Doug is Great...Gives Me Chocolate Cake!

Actually, he doesn't give me chocolate cake.  (See Freakishly Healthy post below.)
But he's STILL great.
For our 10-year anniversary, he took me (and Baby Gray) to an Onsen Resort.  It was my first experience visiting an Onsen and it was extremely not even remotely traumatic.  But more (much more) on that later.

We had a great time!

This was our Japanese-style tatami mat room during the day:  (Wish we had gotten a picture of the pretty view out the window.)

This was what our room looked like when we came back after dinner:

This is what Doug looked like in his yukata after his visit to the Onsen after dinner:

(The yukata are provided by the resort and it's acceptable (and common) to wear them around the hotel including into the dining room.  We both wore ours to breakfast.)

Also, although we weren't supposed to get each other gifts, he got me this:

Rock on!

I love it!!!  He found it at an antique store in Tokyo on his Fuji trip.  (Did I mention he hiked Fuji?  See his blog for pictures.  Luckily my friend Janeen was also on the trip and convinced him to fork over the dough and buy it for me.  Thank you, Janeen!!!)

He also threw this little number in the bag as a bonus present:

Hubba hubba!

(Okay, actually, Janeen slipped it in the bag as a joke with a very romantic note she wrote and signed--for Doug.  We laughed a LOT.  She was storing my bowl at her house so I wouldn't find it.)

I got him this:

It's never to late to give the old ball and chain some subtle hints, right?

(Don't worry, I also got this one on the off chance there is something I need to improve on.  As if.)

(Thank you, Leslie, for the idea...)

Since the resort is at the base of the Oirase Gorge we spent some time up there.  

I brought my tiny travel watercolor set, Doug took his camera and strapped Gray into the Baby Bjorn.

(I think this first picture would be award worthy if not for the tiny slouching painter on the rock messing it up!!)

All in all, a pretty great anniversary.

It's like the shirt says...

(No, not 'og guod'...!)
"GO DOUG!!!"


Chocolate cake is over-rated anyway.

P.S.  I'm wearing my (obviously professionally made) GO DOUG t-shirt today because Doug participated in his second ever triathlon.  I'm not gonna lie, it was pretty awesome of me to show up--I COULD have slept in.

Oh yeah, and he did pretty awesome too.  He beat last years time by four minutes.  It's like I keep sayin'...
GO DOUG!!!

P.P.S.  I'd rather stick hot pokers under my finger nails than participate in a triathlon.

Ten Tumultuous but Terrific Years

Okay, well only tumultuous if you consider they were filled with constant schooling, crazy boy-children, excessive student loans, and moves across country and across continents.  Mostly they've been terrific.  Transcendent even.

Darling Douglas Devon,

On our ten year anniversary, I would like to profess to the world ten things I love about you:

1.  I love that you have put up with me for ten whole years and you still love me.
2.  I love that you make me laugh everyday.  (Whether it be at you or with you.)
3.  I love it when you laugh out loud when reading my blog.  (It's happened about 5 times total now.)
4.  I love that you love kids.
4a.  I love that you're a great dad to our kids.
5.  I love that you encourage me to be a potter and have "Boy's Night" when I'm pottering.
5a.  I also love that you love lots of the same things I do; i.e., reading, travel, good music, good food, etc.
6.  I love that you are always trying to be a better person.  Spiritually, Physically, (yowza!) and Financially.
6a.  But I hate Dave Ramsey
7.  I love that you are such a crappy, crappy liar.  (And that you've only told one fib in the last ten years.)
8.  I love the fact that you honor your priesthood and married me in the temple.
9.  I love knowing I'm married to a man with (excessive) integrity and moral courage.
10.  I love your hot bod.

Now, here are ten things I would change about you:

Just kidding.

Okay, maybe one...
Quit raising your eyebrows at me!

Just kidding.

(But really...)

Just so you know, I have not once in 3,650 days, (that's 87,600 hours) ever regretted marrying you.  Not even when you put that fake lizard in the microwave and made me scream really loud.  Not even when you hide Baby Jesus to torment me.  Not even when you try (unsuccessfully) to tell me what to do or raise your eyebrows at me.  Nope, not even then.

I'll love you forever.

Sincerely Your Favorite Human and Adoring Wife,


Emily Deon

P.S.  These childhood pictures of us both on a beach and both wearing red shorts, prove we were destined to be together.

P.P.S.  Don't even get me started on our middle names...

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Itchy

Alright...sing with me now...
"HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY ANIVERSARY! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY ANIVERSARY! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY ANIVERSARY!"
(repeat ad nauseum.)


Today marks the 7 year anniversary of my marriage to Douglas in the
San Diego Temple. And although I could always use a good back scratch, I don't think I'm feelin' the 7-year itch. We're still pretty dang happy despite the fact that I'm full of all sorts of weirdness Doug only discovered after we were married. (There are some distinct advantages to short courtships and engagements.)

We'll be celebrating by taking our first trip over to Martha's Vineyard on Saturday. (with Gabey-Baby but not the other two.)

Doug is the BEST husband I've EVER HAD! Love you Sugar-Lips!!!