Can Anything Top That Last Post?

I think not. However, this was a darn wonderful date enjoying an all expenses paid dinner at the Driskill Grill where each bite was a culinary adventure in and of itself. Thanks again to Cory Ryan and The Cupcake Bar for the tickets to the Tribeza Wedding Day at the Driskill where I won the gift certificate to afford this "chef's choice" dinner.
On our way!
Yummy Charcuterie Plate of cheeses, meats including prosciutto and carpaccio, marinated vegetables, and bread. The rest was so yummy, and the company so enjoyable that I didn't even take the time to take photos of the food.Our cozy booth - felt like we were in an old time movie scene.
Saying hi to a friend.
Elevator scene - I love this photo. Reminds me of all the elevator scenes they do in TV shows nowadays, with Grey's Anatomy being the pioneer.
On our way to explore the top floor of the Driskill.
Too bad the roof access was locked, but we had fun at the top of the Driskill any way. Can't wait to stay there for a special occasion!
Watching Spazmatics at Cedar Street Courtyard after our Driskill adventure. Brando's first time and he LOVEd it.

I Do, Part Two

Would it be too much for me to ask you for a moment of silence? Let's just take a moment to celebrate the incredulous amount of work that goes into being married for TEN YEARS. Those of you who can say it with me, leave a shout out here. I've always wondered how people can stay together for 10, 15, 20 years then decide they made the wrong decision and move on. The thought no longer keeps me up at night. Every relationship, every friendship, every thing worth having takes work.

When do you know it's too much work? You don't. You work, based on faith, and when the other person has completely warped, twisted, smashed, jumped up and down on your faith, that's when you know. How do you see the warning signs? You don't. Especially when you have a lot of faith.

Fortunately for me, but perhaps unfortunately for Brando, I don't have that much faith, which means I am hoping I am not overlooking any red flags. Brando, on the other hand, has the most trusting amount of faith one has ever seen in every single soul he meets. Hopefully, he's not overlooking any red flags.

Speaking of his faith in every single soul he meets, here are my vows to the man I love:

Brando, ten years ago we had no clue what we were doing and we still don't, but I'm glad we're figuring it out together. When I met you, you seemed so sure of yourself - like you had the world on your shoulders, only it didn't weigh you down.

Through the years - in sickness and in health, for richer or for broke - you have been by my side. I can stand here and truly say thru all the ups and downs in my life you have been my steady horizon - my friend, my love, the one who has faith in me when it feels like no else but God does.

In all of figuring out who I am, you have stayed right where you are - in case I get lost I know where to find you. God put you in my life and every day I am SO grateful. I'm excited to go thru this next phase of our lives together, excited to see what it brings.

Brando, I have fallen even more in love with you since the day we met. I loved you when I married you, but I've fallen in love with you since then because of you and all that you are. You are my horizon, my anchor, my captain when seas are rough,

the hand that reaches out for me when mine is trembling, my friend, my fellow adventurer, discovering new places and new things, my companion figuring out the nuances of life, the solid rock of a father to my children, and the man that every time I look at I fall in love with all over again.

This day means so much more to me than this day ten years ago. Not only do we have the friends and family standing by that have supported us, loved us, and saved us thru out the years, but we have each other, these two precious men standing next to us, and ten years worth of memories together.

Today, I reaffirm my commitment to you, only this time in the presence of family and friends who first showed us how to love, helped us grow, and supported us when we found each other. In the presence of these witnesses I once again promise to love, honor you, and comfort you, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better and for worse, as long as we both shall live.(1)

I do, just like I did then, with every fibre of my being. I can't wait for the next 10 years, then 20, then 30, 40, 50..."

(1) Thanks to the always helpful about dot com for helping me find the perfect wording to include the precious people who attended that were not there the first time due to the small nature of our wedding.

Brando, master of saying what needs to be said in many less words than I, wrote these out and read them to me on the day of our vow renewal:

Rose, ten years ago about twenty-five yards from here, I asked if I can keep you.

I was lucky enough for the most beautiful bride in the world to say yes.

Today, with you in front of me, I am here to ask you again.

I am here to renew my commitment to have you and to hold you, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, for richer or for poorer (or broke!), for better or for worse, until death do us part.

To kiss you with passion even when we are watching TV,

to dance with you more often

and to continue growing as individuals, together,

while we raise our two wonderful children.

*My first name and last name*, can I keep you another ten years and every year thereafter?

My obvious answer was yes, just like the first time.

As I typed out our vows here, it struck me how perfectly the pictures coordinated with our words, albeit completely unintentionally. Our friend, Celeste Duran, was our amazing photographer, who, if she's not already, should be an award winning photographer. She definitely wins the award in my book for Incredibly Capturing the Moment and the award for Effortlessly Creating New Memories as she shoots. She operates out of Santa Cruz, California, but also does destination weddings and shoots.

Oh the Places You Will Go

Excuse me while I take another little jaunt, this time for our renewalmoon. Brando and I will be married ten years this year and we celebrated by renewing our vows on the beach he proposed to me at in a ceremony unlike our first. Our first had only ten people, this one we invited all, and as many as could be there in the two weeks short notice we gave them were there. My best friend from my childhood and my sister stood up next to me, and the boys, Brando's brother, and his childhood friend stood next to him. I designed my flowers, my sister-in-law sang You and Me by Lifehouse only changing the words "everything she does is beautiful, everything she does is right" to "everything you do is beautiful, everything you do is right", and we celebrated by having our favorite restaurants cater to my parents backyard on the harbor with a soundtrack made by my girlfriend, A, here in Texas. It was beautiful. Simple. Sweet. Perfect.

The week before we took a renewalmoon by visiting my cousin, whom I normally visit once a year. It was so much fun to take Brando this time and show him all my favorite haunts.

We started out with a California coast road trip via the Pacific Coast Highway along with appropriate road trip snacks of course,

past gorgeous California vineyards

down the historic El Camino Real,

a gas station stop and a quick picture in case I didn't get any more before the sun set, though fortunately I did.

Finally, the beautiful California coast gracing the road,

stopping at a vista point,

more coastal road side beauty,

then to see the sunset in Ventura.

We spent the next few days around Orange County and I can't wait to show you pictures of those adventures! It's so strange to have pictures of Brando and I instead of my cousin and I this time around, but I love it, and fortunately we still got a few super cute pictures of my cousin and I.

Summertime Mealtime

After having Brando's friend Big Shawners grocery shop for us, then come home and slave in our kitchen for four hours making three delicious meals for us that lasted us all week, and then hearing Allison rave again about her delicious meals made in advance for the entire week, I finally decided I would do it myself. After Big Shawners wasn't available to come over tonight and do it again, that is.

So, tonight, Brando and I grocery shopped and slaved for four hours to make three (hopefully all) delicious meals that will hopefully last us the week. Grocery shopping together was a BLAST, especially sending the boys in all different directions to get ingredients (out of the whole list, I'm pretty sure Brando and I only got two items ourselves), coming home and all four of us putting all the ingredients together - washing, chopping, putting together, all the while I was making the ingredients pretty in their own individual bowls whilst Brando made fun of me,

and then finally, FINALLY eating my delicious plate of chicken, red pepper, and onion kabobs marinated in soy sauce, honey, and olive oil with fresh green beans, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, and basil.

So excited for beef bourgouignon with red wine, carrots, and onions,

asparagus with fresh squeezed lime and garlic,

rosemary potatoes,

and goat cheese, basil, and bread crumb stuffed tomatoes.

ph. by Brando (except for the 3rd ph.), unedited because I stole them too quickly