Date night....weekend?

Happy Tuesday all my lovely readers.

{whoa.. Tuesday! Where did my week go? And its the 13th!! Where did my MONTH go?}

This weekend my husband planned a romantic time. Friday night he "made dinner" (which he actually just bought take out... Which i was surprised because be is actually a very good cook). I came home from taking Sophia on a walk to a candle light dinner, soft instrumental music, and little pink roses on the table. It was so sweet (swoon, right?).

Saturday he got up and made a delicious breakfast of omelets and biscuits with orange juice. Mmm! Omelets are his specialty. Later that day we drove around Alabama looking at all the gorgeous colors (its called 'alabama the beautiful' afterall). That night we went to church and then went bowling.

Sunday we lounged around and watched football. Later we watched movies.

It was such a great weekend!

I talked to a friend about dating in marriage (she has been married for 12 yrs) and she said that she doesn't NEED to have a date night. She would like it.... But her marriage is still strong without it.

Martin and i have been married a little over 1 year and we try to have a weekly date night. I want to stay in routine with this for when we have kids. We dedicate a night to just be married and be together. We try to do something (if finances allow) outside of the house and we don't talk about bills or anything like that. We just enjoy each other.

How important is a date night to you and your husband (boyfriend, fiancé)?
How often do you have one? I babysat for a couple who went out once a month with her husband of 10 yrs.

I don't think a date night has to be going out and spending a lot of money either. One Sunday Martin and i played card games and it was SOO fun!
Its a rare occasion where there is candle light too. Some nights its just left overs and a movie... But we still set aside time that is JUST for each other. (put your cell phone on silent)

My love language is quality time.... So i think that is also why i love a date night (or weekend) with my man. (:

candles, left overs, and love. - Monica

Also make sure to check out Sippy Cups and Pearls to read my guest post and learn more about me and husby.

http://www.sippycupsandpearls.com/2012/11/meet-monica.html?m=0

Autumn in Alabama

Happy Monday everyone!!!
Today i am spending the day cleaning and then babysitting. Husby is at work and then he gets to watch the 49ers game.
This past weekend we went to the pumpkin patch and carved our pumpkins. We had so so much fun! It was extremely cold but luckily my husband can still have fun and be silly with me!
We bought some hot cocoa and hot apple cider first! I shot off a corn blaster (pics are in Martins phone though), we did the mini corn maze (we pretty much just walked in it, took a picture and left), we rode on the back of a tractor thing, and then picked out our pumpkins!
We ended our Saturday with an amazing church service about how God, who is the great one, called us GOOD! The guest speaker talked about what it means too be called good by a great God. It was really empowering. We had some wonderful prayer time and my husband and i were really touches by it.
After that we dinner with friends. (:
Sunday we relaxed and carved out our pumpkins. I told Martin i didn't want to do a face and so we came up with our own little thing. (:
It was a wonderful weekend
Enjoy some pics and i am gonna go clean some more! (:
What did you do this weekend?
Have a blessed Monday and week!
Carved pumpkins, hot cider, and love. - Monica










 

Chinese food & cuddles

This weekend my Mr. and I had a little at home date.

Last week he had an INTENSE work week. It was long hours and really strenuous work. He said he almost stepped on a snake too (he is currently working landscaping at big commercial businesses).

I decided that Friday was going to be at-home date day. We would relax, rent some movies, and order some take out. He deserved it.

Martin came home with Chinese take out! I had been looking into Chinese restaurants too! hehe. (: I was so stinking excited!
So we had some DELICIOUS Chinese food in the cute containers ( most places we would go to.. they would put the food in a Styrofoam container.. so we were extra excited about this Chinese food)!

The rest of the weekend was filled with Parenthood and playing/snuggling with little Sophia. (:

she loves to bite his face!

This morning when I woke up.. my heart felt so heavy... I am not sure why or what exactly I was feeling.. but I was like overwhelmed with the feeling of love.

Love for my husband. Love for that stinky little puppy. Love for the Lord. Love for my life.
I can't fully describe it but it was a complete reassurance of being surrounded in love.

It feels soo wonderful!

food in cute containers, cute puppies who bite faces, and love. - Monica
♥ . ♥ . ♥
Also make sure to check out my new facebook page. (:

Celebrating 10 months

Martin and I have officially been married for 10 whole months!

We went out on a romantic date last night celebrating. hehe.

He called from work yesterday and said "be ready by 7pm - I am taking you out."
Oh I love hearing that!

I got ready and tried out a new hairstyle too! I have always loved side pony-tails but I never knew if I could pull it off. I thought I would try though since Martin always thinks I am beautiful. hehe.

