Homemade Pizza

Every time we make pizza at home, I think of my grandma. It was one of her favorite meals, but my grandpa wasn't that into it, so she always used us kids as an excuse to break it out. Just like with all her favorites in the kitchen, she loved to experiment with it and see how she could improve. Just because we loved it already didn't mean we couldn't love it more.

In our house, Erick is the pizza experimenter. He also prides himself on finding the perfect recipes and techniques to bring deliciousness to life. Our quarantined life has made it possible for him to make pizzas even during the week. It's definitely one of our silver linings.

Here is one of his doughs rising.

Sometimes he mixes up some ground beef with Italian spices to go on top. That's yummy.

This pizza got a lovely brown on top, and the crust was delicious.

Last night, he cooked our pizzas on the grill. They started out on foil so the crust could firm up. Then he'd move it to indirect heat to finish up and get a little char on the bottom. These pizzas were the best. Crunchy and full of flavor. Mmmm.

He was pretty proud of the product even before we had tasted it.

I know better than to get attached to exactly that because perfection does not mean the end of experimentation. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

FIFTEEN Years

When I married Erick fifteen years ago, fifteen years sounded like a long time. Now, I realize fifteen years is just the beginning. I don't feel like we have reached some sort of threshold or that we've made it. I am still amazed every day that I get to wake up next to my favorite person - even when I don't want to admit he's my favorite.

Fifteen years ago, we were kids. We're still young and have a lot to learn about each other and ourselves. It's the best part of my life. And I have lots to be grateful for. 

Celebrating Erick

This has been one of those weeks - preceded by one of those months - where Erick and I seem to catch each other coming and going. A little tired. Getting rundown. Trading stories and information. Not really able to spend much time looking each other in the eye without the inevitable, "Oh, did you remember to...?"

And today is his birthday. It's a full day for us, and we won't all be home together until it's almost time for Sophia to go to bed.

But I know Erick will feel celebrated (especially when we're doing whatever he wants tomorrow) because even when we have these weeks and months, which are inevitable in the 21st century American family, they don't weaken the bond that we share. I don't have a fear that once we get the time that we need together, we'll have to start from a different place.

This year, Erick and I will officially have spent more of our lives together (17 and counting) than we spent apart (17 even). That doesn't mean, necessarily, that we cannot fail. But it means we've already failed and come back. It means we know how to cope when being made crazy by one another. It means that he knows which of the crazy shit that I say deserves a response and which deserves a chuckle and an, "I just love you."

There is never a day (I actually sat here to think about whether or not this statement was true, and it is, to the best of my failed memory.) that I am not grateful for the day Erick was born. Maybe I'm not grateful in that specificity. I'm grateful every day, and it's his birthday. Get it? I love the guy. I need him. More than that, when I have spare time to look into someone's eyes and have a conversation, I want it to be him.

So, happy birthday to my partner. Thanks for growing with and near me.

Anniversary!

Ten years ago today. It feels like a long time and it seems like yesterday! I love being married to Erick. It's the best thing I've got going in a truly great life.

Almost Ten

Our ten year anniversary is getting closer all the time. One of the things I appreciate about being married to Erick is that he lets me take self portraits of us as often as I want. I love this man. There is no one in the world I'd rather have my face pressed up against for posterity.

Snapshot

Sophia had the camera for a while the other day and snapped this picture of us. Yes, we had been posing, of course. We can't help it. Once I saw this picture, though, I just thought to myself that I really hope this is what Sophia thinks of when she thinks of her mommy and daddy.

It's certainly what I like to think of.

Also this.

Happy, happy birthday, Baby.

I love Erick's birthday almost as much as my own, and not just because it's another reason to eat sweets. I just love to celebrate the day he was born. I was 17 days old, and blissfully unaware that just one state over a beautiful baby boy came and brightened the world of those who knew him. I love to celebrate that day because without it, my life would be a whole lot emptier.

Happy birthday to the love of my life and my favorite person with which to be myself.

The Happiest Day of My Life

I have had many, many happy days in my life. But when I do a real evaluation, I cannot think of a day that I enjoyed quite as much of that light feeling in my heart, almost as if I might take flight. My wedding day met every hope and dream I had for it.

And nine years with Erick has been everything I hoped for and nothing I planned. As I think about it, my heart just might fly away.

My Greatest Loves

 

I am a person who loves deeply. I feel strongly. And I like to talk about it. So it won't be any surprise to you that I love these two people. A lot. This time, I'll let the picture do the talking. See how cute they are? Sweet boogers. See how they love me too? How could I help but be madly in love with both of them?

