a perfect weekend

Holiday weekends only come around every once in a while, but when they do I love to take advantage of them. Friday night, Lewis had to take a test but came home right about dinner time. Since our week was pretty busy, we didn't get a chance to really celebrate valentine's day. Friday night I did my traditional "red meal" for valentine's day. We had muffin-sized personal lasagnas, red peppers, and pink lemonade to drink. It was delicious (if I do say so myself)!

Lewis and I were talking about how I've done that for him every year, except last year, he pointed out. Probably because I was in a bad mood, he mentioned.

Probably true.

Saturday, we woke up slow, went to the gym and then spent the afternoon shopping. Had to take advantage of the holiday sales. Lewis and I each got a pair of shoes and stopped at Barnes and Noble to get us some good books (thanks mom and dad for the gift cards). There's nothing like a good book to brighten your day.

Sunday we woke up slow again and had some fun getting ready for church. I was really wanting some waffles for breakfast, so Lewis put up with my craving and helped make some of the most delicious waffles (thanks lani for the waffle mix). We went to church, came home and relaxed some more, and then I got cookin the dinner! Which I was really excited for! It was garlic stuffed tenderloin. So delicious. With mashed potatoes and zucchini. Wonderful. Loved it.

Got sitting down to watch some TV and I really really wanted cookie dough. But I can't eat it raw because of the eggs. But I have been wanting cookie dough for weeks now. So Lewis and I made egg-less cookie dough from a recipe I found online. Was definitely the best dessert I've had in a long long time (thanks Lewis for letting us eat cookie dough when you could have rather cookies).

Monday we tried to wake up slow but it didn't really work. We were both up at 7:30. We used one of our groupons and went and got breakfast at this place called Awful Waffle. Lewis got a crepe covered in nutella and filled with strawberries. I got a crepe topped with spacula (or something like that - imported from Belgium) and filled with strawberries. They were delicious but about half way through, we were both way too sugared up. There was so much sugar in those crepes! We couldn't believe it. On the way home, we were thinking of ways to purge ourselves from all that sugar. I don't think we'll be going back to that cute little restaurant.

For lunch we made home-made crunch-wrap supremes! They were delicious and I was excited to try a new recipe.

That afternoon, Lewis was really craving some golfing. He got a golf clubs set for Christmas and has just been dying to try out his new clubs. And he had just gotten some new golf shoes a few days before. So instead of waiting for Spring to come, we went to an indoor golf simulator. Definitely something to get used to. But Lewis loved his clubs and loved his shoes, so it was a good way to spend our afternoon. 

Dinner, we treated ourselves to a free pizza (thanks super bowl) and topped off the night with more egg-less cookie dough!

Definitely a perfect weekend. Relaxing and perfect being able to spend time with my husband.

best friend

On Thursdays, Lewis doesn't work in the mornings and has class at 9. It's the one day a week that we're able to spend the mornings together. This morning, Lewis was playing his pandora station and the first song I heard when I got out of the shower was the song, "Lucky" by Jason Mraz. Here are a few of the lyrics for those who are unfamiliar:

Do you hear me, I'm talking to you

Across the water, across the deep blue ocean

Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying.

Boy, I hear you in my dreams

I feel your whisper across the sea

I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard

I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend

Lucky to have been when I have been

Lucky to be coming home again

Lucky we're in love in every way

Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed

Lucky to be coming home someday.

I'm so glad (and lucky) that I'm married to my best friend. He keeps me strong and he keeps me going. There are ways that I know I've changes since I've been married, and they're all because of Lewis. He pushes me to be the very best I can. When there are times I need to be put in my place, he does so, but ever so gently.

This song just reminded me about how lucky I am that he's my best friend. And that we are in love in every way (that we know how). And that he really does make it easier when life gets hard. And that seeing him, whether at home or away from home, really is like coming home. There's a comfort that comes from seeing him, at any point of the day, and getting a hug, especially when I really need it.

Can't wait for the future and the coming ways we'll learn to grow and love. Together.

why he's my valentine

I've never been a huge valentine's day fan. Wasn't really a day that I looked forward to, even when I had a boyfriend. I felt like it was a day created by women for women to get chocolate and flowers. But for the past few years, I've enjoyed really making the most of valentine's day to show Lewis how much I love him.

Lewis actually surprised me this year with the cutest little gift I could have ever asked for. I was sitting at work the other day when the mail came. And usually, the mail just consists of the donation checks for the volunteers, which I take care of. So as I was looking through the mail, I saw something addressed to "Kara Goodrum" from "Lewis Goodrum" with our home address as the return address. And I was really confused as to why this letter was in our office mail. It ended up being a little valentine that he had sent to my office so that I could be surprised while I was away from him. It was perfect and I loved it. Simple and sweet.


A surprise picture Lewis left on my phone

Jumping on the valentine's day bandwagon like everyone else, I want to share a few of the many, many reasons why Lewis Goodrum is indeed my valentine. And has been now for the past three years.

• He is always thinking of other people and making sure their needs are met
• At work, he looks for ways to make the office run more smoothly, or to better help the patients
• He has a passion for sports: basketball, football, frisbee, volleyball, soccer
• He's obsessed with the Mavericks
• And the Cowboys (but I'll have to let that one slide)
• He always eats everything that I make for him (and usually likes most of it)
• He's always helping in the kitchen
• I can tell that even with everything he has going on in his schedule, I'm his biggest priority
• And he lets me know that by taking time out of his day to see me
• He always sings to me, even if the lyrics aren't correct. But I love that the most
• He'll watch Disney movies and chick flicks with me (but only if they're BluRay)
• When he knows I've had a long, rough day, he'll let (or force) me to sit on the couch and relax for the rest of the night, putting in a favorite movie or letting me open up a good book
• He's going to be a wonderful father
• He's already taking care of the little one we have coming
• He takes me out on fun dates
• And puts up with my (non pregnancy related) ice cream and yogurt cravings
• He's done yoga with me. The prenatal kind.
• He has a testimony of Jesus Christ, our Savior
• He's easy to talk to
• Always makes me laugh
• He is observant of my wants and needs, and tries to make them a reality
• He has multiple nicknames for me that he swaps out depending on the situation or how I'm behaving
• He puts up with my craft corner. That seems to get bigger and never smaller.
• He's trying to learn the piano and letting me teach him
• And puts up with my OCD (but won't let me call it OCD because he doesn't want me to think that I actually have OCD)

I'm excited for the coming years that we have together to be able to make more memories and to discover more reasons for why we love each other. Each new day is an adventure and we couldn't be more happy than where we are right now together!

best husband award

Today was laundry day. And by laundry day, I mean that Lewis and I were completely out of clothes, so it was either do laundry today or go naked tomorrow. The plan for tonight was to come home from work, start the laundry, start dinner, switch the laundry from washer to dryer, eat dinner, fold the laundry, clean up from dinner and hopefully have it all done before the BYU basketball game that starts at 9:00.

When I came home from work at 5:30, this is what I found:

The perfect husband folding what was left of the laundry. Everything had been washed, dried and mostly folded. He was just finishing up folding the whites when I finally came home. So all I had to do tonight was make, eat and clean up dinner!

Perfect evening. It's only 7:30 and I don't have anything to do.