airport in Tampa and completing the drive into the swamp by myself, my excitement mounting with every mile. I was astounded at the change in scenery and stopped many times along the Tamiami Trail to sight-see and take photos. As I neared my new home, my nerves kicked in. I couldn't believe I was going to be living in a "compound" (a slightly elevated block of land enclosed by a high fence - perhaps to keep the gators out! - with one building that housed a single bathroom, the kitchen and dining room, a "rec room", and a back porch, 3 outdoor showers, a port-o-let, and another small building that acted as an office for our 4 supervisors), in the swamp, with 34 other individuals, in tents (we slept 2 to a tent, picking our tent mates on day 2, before we really even knew each other, though the 5 staff members each had their own tent), for 5 whole months. I knew it would be the experience of a lifetime, but I really had no idea just how profoundly my new "job" would change my life. I have my mom to thank for discovering this adventure for me, and for encouraging me to take a chance. If it wasn't for her, I never would have met my husband, or any of the other amazing people I lived and worked with, most of whom I still keep in contact with, and a few of whom I still consider some of my closest friends.

Likewise, Jay had JUST finished college in December and had gone through some tough times (like me, he had recently broken up with his high school sweetheart, though there were other things going on in his life as well) before entering the swamp. I think most of us there were at a very pivotal place in our lives: graduating college, moving far from all our friends and family (we came from all across the country), and making important decisions about relationships and career goals. We became a very tight-knit group almost overnight. We lived together, worked together (in different areas of the preserve, taking turns trying out different career paths every few weeks), cooked together (we had a head chef, hired specifically to feed 35 carnivores, vegetarians, and vegans - not an easy task, and the reason I now eat my veggies! - though we all took turns as chef's helpers), cleaned together (as a group we created a "chore wheel" that we rotated weekly so that everyone in the compound took turns taking care of the mundane tasks), and played together (our weekends were spent lounging at the beach or hiking through the swamp, and we spent MANY evenings at our beloved Chickee Bar down in Everglades City). We took a few mini vacations (long weekend trips) to the Keys, over to Miami, and up the Gulf coast, and Jay and I even took a romantic getaway to Dry Tortugas National Park towards the end of our time at SCAFL (as we lovingly nicknamed our compound). Those were some of the best months of our lives, and we look back so fondly on all our experiences there. The way we learned and experienced life and grew up and fell in love and made lasting relationships still astounds me. We are so lucky to have had that time.

And we really need to have a reunion someday... If only we didn't all still live all across the country (or overseas). And we're all in different stages of life: some are married (we aren't the only couple to have come from SCAFL - Erin and Justin!), some have kids (and/or are currently expecting), some have taken on permanent jobs while some are still enjoying the life of nomads, and some are still in school (having returned for advanced degrees). I suppose that makes it pretty hard to take time off right after the holidays and schlep down to the swamp. Maybe next year...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MY LOVE

After 7 years of marriage, I still feel THIS happy when you scoop me up for a big hug!

Thank you for continuing to give me bear hugs, provide me with laughter even on the hard days, and love me the way any woman dreams to be loved by her husband. I feel so lucky to have your constant support, in all things. Your sweetness will never go unnoticed. I love you sweetie.

COULD WE "BE" ATTENDING ANY MORE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND?

We kept James VERY busy this weekend... He attended his first birthday party - a 1st Birthday party for one of our coworker's sons. Then we pulled on our ugly sweaters and attended the annual Christmas parade and Sandy's "Soup and Sweater" party. The next day brought a baby shower for another coworker (and a former coworker). And we finished out the weekend by celebrating our 6th anniversary. I think that's the busiest we've ever been with events here in the Burg...

So, the weekend in photos...

James moved up to his convertible carseat, now that he's such a big boy:

Here is James with Coltin at his birthday party:

And what's worse than an ugly Christmas sweater? MATCHING ugly Christmas sweaters! (We know, technically they're not sweaters, but they ARE ugly):

The "M" is for Mississippi, of course. Even James looks like he's trying to throw signs! And we dressed James in his "Smart Cookie" Christmas onesie as an undershirt... Here we are at the party, in the Photo Booth, with the ugliest sweater we could find for James (they don't really make ugly baby clothes, so we just went with something that was over-the-top cutsie):

Then we watched the Christmas parade from Sandy's balcony (and it was COLD):We think Uncle Daryl and Aunt Margie should decorate their hogs like this for Christmas:

Who invited the Easter Bunny? Just because he's being escorted by an elf...

This was the best float in the parade: Christmas in Neverland!

On Sunday, James learned how to push up into a sitting position from his tummy:Then we went over to Al & Christina's baby shower, which was a couples shower and cookout, complete with the "Baby Olympics". Team Girls was ahead by 2 points (having won the beer bottle guzzle, diaper/onesie change relay, and carseat installation) when we got to the final round, but the boys took the title in the "winner takes all" story telling competition. Both teams cheated a little to gain the attention of the 4 kids in attendance (not that James cared about anything but the new toys available to play with), so I'll concede that it was a fair win. All they won was better beer anyway... Here are the Daddy- and Mommy-to-be opening gifts:And here is some of the gang, laughing it up at something Ned (another Daddy-to-be) must have said:

And finally, to end the party, here is James making his Uncle Davey proud by choosing the guitar over all the other available toys:

We got home in time to give James his bath and put him to bed. Then we had JUST ENOUGH energy to enjoy the fire for a bit before we passed out ourselves at 9pm. These anniversaries just aren't what they used to be...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!

