Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day yesterday, whether you despise the greeting-card holiday, use it as an excuse to devour wine and wallow in your singleness, or if you love every candy heart and floral bouquet that passes by. If nothing else, the day can just be a reminder to appreciate the love you do have in your life--whether that's your significant other, your best friend, a family member, or even your pets. Everyone just needs an extra hug sometimes.

Ryan and I celebrated by going out this past Saturday to 18 Seaboard (per usual). Who wants to wake up early and go to work the day after a nice night out? Then we hopped over to the Krispy Kreme a few blocks away for a dozen hot-n-ready doughnuts. Melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. That night was particularly cold ("arctic-like" windchill, apparently). We saw a homeless man sleeping upright in one of the booths, curled up in his jacket trying to avoid the cold. Before we left, I put a doughnut in front of him; even if had no desire to eat it, at least he looked like a paying customer. Moments like this just remind you how fortunate we are for our homes and our families; we worry about such petty things (like not having a valentine), never thinking about just trying to find a warm place to sleep.

Anyways, one of my favorite parts of this "holiday" is looking at all the unique cards that stationary shops come out with. I got this "You're a Fox Card" for Ryan from Rifle Paper Co. I thought it was appropriate. :)

I also love all the e-cards that NPR puts out every year. I sent Ryan one from the show Car Talk last year (he loves nothing more than listen to these brothers on a Saturday morning). You can see the rest of the NPR Valentine's Day cards here. I do realize that this makes us complete public radio dorks, but hey, Ryan really is the click to my clack.

Two Years!

Ryan and I celebrated our two-year anniversary yesterday (already?!). Two years have never gone by so fast. And like the wonderful husband he is, I received this beautiful arrangement at my office yesterday afternoon:

This weekend we celebrated by going to our favorite restaurant in town, 18 Seaboard, located in downtown Raleigh. Ryan always gets the filet mignon and I always get the salmon; we really should try new menu items, but we go so rarely (in order to appreciate it more), that we can't miss out on our favorites! Not only are the entrees fabulous, but some of the sides are to die for, including the goat cheese smashed red potatoes and cheddar grits. How can you resist that? For dessert, the special creme brulee of the night was pecan pie. Again, how can you resist that?!? They also surprised us with a delicious cake with "Happy Anniversary" scripted in chocolate. I. love. this. restaurant. 

Ryan and I both got crafty with our anniversary gifts to one another this year. He made me this awesome pinning board (that we've now hung in the front halllway), strung with hemp so we can pin mementos, notes, and photos on it as time goes on. How to pin them? Lovely farm red clothespins. I had a custom print framed for him of our beloved North Carolina. There's a white silhouette of the state on a storm-gray background, with a red heart marked on Chapel Hill, where we got married. I like to think the heart encapsulates this entire area: it's where our friends and family are, where we met, where we grew up together, and where we call home to this day.



Not only that, but he gave me a beautiful handmade bag that I had marked on Pinterest. I think he could tell how much I loved it after I screamed upon opening it. Bonus points!!

And finally, here's a few photos to look back on from that wonderful day, 10/17/09. I still get butterflies when I see them.