Happy 2nd Anniversary to Us!

Time is such a strange thing...it feels like Zach and I have been together always, and yet it's only been two years since we began our life as man and wife.

I think this is a kind of mum. Button mum, perhaps?

Amidst the hectic-ness of midterms, Zach planned a wonderful day for us yesterday. On our way to Cornell Plantations, we stopped at Bellwether Hard Cider for a tasting. Their hard cider is delicious. After the tasting, they let us try some of the cider warmed up with mulling spices. Yum!

The Plantations was amazing! We saw so many beautiful colors of autumn! We spent a couple of hours walking, and realized that you could easily spend a day, or two, seeing everything. It is a great way to spend a nice afternoon out of doors. 

I had never heard that legend about lavender before. Such a happy thought!

When we finished at the Plantations, we went to Cornell's art museum. They have William Bouguereau's Mary, Child Jesus, and John the Baptist. Oh. My. Goodness. It was incredibly amazing. I love Bouguereau's art, especially his religious art, and to see an original almost made me cry. The size was something else that amazed me - it was taller than Zach, and the people were life-sized. They had Gospels from 450 AD, and some pottery from 400 BC! It was awesome! 

In the herb garden.

Zach surprised me with the restaurant: Madeline's on the Commons. It had a very jazz age feel, and the food was kind of Thai-inspired. Zach ordered a cocktail for me - coconut ecstasy. I have never had a cocktail at a restaurant before, and it was amazing. I love coconut, and the blend of vodka and amaretto was out of this world. Zach went for the duck confit, seasoned with Chinese five spice. I had grilled salmon. It was very delicious. They had dessert in a glass case, and it was so hard to choose! In the end we decided to share a slice of carrot cake and tiramisu. It was so nice to dress up, go out, and enjoy our dinner in peace and quiet.

We both look a little silly, but oh well.

Sometimes it is difficult to remember that you must take time to nurture your marriage, even when children are pulling on your skirt. It can be hard to get out without little ones, but when they are young enough (like Tony is), they can come, and you can enjoy date for coffee or a little treat. Zach is very committed to taking me out regularly to do something (sometimes just going for a walk at the park) which means a lot to me. 

I love birch trees. They remind me of the Elves.

I love you, Zach! Thank you for a wonderful anniversary!