My wonderful husband got reservations at a cute little romantic spot called Courtyard Cafe.
It was so much fun and our waiter was so nice! (also had an intense mustache. hehe)

There was a HUGE group behind us. hehe.

anniversaries and love, Monica
♥. ♥ . ♥

Our Trip to the Zoo for my 25th bday

My birthday is next week and so my wonderful husband planned a little trip for us.

He got a random middle of the week day off so we decided to do it early. (:

We started out the day with errands (we finally have a joint checking account!) and then getting the car cleaned. We took it to a car wash that drives your car for you! Lol. All the car washes I have been too, you drive the car through it. In this car wash you hook your car on something and put the car in neutral and go. he he.

He was soo amazed by it! (:

After that we were off to Birmingham! I had no idea what we were doing, Martin kept it a surprise the whole time! (:

When we arrived at the Birmingham Zoo I was extremely excited! I had never been to a zoo before!!! (:

There were soo many beautiful birds when we first walked in. Right inside the gate I saw HUGE parrots and even asked Martin "are those real birds?". His reply "Of course they are real, Monica. haha. We are at the zoo!"
I was like a giddy 6-year old! He He.

Peacocks were just walking around like no big deal.

One even extended all of its feathers out and walked around in circles! We asked why the peacocks did that and the worker told us they get all puffed up when they want to mate.
Hey.. peacock...sorry but he is taken. (;

The ducks and flamingos were so cute! I fed them too.

We saw pretty swans but they were so far away.

There were the cutest little owls too!!!

I have no idea what kind of bird that was.... but it got really close to us.
There were tons and tons of different birds all throughout the zoo!!! (:

I was a little nervous to go see the alligator but he was pretty much sleeping. Martin hollered at him to wake him up though! haha

Actually a lot of the animals were sleeping when we went. haha. I guess since it was like over 90 degrees they didn't want to move around much.

Isn't this guy so stinking adorable?! He was just kicking back the whole time!

 I totally wanted to jump in the water with these little sea lions!!! They didn't stay out of the water long (and I know why!) but oh they were so cute!

Martin's favorite part was the reptile section. He is not a fan of snakes AT ALL (its pretty much his biggest fear) but when they are behind glass he is okay.

this little guy looked just like a rock. it took us forever to find him. 

Martin was playing with this snake for a long time. It was the only snake in the exhibit that wasn't sleeping. He kept tapping on the glass, taking pictures of it, and having way to much fun. I commented on what he was doing and said "I thought you were so scared of snakes, it looks like you are having fun." Martin replied "well ya... there is glass between us and I know I will never see a snake like this again."
We look down at the description and it is a 'common kingsnake' native in Alabama! I started laughing so hard when Martin tells me that he sees these snakes at work all the time! He he. He continued to play with it to "get to know him better" since he will see them again. hehe.

After the reptiles creeped me out enough we headed to the Africa section of the zoo.

 This was on the way to the Africa section... its a mama and baby bird. (:

 The elephants were so incredibly huge!

An ostrich!

Right after I took this picture I was like "Oh it is so bright!" My husband says "Well... put your sunglasses on!" lol. Oh ya! Good idea! haha

Just me, hello kitty, and a giraffe (:

Those wild African cats just looked like house cats!!! But the description said they were incredibly brutal!

Okay.. I fell in love with this little guy! He is a red panda or something like that. He was so fast I could barely get a picture but he was too stinking cuddly!

And the lions were sleeping..... of course. hehe

That was the craziest looking boar! Martin kept making jokes that he would taste good as bacon. Eeww! lol

After Africa it was off to our last stop - the primates!

Okay this next guy is amazing! Martin says he looks like a little Don King! Lol. But I think he looks like a mini grandpa monkey to a land of fairies or something. If I could take home one pet it would be THIS monkey!

And he looked like right at me! Oh my cuteness I just think he is the funniest little guy in the world. he he.

The anteater was one of the silliest looking animals too!

The last thing we did before we left was take a train ride throughout the whole zoo. It was a lot of fun! (:

My husband planned such a wonderful birthday celebration for me. We were just amazed by all of God's creations. A few times Martin said "God made this! Like He thought about this animal and created all the details." I love my husband because as I was taking picture of all the cuteness of the animal, Martin was reading all the facts about it. hehe.

I am a firm believer in acting like a kid and staying youthful! I will be 25 in a few days and I can still have a complete blast at a zoo!!!! (:

Take a moment to marvel at God's creations and laugh like a kid!

young at heart and love. - Monica

♥ . ♥ . ♥