It's The Weekend | Number One

It's no secret that I love to make lists of any kind and then check off the items on each list. Sometimes, I compile lists of things I've seen and read. Sometimes, I create lists of things I would love to do in the future or things I can do now to make our present even more awesome. 

Here are a few of those things for your weekend....

Let 2017 Be The Year Of Working & Resting Hard

Date Night & Cold Showers | 20 Habits That Change Lives

28 Books to Read in 2017 

Can we just live in a bus? 

Speaking of books...this is next on my list. And this. And this. 

The morning routines of other people fascinate me so much. 

A good reminder and a warm pasta salad. 


Have a great Saturday! 

Staying Sane: Date Night

Date night is important, very important. Ever since we became parents, I've realized how even more important finding time as a couple and as individuals really is. Being parents is amazing, but unless we are staying sane in the process, life can get difficult. We don't want life to become difficult. We want to live out extraordinary lives, even in the day to day. That's always been the goal. 

This was right before we left for the date. I didn't know quite what to do with myself! 

Monday night, Grandma and Grandpa Hollen came to our house to watch the lil' one while we went out for the first time since Marin was born. I've been away from her only for little snippets of time: to run errands, to escape to Target for a little mommy break, to actually take a shower and shave my legs. 

This was the longest stretch so far. We were away for about 4 hours and I can't even begin to count how many times I thought about my kid. It was crazy! But, we had a wonderful time away for even just a bit. It is so important to do this: for our marriage and for our sanity. We can get so caught up in caring for an infant, which is important obviously, but we can lose ourselves in the process. I think Ryan and I are doing really well at not losing ourselves as we become parents. It's a process, surely, but we are making strides towards really settling in to this whole parenting gig while still keeping our marriage and relationship strong and healthy. 

For date night we went and saw the Lego Movie. I was skeptical at first but ended up really enjoying it! It was really good! 

After the movie, we went to Old Town to one of our favorite restaurants: Stuft, A Burger Bar. Any place that has sweet potato fries and lets you build your own burger to your liking is a place I want to be at. I want to go to there. 

Monday night also marked the first day I've had a beer in oh, let's see, about 10 freaking months! I've been waiting to have alcohol and read up on how to still be breastfeeding and consuming alcoholic beverages. Sunshine Wheat. Wonderful Sunshine Wheat. It had been so long! 

Hallelujah. 

The last time I believe I had a beer we are were at Stuft Burger (creatures of habit, clearly.) I remember feeling sick to my stomach and couldn't even finish my beer. Little did I know, I was actually pregnant at the time! No wonder I didn't want it. Now though, I gladly welcome the occasional beverage back into my life. It can stick around for a while. 

What do you do for Date Night? 

Here are few other ideas....

1. Here's a great list at Lovely Venture.
2. 21 Free Date Night Ideas at Adventures of A Couponista.
3. 52 Almost Free Ideas at Oh Simple Thoughts.
4. Stay at Home Date Night Ideas at Imperfect Homemaker.   

Anniversary Week

Last week, we celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary. I cannot believe how quickly time has flown by already. 3 years. 3 years! And many more to come. Each year is even more exciting than the last. 

The hubby took the whole week off and I joined him on Wednesday. It was very needed. We've been running at full speed for so long. We didn't have any gigs to play, any photos to take, anything that would take over our schedule like it usually does. We had a few days of freedom.

We started the time off by going to Denver to see one of my dear friends and his band, 1776, open for the Dandy Warhols. It was so good. It had been a few years since I had seen him and it was very good to be able to catch up like old times. Chilling back stage wasn't too shabby either. 

Later on in the week, Ryan's parents took us all out to dinner. I finally got the mojito I had been thinking about for a week or so. 

Friday night we stayed at the Armstrong Hotel in Fort Collins. It was really nice to just be able to stay in town but get out of the house for a night. The bathtub was lovely. There was air conditioning (hallelujah!) and we just got to finally relax. We went out for margaritas and mexican food, walked around Old Town, went to the drum shop, bought some new vinyl, and ended up at Perkins late that night for some pie. The next morning we went out to breakfast for one last hurrah for this year's celebration. 

Ryan Adams, forever. 

Fort Collins, CO 

Wildberry Pie

Breakfast at Dempsey's. 

Happy Anniversary, Love. 

Now it's back to reality for this week. Lots of band practices, 2 gigs, a maternity photo shoot, and working the entire time. The vacation was so wonderful while it lasted.