our 10 for a happy marriage

Today is our 10^th wedding anniversary. That's a BIG deal to us.

Marriage is definitely an adventure that takes a lot of work. But, it’s worth it. I love Scott more than anything and I’m extremely proud of our marriage. A friend once told me: I love how much you love Scott. You bring out the best in each other. That comment made me feel so good about where we're at in our relationship.

And no, we're not perfect. We’ve had our ups and downs just like every other couple (there have been times when I swear we're both speaking a different language), but we’ve learned to work through challenging times and we always try to find the positive in even those less-than-ideal situations.

Although we’re far from being experts, here are 10 things we’ve learned over the past decade that have helped us to stay married and happy (we worked on this list together in between periods during the Stanley Cup playoffs):

1. Make your marriage THE priority
Don't let other things get in the way. I'm Scott's best friend and he's mine. Period. Our marriage is the centre of our lives and we regularly check in with each other to see if the other person is feeling loved, needed and most importantly, heard. 

2. Hold hands and kiss often
There's something to be said for the spontaneous make out. Even after ten years there's nothing quite like when Scott plops a big one on me (:

3. Explore new things together
We’ve taken a couples massage class, tried out circus school, ate live ant larvae in Thailand and ziplined in Costa Rica. It’s important to grow together, to push your boundaries and to move out of your comfort zone as a couple.  Stagnation is never good. The adrenaline rush you get from trying these kinds of things doesn’t hurt either.

4. Go on walks
Scott and I walk Lucy, our chocolate lab, every night and we make sure to leave our phones at home. This is our time to chat about our day, make plans for the future and sometimes even gossip (him more than me). It's uninterrupted “us” time and our favourite way to chill together. 

5. Be silly together
We have fun every single day and we’re always trying to making each other laugh. This often involves trying out dance moves we've seen on "So You Think You Can Dance" and/or singing Rihanna songs in an operatic style (okay, the Rihanna stuff is all me). It also helps that we both have the same goofy sense of humour.

6. Take turns making dinner
Shortly after we were married, I found myself at Superstore on a Sunday night shopping for groceries for the coming week. I was tired, grumpy and beyond annoyed. I called Scott and told him I was done with being the sole grocery buyer and meal planner. From then on, we shared dinner duties. Another good lesson here: ask for what you need. Your partner is not a mind reader.

7. The little things do matter
I can’t tell you how much it means to me to get an “I love you” text from Scott in the middle of a busy work day.  And vice versa.  Surprises involving baked goods and Starbucks chai lattes are super popular in our house, too. We also like to leave each other love notes on our kitchen chalkboard. Those are the best. 

8. Keep the television out of the bedroom
Our bedroom is home to the trifecta - sleeping, reading and sex’ing. That's it. And while we’re on the topic of television, invest in a PVR, if you haven’t already. This is the best marriage keeper out there. Thanks to the pause button, I can provide ongoing commentary during a hockey game without fear of death.

9. Show your appreciation
Say “please” and "thank you" often and mean it. Don’t limit being polite to strangers and co-workers. Your partner deserves (and needs) to hear those words from you, too.

10. Learn to compromise
A successful marriage requires selflessness. Ask yourself, “Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?” Happy wins. Almost always (;

After 10 years of marriage, this is what has contributed to the success of ours and helped us to stay connected and content. I’d love to hear what’s working for you!

Here's to love! xoxo

p.s. How we met, our anniversary two years ago and last year.

date idea: circus class

I came across these pictures of us at Firefly Theatre's A Taste of the Circus class from a while back.

It was so fun. We learned a bit about the trapeze, vertical rope, aerial silks (those were my fav!) and we had a go at juggling. Scott and I both like to fit in some exercise into our dates, so this was perfect for us. Plus, I think it's important to try out new things with your main squeeze.

We laughed and laughed at our lack of grace and in my case, lack of upper body strength. The top right picture shows how far I made it up the vertical rope. Ha! Meanwhile, Scott was able to climb the rope and touch the roof in no time at all. Such a show off, that guy (;

Would you take a circus class? Yes, or no way? It just so happens that Firefly is offering two classes this summer. I would highly recommend it, especially if you're looking for a cool date idea or birthday present.

It was such an awesome experience that I'd  love go again!

p.s. Remember when Carrie took to the trapeze on Sex and the City? On our next visit to New York, we're definitely going to visit the Trapeze School featured on that episode. Too cool.

we're going to charleston!

 

Our anniversary trip is finally booked, y'all! Scott and I are going to Charleston, South Carolina! We're crazy excited and cannot wait to spend a week exploring its quaint neighbourhoods, plantations (especially this one), Waterfront Park and the historic City Market. The trip will be so romantic and a much needed shot in the arm after our seven month long winter. Oh, and the food! Just thinking about the delicious things we're going to eat is enough to keep me from sleeping for the next two weeks.

We're staying at the charming Zero George - a boutique hotel recently named to Travel + Leisure's It List: The Best New Hotels. Usually, we're not too fussy about where we stay as long as it's clean, comfortable and not too spendy, but this is our 10th anniversary getaway so we decided to splurge. I'm looking forward  to drinking sweet tea on that gorgeous veranda (:

Have you ever been to Charleston? Any advice on what to see, do and eat? We'd love to hear! Thank you so much for any tips!

p.s. Charleston has been on my mind since February. Grazie to everyone who weighed in way back then!

Photos by Zero George and hanneorla.

style: my first guest post!

Hey friends! Today you can find me guest posting over at blah blah birds. The ladybirds (Dyan, Toni & Jennifer) asked me to participate in a special series which follows a pretty pink Cambridge satchel (yup, the one in the pic!) on its North American travels. The bag is a regular jet setter and has already visited bloggers in New York, Atlanta, DC, Jersey and LA before making its way to me in Edmonton. Cool, right!?

Hop on over to their blog to check out how I styled the Cambridge satchel!

p.s. didja hear? all kinds of lovely is now on facebook. hope to see you there (: