Weekend in a Treehouse (Part 2)

Yes...we DID come back from vacation...although it was beyond tempting to stay...forever.

It was all that I had hoped for...

It was all that we NEEDED.

We switched back and forth between calling it our 2H.M. and our 8M.E.

2HM= Second Honeymoon

8ME= Eighth Month Evaluation

Evaluation of course meaning on our marriage

It was soo nice just to sit and ask each other tons of questions pertaining to this VERY important entity...

like: What am I doing well at? What do I suck at? (be gentle) Overall, are you happy? Has marriage been easier or harder than you expected? What do you wish I would do more of? What area of my life do you wish I was more vulnerable with you? When can we have kids? (ok that one was from left field and obviously I asked that one...)...etc.

We didn't like write any questions down or pick up a cheesy marriage book at B&N on our way...

We just made time to sit ...look at each other...and stir up some conversation to evaluate/improve our beloved unity.

I knew we needed some time away from the city..but I didn't realize how much we maybe simply needed a thought provoking convo...sometimes its hard to sit still enough to think about the good and the bad...sometimes the bad gets swept under the living room rug while we deal with the hustle and bustle of life...and honestly...dirt under a rug is disgusting....just cause you can't see it...doesn't mean it isn't filth!..and I'm not even a germaphobe...

So the results of this fabulous 8M.E...are: we are very encouraged with this little...who am I kidding...HUGE blessing we call 'marriage' and we decided to keep going...haha for all those who were at the edge of your seats..

Honestly, sometimes when older married couples ask me how Hunter and I are liking marriage..I always feel like their faces are ready for us to say "It's awful!"..or when our answer is not negative at all..their faces change to "Just wait"...that's just not right!! Are our views of marriage and our expectations so distorted??

I am 100% sure that it will not be peachy fuzzy warm and sweet for the next 50+ years...meaning...we will probably go through LIFE...the ups and downs...births...deaths..financial tension...who knows..maybe some spiritual tension...but for some reason..our first 8 months have been shockingly easier than we expected and flippin FUN!

That boy cracks me up...

Ok quick story...

We have kinda a tradition started that on Mondays...we go get a doughnut at Shipleys (YES! the one we go to is open til like 9pm!) and then we go to Starbucks to read...and check up on Carl (a middle age follower of Christ who works up at Starbucks and struck up a convo with me after seeing me read the Bible..)

So tonight I wasn't feelin like leaving the house (we got a new couch! I will post all bout it!)...so the novelty of the couch is still fresh and I wanted to stay here and sit on it and blog :).. So I told Hunter, when he inevitably asked if I wanted to go get a doughnut...that I wasn't feelin it...but that he was free to go by himself ..and he ..paused for just a second...(I literally saw a light bulb go off in his brain) and he, with all the 3yr old he had mustered up inside, said... "Does that mean I can have two doughnuts??!"

How flippin cute...

The 411 (Part One)

So...the details of the trip..

We stayed at a B&B (Bed and Breakfast) in Brenham...it was delightful...

It is basically a large piece of land with several cottage-like houses. Depending on how many people you need to sleep, is how big your cottage is.

With it just being Hunter and I...we opted for the wonderful "Treehouse" cottage....(ok maybe 'cottage' is too Great Britain for what these were...they were basically like really nice and modern cedar cabins...with cedar furniture..cedar floors ..everything woodsy..)

But the Treehouse was particularly quaint and beautiful...with a wrap around porch and awesome views...because it was basically a 2 story cabin with just the 2nd story being the 'cabin'.

The first story was open to the outside and had a small little deck with table and chairs.

We loved it!

The first night we got there...we planned to eat at the place called 'Ernie's' in downtown Brenham..(which... long story short...is where we were going to have our Wedding Rehearsal dinner when we were planning on getting married in Navasota...but 3 months before the wedding, everything went to poo so we changed it and had it in Bryan...moral of the story..we almost dropped a lot of money at this ritzy restaurant...) So we went there and the whole atmosphere and service and food was all in all not good...even their creme-brulee was not up to par...and I am wayyyyyyyy easy to please on that particular food item...

The next day, we topped off our weekend with a cool winery called Pleasant Hill...and tasted some REALLY good wines..I don't know if I am alone here but sometimes they're just unpleasant...especially red..(that is like blasphemy to my new family...Erin and Becca ..love you both) but I actually discovered what it was like to enjoy drinking wine..even RED!

So... basically we LOVED this vacay. We are fully aware that one day we won't be able to do stuff like this with the snap of our fingers ..but for now...we are already planning our next one...May 24th (1 yr anniversary ) is right around the corner!

VACAY!

Ok the Gaulke house/apartment has been CRAZY lately.

So much to tell...

So much excitement and fun!

Such as ...I had dinner with Lance Berkman on Thursday night!...LANCE...my flippin FAV sports celeb EVER. that is actually an understatement. ...

I know you're like WHAT!? nuh uh!..

um...yes huh..

So anways...I can explain that later..

I am packing..

We are going on vacay....(vacation)

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

Honestly, we need this.... I am dying to go somewhere with my Hunter...

Somewhere...where I am not thinking for hours how I can decorate/clean/change....

and with all of the wedding/holidays....we have been around each other...but there has been a deficit in the amount of set aside 'us' time. Where we talk...indulge in each others lives....just able to connect and refill our spouse cup.

I can't wait!!

I will tell you every detail when we get back! We have soo many fun things planned...and lots of just chill time planned! woo woo!

Ok ...We are off..

Unavailable for the next 3 days...

We love you...don't call :) haha just kidding...no but really..

speakin of just kidding...watch this..

Have you seen this!?

Hunter and I are obsessed with this video...

So while we are on the subject of videos and since I just learned to add these videos...

