Our First Anniversary.

I would like to start by saying yet again that I cannot believe we've been married for a whole year already!! I love it. It was such a special day to celebrate with Steven and we had a wonderful time together.

(I made this picture nice and big so you can see my tiny kitchen in the background -- actually not really but as long as you can see it please notice the calendar on the fridge, M&Ms bag on top of the fridge, Lucy magnets, one year anniversary card from Papa and Grammi, brand new paper towel holder, yellow gluggle jug from Paigey, and open bag of See's candy.)

Steven didn't get home from work until shortly after 8am yesterday morning, which gave me plenty of time to clean up the kitchen and get breakfast started. He came in with a rose (good man, now if I could only teach him that those aren't just for anniversaries...), which was perfect because then I got to use this pretty bottle that I bought for the wedding last year. We had breakfast burritos and chocolate milk and then I gave Steven the photo book. I have been really excited about it and it was so so so hard to not tell him about it. We really enjoyed looking through it together and remembering all of the fun (and silly) stuff we've done this past year. I intend to make one every year. I also purchased a six-pack of Jones cream sodas with a new photo on the bottles, but I didn't pull the special sodas out until later on. Cream soda isn't something we generally have for breakfast. I loved the idea of recreating that special wedding favor that we so adored and think we might have to start a collection: Jones soda bottle with Steven/Steph lovey-dovey photo for each anniversary. Since we have 4 different ones from the wedding we're up to 5 already.

One of our favorite moments of the day was hosting the newly engaged Tim and Annika for lunch -- Tim proposed late yesterday morning on Mt. Peak. Annika was so surprised (we had made "plans" to go on a hike with them and then at the last minute Steven "had to go to a fire" and we couldn't make it so they went a hike just the two of them) and she had the biggest smile on her face when they arrived at our house afterwards. We shared salmon and champagne and our special days with one another and it was just lovely.

After they left to celebrate with their families, Steven and I were off to check into our hotel. We didn't go far but it just seemed like it would be more fun to stay in a hotel for the night. Steven found a really nice place called The Hotel Bellevue. We spent our wedding night in Bellevue so it was special to be there for our first anniversary as well.

The room was beautiful with a big bed (felt like almost double the size of the one we have at home), and a tiny balcony, and a huge TV, and a bathroom bigger than our living room. After checking in we only stayed long enough to set our bags down and change our clothes since we had dinner plans in Seattle.

Steven made reservations for us to go on an Argosy dinner cruise. It was a beautiful night for a cruise. The boat stuck to the shoreline for must of it and it was really cool to see all of the bluffs and shores and beach houses. We saw Magnolia, Bainbridge, Blake Island and lots more. The food was pretty good but not amazing. I think what you're really paying for is the experience. It's pretty unique to be able to enjoy a four course meal while getting a tour of the Puget Sound on a beautiful sunny evening. Actually, the fruit and crab legs were pretty fantastic and I definitely enjoyed the champagne and chocolate dessert :)

He wore his wedding tie, I wore my wedding shoes -- we were very stylish (and color coordinated too)

We asked some lady to take a picture of us... she didn't do a very good job. We really didn't care about the flag but she insisted on getting the whole thing in the shot. Silly. I chose the white dress for two reasons: 1) it felt somewhat bridal 2) it makes me look tan. (and also, I have like 4 white/cream dresses that I keep wanting to wear but my opportunities for dress wearing this summer have mostly been for rehearsal dinners/weddings and you just can't wear white to those things unless you're the bride...)

I hardly took any photos at all! I know, so unlike me, I would usually take hundreds on an outing like this. But I guess I just couldn't take my eyes off my handsome husband long enough to take pictures.

I mean just look at him! Jeans, a new pair of Reefs, a TIE, his shirt is TUCKED IN and the Ray Bans add a perfect touch. Sexy man. This sealed the deal -- as soon as we have enough money to get him a new wardrobe those 14 pairs of black shorts are going straight to Goodwill. He looks too good in nice clothes to keep wearing the old shorts.

After the cruise we went back to the hotel. I had brought a bottle of wine from our wedding and M&Ms and Jones sodas and crackers and salmon spread but believe it or not, we were both asleep by 9:15pm. No joke. So we had all that for breakfast :) Don't worry, we did not drink the whole bottle of wine. Fortunately we didn't have to check out of the hotel until 1pm so we just got to lay around all morning enjoying the soaking tub, comfy bed and cable TV -- we actually watched a National Geographic show about prison life for almost 2 hours, haha! It was relaxing and peaceful and so special to be in a hotel together. Definitely a treat.

What a great day! Maybe we should make anniversaries more than just an annual thing :)