Wonderful Weekend

Greg and I had a WONDERFUL weekend!

I had the day off on Friday and got a massage mid-morning.

After my massage I met Greg for an impromptu lunch at Applebee's; I LOVE their new Wonton Tacos!

Greg got off work around 3:30 and we headed to the Kettlehouse and met some new friends.

Saturday morning Greg took me out for breakfast.  We had great conversation over the Saturday Missoulian and GRIZ Game Day.

We relaxed around the house and Greg even went grocery shopping with me. I STRONGLY DISLIKE grocery shopping so it was nice to have his company and help.

The lowest point of our weekend was watching the Grizzlies fall to the Cal Poly Mustangs on Saturday night.

This morning we hung out watching FOX News Sunday, Greg's favorite political show and FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL, FOOTBALL.

I also baked some Gingerbread Bran Muffins for Greg and me.  The house smelled AMAZING and the muffins are pretty darn good if you like bran muffins.  Greg and I LOVE them!

I picked my parents up from the airport.  They had a great time in Cabo.  I always feel better when they are home where they belong!

Then tonight was the BIG Redskins v. Cowboys game on Sunday Night Football.  The Skins came through with the win, which made Greg REALLY happy!

It was a WONDERFUL weekend with LOTS of quality time together.  Just the way we like it!

BIG Day

Tomorrow is a BIG day.  Tomorrow is the FIRST day of Greg's CAREER!!!  I could not be more excited for him.  When we moved back to Missoula in 2006 in order for Greg to pursue his education at the University of Montana it was a HUGE step of faith for both of us.  We both took major pay cuts, had to learn some tough lessons and sacrificed A LOT of time together as a couple.  When he graduated in December of 2009 it was not necessarily the best time in our Nation's economy to be graduating from college.  Especially with a degree in Political Science!  For FOUR MONTHS he applied and applied and applied for other jobs while maintaining his part time job in retail.  In April he was finally hired by a bank in town.  In July he was told that the department of the bank he was working at was closing in 60 days.  Three days later he was told that he was absorbed by a different branch of that bank.  This was not his DREAM job.  He went to work everyday because it's what WE NEEDED him to do.  He continued to apply and apply and apply.  He never gave up complete confidence that the RIGHT position was just around the corner!  TOMORROW he starts that job!  Greg has been hired on by the Forest Service!!!  We are both so excited, relieved and thankful.  And as a wife I could not be more proud and more humbled that I have been a small part of it all.  I love having a front row seat to the life of this AMAZING man!  I truly feel like the LUCKIEST girl in the world.  Here's to tomorrow!

4 Years and Counting

As most of my upcoming blogs will be, this entry is quite obviously LATE!!!  Greg and I enjoyed our 4th anniversary on July 23rd!  For our 1st, 2nd and 3rd anniversary we spent quiet dinner dates together, exchanging gifts and just enjoying each others time and company.  This year was slightly more adventurous.  My family arrived on July 22nd.  My brother Jon, sister in law Tory and their children Jaxon and Samantha drove in from Portland.  While my sister Jacki, her boyfriend Chuck and my grandma Marge drove from South Dakota.  Greg and I still could have enjoyed a quiet dinner with just the two of us for our anniversary.  No one in our family would have made a fuss.  However, I only get to see my family about once a year.  I WANTED to spend time with them.  So at 7:45am the day of our anniversary Greg and I arrived at my parent's house to pick up Jacki and Chuck for White Water Rafting.  We had reservations with 10,000 Waves, while my dad, Jon and Tory would float behind us on my dad's pontoon.  I have only had one other rafting experience.  I was about 18.  It was MISERABLE.  I STRONGLY disliked it.  Needless to say I had my doubts about this rafting trip.  BUT my dad had already paid, reservations were made, people were counting on me...I had to go through with it.  I LOVED it!!!  Greg and I sat in the front of the raft (where most of the "action" is according to our guide).  It was so much FUN!!!  I was really nervous for the first rapid, but after that it was a blast!  I also learned something new about myself.  Apparently my reaction to somewhat dangerous, unknown situations is to LAUGH...hysterically!!!  The best part is that there is a photographer who takes professional pictures of rafts going through the Level 4 rapid, Tumbleweed and he caught it all on film.  What would be my first blog back with out pictures.  The photographer's name is Mike Malament with Montana River Photography.  Jacki and I just decided to buy a CD with all of our raft's pictures because we LOVE scrap booking.  Below are just my FAVORITES of the day.  If you want to see all 34 frames of Tumbleweed visit this site: http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=1MQD004R000000&po=0&pc=34
ENJOY!!!

Nice leisurely stroll down the river...

A little LESS leisurely now...

OMG!!!...

I'm okay...I'm okay...

FAVORITE picture!!!  Greg and I looking at each other saying...OMG!!!  That was AWESOME!!!

Our AMAZING float guide, Tyler...

Family Photo!!!

Graduation Celebration!

Rarely do I post more than once per week, let alone once per day. However, I just got back from a wonderful date! Greg graduated from college on Friday. Due to work schedules we were not able to celebrate until tonight. I will admit that I was originally upset that he hadn't asked for Friday night off so we could party it up with all of our friends. After tonight I am really thankful that he didn't. It was just the two of us, something that has rarely happened in the last 4 and a half years. We went to The Depot and had drinks and dinner and just talked. And it was LOVELY. It was lovely to be able to have two rounds of drinks because there is no paper due, there is no final coming up, there is no looming group project. For anyone out there who has gone to college, you know that it is hard. It is harder to be the spouse of a college student. And even harder still to be a college student who is a spouse. There were many times over the last couple of years where I knew theoretically I was first in Greg's life but because of school I had to come second in real time. That was hard. I think it was even harder on him. There were lots of times that I had to go to parties and other social gatherings without my husband. That was hard. I think it was even harder on him. There were lots of times where we would see each other briefly in the morning or evening but not have a lot of quality time together. That was hard. I think it was even harder on him. And now we get to celebrate! He did it! More impressively he only missed one day of school during his college career that I can remember. He is the first person in his family to attend college. He is also the first person in his family to graduate. And we did it together. So it was only fitting tonight that it was just the two of us. That we made up for all the quality time that we sacrificed. I am so proud of him and so grateful that I get to be the one standing by his side, cheering him on! He is one amazing husband and I am one proud wife!