Nine Years

David and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary with a nice, weekend getaway. David is very romantic and always has surprises planned for me... I feel very lucky to be married to someone who is a creative planner. He arranged for childcare on his own and told me to pack for a little get-away- nothing fancy, he reassured me, but more along the lines of relaxation and fun. I am the kind of girl who enjoys driving with David and having all the time in the world to talk, so I was happy just knowing we were getting some quality time.

You have to know David, but he has a silly side. I was not surprised in the least when we drove past Kansas City to the capital of Kansas, Topeka, to visit the home of Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz. David knows that movie is very sentimental to me and planned a whole day sightseeing in this amazingly unique town in the middle of rolling corn fields based on the movie. It was complete with a yellow brick road, all the characters, and even "Toto's Taco's", a little mexican hole-in-the wall. The original munchins from the movie make yearly appearances and I kept my eyes peeled for them! It was really just the most quirky place to spend the day and I love weird, quirky places like that. David knows me well.  : )

David treated me to Topeka's annual Tulip festival, dinner at Olive Garden, and a movie. We had a nice hotel room, stayed up late watching tv, and slept in. Though I missed Harbor William, it was very nice to spend time listening to one another with no interruptions and focusing on each other.

The next morning, David took me to breakfast and then to the Topeka Zoo, my other favorite hot spot. I'm all about the zoo. I love animals anyway, and getting to stroll the afternoon away was such therapy.

After the zoo, David drove me to Kansas City, which was only an hour's drive away. I adore the Plaza in Kansas City and and was so jazzed to spend the rest of the day shopping- even if most of it was "window" shopping.  : ) The Plaza carries some really fun, big names- like the Betsey Johnson, where all I could afford were flannel pajamas. Ha!  David took me to the Cheesecake factory for lunch and had a great booth overlooking the fountains. After lunch, he took me to Papersource, which is bar-none the BEST place for serious cardmakers to shop for cardstock. He instructed me to buy what I needed for this year's Christmas cards- and since I generally handmake one design in bulk, around 160 cards, I was giddy. I make my cards in the summer to help with time, and am really pleased with what they had in stock. My cardstock from last year, the orange pocket fold cards, is from Papersource, and I was impressed with the quality. If I wasn't feeling lazy, I would link the Christmas cards from last year. : ) Sorry... Ha!

Last but not least, I was given some bling for my ring finger, which is always nice. : )  Really, having a husband who has great work ethic, who takes care of us financially, who gets up everyday and is happy to make a living is all I need. I feel very lucky to have a husband who takes being a father very seriously and one who supports my decisions. Going to see Dorothy was just an extra added "plus!"

School is going well- we are winding down with only a few weeks left. My students are still working hard for me and I will really miss them this summer. We recently wrapped up a three week long unit over Tuck Everlasting and I thoroughly enjoyed the great discussions we had! I head out to Hot Springs for a two day conference with my coworkers and can't wait to spend time with them. I work with the best teachers on the planet and am so thankful for their positive perspectives- especially in May when the kids are getting restless.  : )

I hope all is well with you and your family!