Today is our 5th anniversary! It's hard to believe so much time has passed, but we sure have been busy. Since our wedding in 2003, we've adopted 2 cats, lived in 3 states, owned 2 homes, finished grad school, spent a summer hiking, are currently caring for 26 snakes, took some amazing vacations, seen almost all of our friends and family get married (and some have babies), and now have a baby boy of our own on the way! And that's just the first 5 years... At this rate, we'll have quite a list of accomplishments by our 50th anniversary!

Let's reminisce, shall we? Here are a few of our favorite photos from our wedding day:

To celebrate the past 5 years, we spent the day getting a couples massage (our first ever, and it was just as great as everyone said it would be!), going out for lunch at our favorite restaurant, taking our annual Christmas photo, and attending the local Christmas parade. Here we are today, with the baby belly in all it's 27-week glory (it's fun to think that this is our last anniversary as a couple, since next year we'll be a 3-person family!):

Here's to many more happy years!

BACONS' FIRST ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Anniversary David and Taryn!

BABYMOON/BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY CRUISE

That's right, we're going to be parents soon, so we figured we better get some practice at multi-tasking! We will be celebrating our 5th anniversary this December, my 30th birthday is coming up this weekend, and all the pregnancy books we've read recommend taking a "Babymoon" before the baby arrives. So, in the interest of saving time and money, we decided to combine all these celebrations in a fun cruise to the Bahamas with some friends and family (not necessarily our family, but our family by choice, if we could have a 3rd - the Birdsong Clan!)

We set out from Jacksonville on Thursday for a 4-day cruise to Nassau and Freeport, taking advantage of the federal holiday on Monday for Columbus Day (see, aren't we good at multitasking already?) Here are Jay, Jackson, Betsy, and John boarding the ship:

The cruise was a perfect getaway. We did a great job handling the buffets. We swam in the sea-water pools on the ship and even hit the hot tub the first night (before the water temperature got too hot for this Bahama Mama!) We went on a 2-hour birding tour where I saw 11 new species (including the Smooth-billed Ani and Bananaquit, the species I was most hoping to see). I even got my first pregnancy comment from someone who didn't know that I was pregnant... our tour guide looked me over as I was staring up into the trees and said "Oh, I see you two are making a baby" in her English accent! I absolutely LOVED it and almost cried I was so happy (what a pregnant sap I am!) Anyway, on with the details... We made it to every sit-down dinner and heavily enjoyed the Captain's Dinner menu (mmmm... lobster). We went to a couple of the on-board shows. We ate at Senor Frogs and snorkeled in Nassau. Jay played in the Slot Tournament, but wasn't a big winner (it's the fun that counts though). I spent a lot of time reading my first book on how to take care of a newborn (I'm getting tired of the pregnancy books, and it's about time to start planning ahead anyway). And there was lots of time to catch up with our friends. They even threw us a surprise Baby Shower during our day at sea! Thank you all (especially Betsy, for putting it together), again and again, for the lovely baby boy gifts, the delicious blue chocolate suckers, and for making us feel so special! We are so lucky to have friends like you guys! All in all, we have to say it was a great vacation! On with the photos! Here is Jean waving farewell from the dock at Mayport as the cruise ship passed by (2.5 hours later than we thought it would!)

Here we are passing underneath the Dames Point Bridge (also known as the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge), which is America's longest cable-stayed bridge, spanning the St. John's River

Dianna took a lot of photos at our surprise baby shower (Thank You Dianna!), so here is just one, where the two of us are actually looking at the camera!

Dressed up for the Captain's Dinner

Pulling into port in Nassau, we spied a pair of rainbows

In front of the Cloisters on Paradise Island, on our birding tour

Jay, Jackie, Jeff, Jay, and Eric at Senor Frogs in Nassau

John and Betsy joined us for lunch with a sleeping Jackson (not pictured)

There were 4 cruise ships in port by mid-day. Ours is the white one (hee hee). And yes, Jay is enjoying cheap beer before getting back on the boat...

While in Nassau, Jay found us a beach for swimming and snorkeling. We saw a lionfish, a damselfish, a big red starfish, and lots of other little silver fish. Jay and John jumped off the sea wall. Jackson found lots of seashells and Hunter practiced his doggie-paddle skills. That's Betsy with Jackson and Scott with Hunter in the photo below:

Last night of the cruise... the Birdsongs all got together for some family photos, and we decided to take some of all us "kids" while we were at it! Here are Jackie, Scott, Hunter, Jenny, Jeff, Betsy, John, Jackson, Jay, Denise, Jay, Dianna, and Greg (and yes, most of the Birdsong Clan is clad in Jaguars apparel or colors, and they won!):

Luckily, we flew out of Orlando, so we had some quality time in the car with Jean to tell her all about the cruise. Here she is with Jay at the airport: