2 years

2 years ago today, I was on a plane almost to Maui. I was about to begin our honeymoon. Honeymoons should be an annual requirement. Every year couples should go on a week long vacation to celebrate their marriage and just enjoy each other. I guarantee the divorce rate would go down. But, really why are honeymoons only a once a lifetime thing?? There should be more. I suppose they take time, money and planning, so technically it wouldn't be possible for most people. But, I wish it was. It should be possible for most people! Who is with me?

I'm really on this "Americans work to hard" protest lately. I'm over work. Work is pointless. Okay, off my soapbox now. Get me to my Christmas vacation days off. It's clear that I am in need of them.

Anyway, obviously, since two years ago today, I was about to start my honeymoon, that means that yesterday was my 2 year anniversary.

Memory lane....

I've probably posted these pics before? Sorry for the repeat. 

I can't believe it's been 2 years since our wedding. It was so fun and special because of our friends and family that came to celebrate. I wish we could re-live it, but since that's impossible, I just have to enjoy the memories. It's so fun to look back at the pics. I still haven't got any sort of an album made? Tack that on the to-do list....

When a marker in time happens...an anniversary or a birthday, it's normal to reflect upon the time past and how things have changed. This has been a year of changes for us. Would I have guessed on our honeymoon that in 2 years I would be pregnant with our first little one? I don't think so. To quote John Lennon, "life if what happens when you're busy making other plans". Life is definitely happening and I'm grateful to be along for the ride. We had a successful visit to the doctor yesterday and everything seems to be on track and healthy with the baby. After every doctors appointment that I leave and they tell us everything is fine, I feel like someone needs to pinch me. I'm thankful to God for a good pregnancy so far. Though there are things I can do to keep the baby healthy (i.e. stay away from vodka), I keep having to relinquish the control to God. The miracle going on inside of me is a constant reminder that God is in control and the baby is His. I am overwhelmed with gratitude that I'm involved, but I know that this really isn't about me. Even though I get to endure labor.  

That's all I've got today, folks. In normal pregnant girl fashion, I am tired and it's really not good for my blogging life, but I'll try to get better :)

Eight working days til Christmas weekend. EIGHT. We can do this. 

I like her

why, yes, Matt Lauer, i am engaged.

How great is Kate Hudson? Instead of doing the whole "celebrity announcing your engagement" bit. She waits for someone to notice the rock on her finger. It's as if nothing even happened more than her buying a new dress. Of course in her case, that someone who just happened to notice is Matt Lauer during her interview on the Today show, so I think the cat's out of the bag. I just appreciate her not-caring outlook. 

It's not like this post-engagement behavior would happen with a normal person. What happens in real life is right after you get engaged you call you parents and then you send a mass text to all your friends that says something like "Engaged!" That's normally followed up with cocktails, shoving your ring in people's faces and regaling them of the story of "how he proposed". You can't really hold that news in and be cool like Kate Hudson. Of course, she is prego and on Hubby #2, so maybe it's a little different? 

I was so so excited and happy when we got engaged. Here's some post-engagement pics. 

Mary and Ande inspecting the jewels.

hugging Ande over and over. I love this one of Robert. it's like he's thinking "what have i got myself into?" ha.

cocktails and celebration 

It was a happy day...so fun to reminisce...

Thanks Kate Hudson and Matthew Bellamy for giving me a reason to reminisce and best wishes to them too :) 

No Longer Newlyweds

A mere 22 days ago, December 12th (which somehow already feels like a longgggg time ago), I celebrated something I've never celebrated before, a wedding anniversary. Yes, Robert and I marked a year of making it official/legal/public that we are together and will be come what may- sickness, health, rich, poor, better, worse, etc. I'm going to state something that everyone says about everything, myself included, but, I'll go ahead and say it anyway: Time goes so fast.

One day were dating and definitely in love the next thing I know we were engaged and planning a wedding, fast forward and we've been married a year. I like to reminisce of our first weeks and months of being married. What we cooked, what our duplex looked like. Everything was new, the uncharted territory of marriage and living together.We had fun then and we have fun now, but naturally I can feel that there's growth in our relationship, our closeness grows, our memories together grow and it feels good. We know each other more and differently than we did when we said our vows and it's a great place to be. Marriage feels good. Sometimes it just hits you, "we're really in this together aren't we? it's not just me anymore?"

so newlywed there. nye 2010 at the Cunninghams. 2 weeks after our wedding.

