A Wonderful Visit

Matt and I went to a piano concert last weekend.  It's an annual thing that Michael Seller's puts on in his home after a busy year of concerts around the country, and teaching.  He is an amazing pianist, and can play classical music from Beethoven to Chopin - by heart!!! Patricia (Matt's adopted Aunt Pat) introduced us to Micheal two years ago when she brought us to one of his concerts.  It is a mind-blowing experience to see him perform! (you can check out his website to see for yourself: http://www.michaelsellerspianist.com)

Anyway, as is tradition... after the concert, Michael, Patricia (Aunt Pat), Matt and I went to The Cheesecake Factory.  We are a quirky group to behold I'm sure.  Matt and I are the young married couple... we probably look like Michael's kids... while Patricia looks like our Grandma.  Well anyway, Patricia is a Godly woman - I've never met anyone with so much physical pain and misfortune in their life, and yet so optimistic, full of spirit, and bubbly! She is truly an amazing woman. Michael is an artist - very proper, with a quaint home - full of pictures and a giant piano.  He is blunt with a sort of dry sense of humor.  It is absolutely hilarious when Michael and Patricia talk sometimes...

(driving to The Cheesecake Factory)

Patricia: "I just LOVE palm trees!  They are one of my favorite trees here in Hollywood! Oh they are just so magnificent! Michael don't you love living in an area with so many palm trees?"

Michael: "I hate them."

(everyone in the car busts up laughing) 

Patricia: "Oh!... but do you like living here in Hollywood then?"

Michael: "Yes... I just ignore the trees."

When we are not discussing Michael's remarkable piano skills, or religion (a popular topic for us), many conversations bounce around with all of our different opinions and beliefs. This last visit we talked about our wedding and showed our album - since Patricia couldn't make it due to her health.  It was a wonderful visit indeed - I'm sure we will look back on these visits in the future and smile. :-)

5 Years Together!

Today marks exactly 5 years that Matt and I have been a couple! (picture below is of Matt and me the day he asked me to be his girlfriend).

We used to celebrate this day as our anniversary, although now that we're married, that's had to change of course.  However, even though we no longer will celebrate anything on this day... it's a special day no less to remember.

I was 18 in this picture (above), and Matt was 22. We were hanging out at my parent's house, talking about music and what our summer plans were going to be.  He was mid-sentence saying how easy it was to talk to me, when he kissed me without warning! I was so shocked, I fell over from where I was sitting and bumped my head on a cabinet door, haha. We started laughing, and that's when he said he wouldn't want us to date anyone else, and asked if I would be his girlfriend.

Our first two years were probably the wildest, funnest, and most chaotic years of our dating! Matt lived on-campus for those two years - so we spent most of our time hanging out at the college.  Even though I commuted to college... I spent a good majority of my spare time outside of class with Matt, and our friends at the suites.  I like to say that I got the full college experience with the exception of a curfew, and no school loans. :-) I would say that I probably grew to be a bit rebellious during those years, frustrating my parents from time to time with my antics... but I also learned how to come out of my shell more, and be comfortable in my own skin.

Our third year together we did a bit of adjusting.  Matt graduated college and moved to Chino and shared a house with 4 of his friends (all who were still in college).  He started working long hours at Boeing including a 2 hour commutes in traffic.

I had a really hard time cutting our time spent together in half, and having a 30 minute drive to Chino from my parent's house in Glendora.  We eventually hammered out a weekly schedule to spend time together between work and classes.

Once I graduated, things started changing once again. Matt moved again, only this time to Fullerton to live with Joe.  I still lived at home, saving money, and got my job on-campus as Housing's Marketing Coordinator.  By this point, talk of engagement was heavy in the air for us...

Our fourth year together was by far the most exciting, and rockiest, year together.  God had a purpose for all the trials we went through in that year - but what really stood out about this year, is that it's the year Matt proposed, we got married 7 months later, and moved into our apartment in Placentia!

We have now been married a little over 7 months, and I can hardly believe it's been that long already... let alone having been together for 5 years total!!

Our Trip To Monterey!

Memorial Day weekend Matt and I drove up to Monterey to visit our friends Nick and Katie!

Despite the 5-6 hour drive, it seems like no matter how many times you've driven it... you forget how relaxing and fun it can be. Beautiful scenery, CD marathons, random rest stops, and some of the most wonderful discussions! It's amazing how much can be said when you are stuck in a car for that long. :-) Thinking of names we like for kids (for later!), discussing life's events, dreaming up future vacations, talking about how hungry we are and where we will stop next, wondering what things will be like in 10 years, etc.

Once we got to Nick and Katie's, it was a weekend chalk-full of fun, relaxation, great food and wine!! Our first night there, we tried 3 kinds of wine, and had home-made pizza! It was absolutely amazing! Matt and I also got introduced to the show "Dexter". It's disturbingly addictive to watch... and a little gross, haha. We'll probably stick to watching "The Biggest Loser"... but it's neat to finally see what all the hype is about with that show! (Picture: Nick and Matt doing the dishes)

The second day, Katie and I spent time catching up while shopping, getting coffee, and browsing books at Borders. Nick and Matt caught up playing video games, throwing the football, and watching TV. We always seem to split off for a day when when we visit to get our girl-time & guy-time in. Katie and I have known each other since 3rd grade, and Nick and Matt have known each other since 5th grade... and since we barely get to see each other, it's nice to get that one-on-one time with an old friend. :-)

The third day, the four of us went to Calvary Chapel for church. The message was really great - their Pastor went over a story in 1 Samuel, which was neat since I had just read that story on my own a week before.

Afterward when we got out, the weather had warmed up into the 70's, and was so beautiful out! We decided then to head over to Canary Row and then the wharf and have clam chowder for lunch. You really can't beat fresh-made clam chowder!

Our last night there the boys BBQ'ed steak... and oh my goodness... it just melted in your mouth - it was so good!!! And all they seasoned it with was salt! Amazing!

The picture below is of the boys, having wine and cigars while prepping the BBQ (they are too cute!). Matt and I don't have a BBQ yet, and so this night was a real treat!

Overall, it was the most relaxing weekend we've had in a long while! And even though the drive home took 7 and 1/2 hours with traffic... you can't beat time spent with great friends!