You have to watch this preshy preciousness :)

My BFF is in England

This is a tribute to her....

She may be the only one in the world that understands how crazy this video is...

if anyone is a Chris Brown fan...then you'll understand..

and I miss her like whoa and shes been gone like a day...

lah-me...

Congrats Bob!

So ...my cousin got married 2 days ago.

WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR HIM!

But what is pretty awesome about the whole thing is...they got engaged maybe a month ago?....planned on marrying in the summer of '09...decided that was way too far away and set the date 2 days after Christmas!

Now... I know that may have been a little rough for the parents (I love you sweet Robyn)...considering it was a tad unexpected and super stressful so close to Christmas...but holy cow, how awesome!

Honestly, Hunter and I learned a ton about each other in the 7 months we were engaged. It was enlightening and fun at times...but ooooooooooohhhhhhh man how uncomfortable it was! I mean ..you are betrothed to each other...but in all reality you are still single....that person is not "yours" yet...you don't get to share everything yet...you don't get to completely combine hearts yet. ALL I felt the whole time I was engaged was...I can't do that YET!

I hated that.

I adore couples who do not fall into the temptation to "do" their relationship according to the worlds standards. If you are going to prevent unnecessary stress and hardship...then go for it! Don't undergo intense emotional tolls apart because the world says you "need" time to plan an intense extravagent wedding.

Go get married in your living room! ..

..and that is just what they did. :)

Ok I know all the older generation is like tensing up in the shoulder region...because holy guacamoly! (did you know that there is actually a brand of pre-made guacamole named 'Wholly Guacamoly'...genius..anyways)...what about the unknown!!?? what if they find out they can't stand each other and they are total opposites and get an annulment in like 9 days...right? you know that's what comes into mind.

Sure..there may be things they learn about each other during marriage that they may have discussed during engagement if they had a longer time...

..but here is my view...

if you are committed...with all you have (I mean some intense sacrificial love)...if you mean what you say in front of all those who raised, supported, and love you...and if divorce was never an option to either of you...no matter what...

then.... if you learn something about this person during marriage...that maybe you would have during engagement...if you had longer...then in marriage you now have EVERY means to work through it.

You have a house that you share...and that you cannot run away from...you have a bed that you both sleep in and that is rather uncomfortable if your going to sleep upset....you have confidence in knowing that your spouse will never leave you...even if you don't worship Star Wars :)...and you have the intimacy that you began the very first day you were joined as man and wife. ( ..ya I am talking about sex...)

...What wonderful tools to work with!!!

Bob and Lauren...if we were able to go to Minnesota..we would have in a heartbeat (Bob, I know how hard it was for you to come witness our wedding :) )...but in our absence...we want to say this now:

Marriage is the BOMB.com ...and never ever ever give up on each other. Keep seeking the Lord and allow His standards of marriage to infiltrate yours!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Holiday Memories

I promise ...I have an excuse for not posting anything in like what feels like a month. I have been drafting a post on another topic ...and am a little bit stuck on what to say..which means that I haven't wrapped my mind around the subject...which means..I am going to come back to it later :) forgive me?

..you don't care...you have been busy too, I am sure.

I don't know about you, but I have LOVED this Christmas. This Christmas more than any previous one, I found that I enjoy giving really meaningful presents. You know...the ones that I know the person receiving is going to be PUMPED about. OOoo and also the gifts that people don't even realize they need!! I love that.

For instance...for Hunter. He did not know that he needed a new Nalgene. ..Do you know what that is? It is a glorified waterbottle that is extremely popular in the more southern universities/colleges...I say southern because those are the places that actually have students that get dehydrated truckin it from class to class..even if those classes are only 20 steps from each other...and therefore need a nalgene.

Hunter was using a really old Nalgene...that not only was ugly...but would allow for him to spill all his water all over himself. Ya I know..you'd think since he's um 22? that he could drink water without any drama. oh no...there is spillage almost every time. So I got him..

Another wonderful Nalgene! it has a smaller mouth to aid 22 year old spillers...and! it's hunter green! LOVE IT. Hunter didn't even realize he needed another nalgene...but oh my did he need it. I made him throw away the old one the minute we were done opening the new one...you know for his own safety.

And ...I got a beautiful bible ... with my new name on it. and what is even more precious...is the amount of time Hunter spent picking it out. Now being married to me for 7 months...he knows how I study the bible, and got one specific for how I learn....it's perfect and I freaking love him.

Anyways.. so Christmas was fantastic. I absolutely love the fact that our parents live less than 3 miles away from each other...and therefore we get to truly enjoy Christmas with family.


Hunter's cousins came up and over from Corpus and Atlanta and we had a ball. My favorite memories:



greenbean casserole


Andrew and Nathan sleeping outside in a tent


the over-use of the phrase: Christ-followers


the over-use of the phrase: innocuous


talks about tattoos that end up in talks about gay marriage


Jess' infamous envelope tradition



Andrew's narration


Joan beating Ozzie and Doug at poker in the same sitting as her learning to play


Jess crying multiple times while reading Twilight in mid-living room

being characterized into a gingerbread cookie along with all the cousins and then photoed


Baker's Street Pub and talking politics with my parents


Erin showing Pizza Hut who not to mess with


China Inn goodness


being really akwarded out and then comforted by the women in my awesome new family

Benjiman Button


Andrew holding out his arm for me to palpate his vein and simply saying "I read your blog"


talking Aggie tradition with a Longhorn :) (Ozzie)

seeing Bagwell tear up a t.u. stuffed animal...specifically when she ripped open the crotch area


seeing Bagwell plop onto Erin as she about died from all the excitement of the holidays..

It was so fun and full of love. I was born into such a loving and caring family...and I married into one as well. The Lord is so faithful. Love Love Love!