It's not all fun and games and running through fields of daisies holding hands- this marriage stuff....being vulnerable and letting someone see all sides of you is not easy. It's actually terrifying sometimes. Refining yourself by letting your spouse see who you are, especially the dark parts, is all a facet of God's plan for marriage and how He shows us how strong his love is for us. (learned this from the marriage sermons from Tim Keller - like I'm that insightful) Even when it's hard, it is what makes the relationship between married couples so beautiful.

ANYWAY, I didn't mean to get a in-depth analysis of what I think marriage is, I actually wanted to talk about something superficial, like what Robert and I purchased each other. First anniversary gifts to one another are traditionally - paper. That's just the way it is. Since, the beginning of time. Just kidding, but I really couldn't tell you why those traditions are still around? I can tell you for some reason that I like them and I think it's kind of romantic to stick to those traditions. Even though, Robert and I are more into saving money these days rather than gifting each other, we both surprisingly got one another paper themed gifts.

I got Robert, stationary. I'm sure he wanted cry when he opened it. BUT, everyone needs stationary sooner or later. I got him notecards with his name and separate ones with his companys' name. Thank you to the talented Miss Cari Rankin at m.press who helped me with this!

That's what they looked like. I think it's going to be kind of weird on the blog. Just think vertical notecards with font on the bottom. I was scared to do anything creative with these because he might find them to be girly. So, I kept it as basic as possible. 

His gift to me was way better. He's way better at gifts than me. It's just not fair. 

He made me a picture collage of all the things we did together over the last year. So proud of him for sticking to the paper theme by the way. I adore this gift. It's with me at work, so it's a lot harder for me to have a bad day now that I can just look over and think of all our great times together. 

i loathe pics of myself, but this makes me happy :)

also he made it magnetic and some of the pics are removable picture magnets. i know, i was impressed too. so crafty!

So, as we start a beginning of a new year for the world, it's also the start of the second year for Robert and I and our path together. Thankful for every moment and excited to see what the year brings. 

Marriage quote...Socrates is a regular Will Ferrell just making jokes left and right. :)

By all means marry. If you get a good wife you will become happy, and if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher. -Socrates

Role Reversal

This whole Cody Ross/Rangers World Series bit is turning me into quite the sports fan.

Pop Quiz: Who insisted on staying up last night and watching the 9th inning? Robert or me?

go ahead. guess. 

The correct answer would be me. Alexis - the sports fan. Role reversal in the Scarff home last night.

This is so odd. Baseball on television used to get me an immediate case of narcolepsy. A major shift has happened since these play-offs have been going on- I'm engaged in the game, the innings fly by and I'm constantly asking Robert about the rules of baseball. (He's shocked at how much I don't know.) Also, I somehow didn't know that someone sang "God Bless America" between the 7th and 8th inning during every game. I don't know how I missed this, probably the narcolepsy? (btw...good job last night, Tony Bennett).

I love sports, Alexis

Happy Birthdayyyyy to Youuuuuuuu

name that baby!

Sorry about the quality of this picture. It's actually a picture of a picture taken by my trusty blackberry. That smiling chunk of a baby is Robert Scarff. Referred to often as Roberto or Bob here on ppppffffftttttt. My gosh, could he have been any cuter!! What a little tubbster!! I don't know what a tubbster is, but it looks as though Robert could be one here!

Fun Facts about the birthday boy:

He's a life-long fan of the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns. (Sorry, baby, didn't feel right about putting a longhorn on my blog the week of OU/TX, so it had to go upside down. Boomer!)

These streets made him feel brand new. 

He lived in New York City for almost 4 years after college.

He's working on a film based off of the book above, You Can't Win. In my humble opinion, the book is brilliant and insightful. Robert has found that it appeals to a pretty wide audience. My Grandma even liked it. You can buy it here, if you have any interest! He astounds me daily with his work ethic towards this project and I can't wait until it all comes to fruition. Obvi, you can imagine that making a film is NOT an easy journey, but I know the knowledge and experience he's gained from this process will be priceless. I'm so proud to be with someone who is pursuing what he loves, even when there have been bumps in the road. Those bumps only make you stronger, I believe. 

He's an only child. Surprisingly, not spoiled though! Though he did get confused once when I was using his brush. "You're using my brush?", he said. To which I replied, "Yes, only child, I'm using your brush." I don't know why I think that brush story is so funny. I mean that was his brush, why would I brush my hair with his brush? Hilarious. When you share a bathroom with a sister you grow so immune to her stuff being your stuff and vise versa. I forget that I need to phase Robert into this stuff instead of just cold-turkey using his brush without consent.

Lastly (and this is sure to make everyone sick) but he's perfect. Or at least for me he is. Not a day goes by where we're not laughing and having fun. He's endlessly teaching me things and making me a better person and more importantly he's endlessly loving me and showing me what love truly is. There's nothing I can't tell him and I'm just thankful that I know him, let alone that he gets to be my husband. I feel blessed beyond measure. So with that, I say happy birthday to my husband!!! I'm so glad you were born. 

A Serious Matter

One of my friends, who I fondly call Rhon (some of you may know her as Ande Courtney) asked me once what it was like being married. The response that I gave her was something along the lines of…it’s great, you do everything together and it’s just a lot of fun to come home to someone that you love. All of this is completely true, but more and more I’m realizing the biggest difference from single life to married life for me is SPORTS.  What is it like to be married? Just like being single but with ESPN in the background instead of Bravo.

I used to think I knew a little about sports. I now know that I know nothing about sports. I used to think I watched sports when there was something going on in the sports world. No, I never really “watched” sports. Robert’s knowledge of sports never ceases to amaze me. The stats, the memory of games, players, it makes me feel brain dead. I don’t know about anything, even like Disney movies, the way that Robert knows sports. Sports Illustrated, sports blogs, fantasy leagues. There is a constant stream of sports info circulating throughout the world, that being a girl, the kind of girl that likes pink and never had a brother, I just really haven’t been aware of until now.

Anyway,  call me a sports degenerate but I didn’t know that people took off of work to go to the opening day of baseball. Robert is at the Rangers game right now with a group of friends. I think it sounds like fun idea, yay baseball -taking off work to see this inauguration of the first baseball game of 2010. Who knew? 

I know I'm new at this wife stuff, but I'm learning slowly. Sports, not just a game, a serious matter. 

hi, everyone, hi!!!!

A whole lot has happened in the world in the past 31 days....the King of Pop has passed, John is minus Kate, Nick/Jessica both find themselves single AND dozens of moms have joined Facebook. These happenings will probably each get their own commentary and post if I can ever get back into the swing of this blogging business. When you begin to blog, even about nothing like myself, then suddenly turn off the blog switch, it's not easy to turn it back on. It's not like riding a bike or getting back on the horse; but more like jumping in a cold pool and swimming up to the top. It doesn't feel good a first, but by the time you come up to the top to take a breath, you're warm and you feel comfortable again. So here I am, treadding water in the pool, blogging, blogging because a whole lot has happened in my world in the past 31 days.....

On June 19, 2009, the man that I love and admire in a way I never thought possible asked me to marry him. In 146 days I'm going to have a new last name and a new husband. Never again will I be Alexis Neal. I will be "Robert and Alexis". I will be "Alexis Scarff". I will be "Mr. and Mrs. Robert Scarff". I couldn't be happier about this and I know this is going to sound a tad "Jerry Maguire" of me, but I couldn't feel more complete knowing that I'm going to be part of Robert, God-willing for the rest of my life. The more I learn about marriage are realize that it is the new creation of two people becoming one person, the more mystified and in awe I am of it. I'm really more in awe of my fiance. I. love. him. Thank you God, for Robert Scarff. and thank you God for Ghostland Observatory. and thank you God that we both liked Ghostland. and thank you God for Sarah who bought my ticket to Ghostland Observatory. I could go on, but just really thank you God....

I could also go on about the highs and lows of wedding planning, but now that I feel more in the flow of blogging you can hopefully ride those waves with me. The wedding waves......whew....they can be a wild ride. Good thing, I've got best person imaginable, (Robert, that's you!) riding them with me. See below for some wedding waves...

Nobody faint.....I may have made a good decision

Going on a date with the guy I met at Ghostland could turn into the best thing I've ever done. The guy has a name, Robert. Earlier this week, I sent him this blog, so he may be reading it right now (Hi Robert!! You're cute!!). I'm kind of crazy about him, in case you needed an update on that. (Don't get a huge ego about this Robert...ha, kidding.) The fact that he hasn't cut off all communication after reading this blog is astounding. Who ever wants to hear that the person they are talking to has a public forum on the internet where they expose random thoughts? Who ever wants to hear about how weird I really am? Hmmm, I'm guessing no one. Cheers to you, Robert, for being accepting of ppppffffftttttt and in doing so, being accepting of me, pretty impressive. Especially when you were a victim of some earlier posts. I promise to try not to write too much about you.

On another note, nobody panic, blogging will commence if something relevant pops up to write about. Mary suggested that I write about when she, Kay and I put together the fake Christmas tree for our office. Kay insisted that we drink pumpkin egg nog with brandy in it during the decorating. This was actually very good even at 10:00 a.m.. Kay likes to booze. She is the accountant and senior property manager at our office, she is amazing. You will want to pay close attention when Kay's name pops up. While this idea of writing about pumpkin egg nog and a Christmas tree at work would probably cause ppppffffftttttt to crash because all of the hits it would get, I chose not to go with that, as tempting as it was (sarcastic tone).