Date Night

 

It begins...

It's here. Sophia and I are in Columbia for two more weeks, but this morning Erick set off to start his new job and set into motion our new life. It's been the day (one of them) that I've dreaded for a while now. This one holds more dread for me than the other days. We're still in limbo for the most part, but now we get to do it separately.

Erick was home all week last week, in between jobs. It was everything we hoped. Lots of family snuggling, laughing and playing. We didn't really talk very much, except for Sophia, of course. Erick and I have talked this thing to no end, so all that was left was...this. Getting it done.



This is his view this morning. Mine is the same, except the girl in my view is missing her daddy and reminds me every so often. While I understand how short our actual separation will be, it wouldn't be helpful for me to point that out to Sophia. "Well, at least we'll see him on the weekend! Some families go over a year without a real hug!" That wouldn't help her any more than it makes it easier for me.

Long, Wonderful Weekend

Erick and I had a wonderful weekend that just ended today. I love Columbus Day and the fact that my mom's in banking! That worked out more than a little well for us this weekend. We left Saturday morning and made a quick turnaround in St. Louis to check out an apartment. We got back to Hermann early afternoon on Saturday and stayed until breakfast this morning.

I can't begin to describe how perfect it was to spend that much uninterrupted time just the two of us in this ever so heavenly setting!



We took some nice long walks in Hermann. The weather was perfect, the leaves are turning and the scenery was captivating.



We ate at a restaurant in the middle of woods called The Cottage. Homecooking meets German cuisine. Delicious and unique!



The Hermann Hill Inn was the location of one of our walks, and here is a shot of Hermann from their vineyard.



When we came home today, we met Sophia in this sweet little dress. She had chosen the pattern and material for this, and Mom had done the work to make this beautiful dress. I am always surprised at her sense of style and how much it matches my mom's. We are so grateful to my mom for hanging out with Sophia this weekend so we could have this fantastic weekend. It won't soon be forgotten!

It's happens to all of us...

 

Today it's Erick's turn to cross the threshold into his 30's. It occurred to me that I was with him for this whole decade. I remember when he turned 20, although I wasn't there due to a Character Camp commitment at C of O. I may never live that one down. I think I missed his 21st that way, too!

And now I can say I've seen him through an entire decade of his life. Or maybe we shared it more than we watched one another through it. A joint experience - all at once combined and individual. What a decade it was, too. Our 20's were... well, they were interesting. Awesome and awful, as most people can say.

I'm so looking forward to our 30's. It promises to be a helluva decade! Can't wait to share it with Erick!

Craft Time

I didn't really have a favorite day on vacation. Every day was different because of our schedule and location, but every day was great in a different way.

However, if I did have a favorite day, it would probably be the day closest to my normal life. One day, we were home waiting for a UPS package that never came. So we were confined to our quarters, and that was fantastic. With Erick was home, he and Sophia would play for a while as I cleaned. Or she and I would sit down and read a few books while he caught up on the scores and such. It was possibly the most relaxing of all the relaxing days we had.

The craziest we got was during impromptu craft time.

 

Sophia and Erick made necklaces and bracelets for each of us - including Lulu, of course. Here they are modeling their work.

 

A day like this just proves what I've always believed. My life really is my favorite thing.

Home

Today is the eighth anniversary of the day that I made the best choice of my life. The day that a lot of hard work and a little craziness paid off so we could start our brand new lives together. Little did we know it was just the tip of the hard work and craziness iceberg. (And I realize that after 8 years, we've still hardly scratched the surface.)

Regardless of the craziness and challenge of life, most days (during this season of life) I feel pure joy at the fact that I get to wake up next to Erick. Well, maybe I should use a different example, because waking up in general is hardly a joyous occasion for me. You get the point... I feel more full of life and energy knowing that I have him to share it all with and yammer on to about it. This all sounds sappy, but the strangest part is that it's true. I get as excited as Sophia when he comes home, and not just because he can give me a little relief. Just because I love to be around him!

This is a great song about a love that is all joy and memories being created right in that moment. That's how I feel about our love. We have lots of silly, sad and glorious memories, but I'm usually too busy creating more to stop and think about them. Happy Anniversary, Honey!

Who's got two thumbs and makes my day?

 

This guy!!

It's not our anniversary, Erick's birthday or anything, yet I find myself sitting here just thinking how grateful I am for him - and for us.

I remember one conversation we had as teenagers, looking out over a vast and promising future. The item of concern for the moment (I don't remember which of us said it, but we both agreed), "I'm worried that we'll run out of things to talk about." I love to talk. Erick loves to listen, and occasionally the roles are reversed. But we were worried that spending a lifetime together might eventually lead to a shortage in conversation. What if we got bored!

It hasn't happened yet, although there's still time!

Conversely, I think back on that conversation and wonder what we talked about then! We were just filling an empty tablet in our minds with plans, thoughts, goals. We thought we knew one another inside and out. It's true that we had opened (and closed, as far as we knew) almost each and every topic at our disposal. My, how things change.

I am just grateful that Erick has decided I still have interesting things to say. Just as important, I'm glad he still shares with me his thoughts, emotions, moods and sillies.

The other funny thing about all that is that after thirteenish years of living out our future, the way ahead seems infinitely more vast and promising than we knew.

Spring Starts!

Spring is off to a beautiful start here in central Missouri. I'm not going to let the promise of a little nastiness this week dampen my spirits. The changing of seasons is one of my favorite things (especially when the one we're leaving sucked so badly.)

Lowe's didn't have many plants to choose from but we decided to go ahead and get started anyway. Here is my garden help analyzing the job ahead.

 

We planted a few geraniums and then I dropped her off with Mary so Erick and I could head out of town on Friday night. It was so incredibly pleasant to spend some quality time with my best friend. We laughed. I may have cried. I don't remember for sure, but it seems like a fair assumption. We stayed up until nearly 3 just for kicks! Weird, right? All because we could sleep as late as we wanted.

 

Then we came home and washed the van... Sophia had been wearing her Easter dress over these leggings, so Erick just took off the dress and added this jacket over her bare chest for a classy car wash look. Of course it works for her...

 

Then we headed out for our church's Easter service. Here is how we look when we wash up. Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.

 

Now for an instructional video before you all take out and start planting in your own pots this year. Sophia's a great helper, and I will hire her out for the right price (paid to you, of course). Enjoy.

Sometimes I...

...look at Sophia and catch my breath. I'm not sure if she just transformed in the moment or if she's been this grown up for a while.

Sometimes when she says, "Hey, Mommy! Look at me!" and she just wants me to notice her super jump or practiced twirl, I can't help but think that what she really wants is for me to capture that moment in my mind's eye. I hear "Mom, you better watch me. I'll only need your attention a little longer."

It's certainly no surprise, and I know that I am not the first mother to get sentimental at Christmas. That's just what it is. Christmas is a compilation of memories. Mine and yours and everyone else's. Sometimes we're trying to recreate the perfect one as brand new, or maybe we just want to retell it. Or maybe we allow it to remain a pleasant thought that stays quietly in the corner of our picture of Christmas - right next to the hearth.

Becoming a parent magnified those special moments to a surprising level. The moments that I've always experienced are infinitely more tender and meaningful.

Here is Sophia's first Christmas at Granny's.



Here she is just being a goon at home when she was one.



And here's a great Christmas memory at Silver Dollar City.



Don't be fooled. Even though being a parent is what has magnified my enjoyment of Christmas, I still treasure the Christmas memories that Erick and I make every year. Sophia is more fun to watch at Christmas, it's true, but Erick is still my favorite part of that and every season.

 

Pardon my sentimental ramblings. I managed to do so without sharing any of my favorites. Maybe I'll get around to that, although it's not really necessary, is it? Hope the holidays have created some new and treasured moments for all of you.

Dreams Come True

This morning, as Sophia was watching Sleeping Beauty, she pointed out Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip dancing. "Look, Mommy! They're spinning around and around! That's what I would do if I had a prince like that to twirl me around!"



Little does she know that she already has one.

He IS that into her

Friday evening I had a sleepover with some girlfriends. We had a lot of fun together as always, but as it was my third night in a row to leave before Sophia went to bed, I wasn't thrilled to leave her.

Erick made up for it for Sophia by taking her on a date. It came about because Erick wanted to go to Bangkok Gardens (a nice Thai restaurant) for dinner, and I said if he was going to take Sophia there, he might as well call it a date. Sure enough, he took Sophia out on their first date. They were both excited about it. Particularly when I told Sophia that if someone eats a good dinner on her date, sometimes she gets ice cream afterwards. That seemed to sell the whole idea.

She wanted to put a little makeup on, so I helped out with that. Then she decided to wear her fancy pink shoes. She knows that simple is chic, so she didn't get too fancy for him. She has a very keen sense of matching style with location. Anyway, they had a great time, and she did, in fact, get some ice cream.