Mary is right though. My hope for ppppffffftttttt is that it can reflect on the charm that can be found in the subtle ups and downs of everyday life. May your inevitable ups and downs remind you to take the good with the bad...both elements are necessary for a full life...

All for now...isn't it weird that it's already December? I think so....

Chemistry

A term most closely tied with science, but holds many alternate definitions in my head. Then again, I have discovered that within my head lies an odd translation of most things. So just take this for what it's worth...

Wikipedia calls chemistry as " the science concerned with the composition, structure, and properties of matter, as well as the changes it undergoes during chemical reactions." Simultaneously, chemistry is also the name of the sister website of match.com, this site is "designed especially for people who are actively seeking meaningful, long-term relationships". I also hear the mention of chemistry from my mother, every time I bake cookies. They always seem to be kind of flat or not quite the right color. It never fails that she says, "Baking is just chemistry." I guess the "baking chemistry", I've yet to master. Oh well.

Regardless of how you define chemistry, I find it to be a marvelous thing. My favorite comprehension of chemistry is the kind of chemistry is the beginning of a great love. For example, the obvious, Romeo and Juliet, the chemistry is electric between these two famous characters in Shakespearean literature. They deserted their families, lied and ultimately died for just the chance to find out what would come from the intense passion they felt in the hours they spent together. More recently, there's Brad and Angelina. Come on. Have you ever seen Mr. and Mrs. Smith? The chemistry practically bleeds through the screen that you're watching it on. Not that I support infidelity, but I am Team Angelina. I do believe she and Brad share a great love. Tom and Katie, hmmm, not so much. I guarantee she doesn't care, she has an adorable daughter and gets to wear alllll those clothes, whew, almost gives me chills. BUT, I don't think Katie gets the same kind of chills that come with the discovery that there could be the possibility to have chemistry with a guy. I barely remember what it's like, but I know that sort of feeling when you physically feel something just by being around another person, is exhilarating. It could just be in one brief moment of eye contact, or you could feel it in the midst of a conversation, but when there is just a hint of potential, you know it. At least girls do, I think.

My own latest interface with this thing called chemistry actually stems from someone else's romance, because the item that attracted the other participant was a pair of sunglasses that were passed out a wedding. Yes, Jamie Judd, I'm talking about none other than the infamous sunglasses that you and your hubby ingeniously passed out at your wedding. See below.

Only a couple with true chemistry would pass out an item at their wedding based on a song by Corey Hart ("Sunglasses at Night). Life changing song in my youth, ("don't switch the blade on the guy in shades, oh no...") and this prop caused me to have a life changing dance party with everyone at a reception. I think I felt invisible, but according to the pictures, I was fully visible in my sunglasses and 80s dance moves. Looking back, that night was a reflection not only Jack and Jamie's chemistry, but their marriage, their commitment to love each other and put the other one first. It's sort of beautiful if you think about it (their love, NOT the pictures of me at the reception. "you just don't take good pictures, Alexis." -my Granny).

Anyway, I had these sunglasses on last Saturday night at a Ghostland Observatory concert. People were wearing lots of weird things. A guy in front of us was wearing a loincloth and an Indian headdress. Just go to a concert, you'll get it. But these sunglasses...you would have thought I had a $100 bill taped to my head. Every guy standing around us keep trying to grab and wear them. This actually spurred some sort of a muddled conversation with this redheaded guy behind us. I have a major thing for redheads for those of you that don't know this. All of the sudden this guy and I sharing a Miller High Life beneath the technicolor lights of Ghostland. I can't really hear much that he's saying, but I keep laughing because I assume it's funny. Somehow I give him my number after my concert. I have LOTS of game when I've been drinking since 9 a.m. (fyi: It was OU/TX, not a norm for me). Or maybe he had lots of game? I'm not sure. Unexpectedly, Monday night he calls. I find this weird, only because I was sure he got my number for the sole purpose of just "hooking up" with a random girl during OU/TX. Sooo, there's phone tag back and forth and last night, I finally talk to him. He is actually pretty funny and interesting. Hmmm, could there be chemistry? Doubtful, my track record is not strong for realitionships lately, oh wait, EVER. BUT, if there is I dedicate it to The Judds. May their love and chemistry pass through those sunglasses to every guest at their wedding...pay it forward, Judds, pay it forward.

All for now...happy Friday everyone.