Rubber, Bronze and Linen?

Our 8th wedding anniversary is upon us...yes folks, I made it passed the 7 year itch without even thinking about scratching, maiming or stabbing my husband! Okay maybe I thought about maiming him once or twice or twenty times! This is the first year that we ever considered buying each other anniversary gifts. When we started to discuss it I told him that I wanted a new gold bracelet! I've never asked for jewelry before and the look of surprise on Rob's face was enough to make me choke on my Timmies coffee! This led to a conversation about what were traditional 8th year gifts. My middle child broke out the laptop to check it out. Yeah, for this fabulous year we must consider items of bronze or pottery for traditional gifts or linens or lace for more modern considerations. Honestly, I don't know who thought of the gifts that one should be showering on their loved one for their special anniversary. And for goodness sakes, WHY! I mean really this year is not that bad but...in traditional times you had to be married along time before you got anything really nice.

Anyway, on another note....I must say there are very times when my overwhelming pride in my husband and family just overtake me! This weekend was definitely a shining example of this.

We are no longer that family that sits around and talks about it!

I have a new fence and gate and boy is it lovely! My husband and his buddies put their heads and hammers together and created a masterpiece! It is done and it provides another 6 feet of sideyard. It is complete with new latch and privacy lattice! The extra space led us to the decision to buy a combined anniversary gift. The town we live in is supposed to be changing the by-law on open fires within city limits and if they do we will be purchasing ourselves a chiminea. A nice full grated one that will provide warmth on those spring and fall evenings and yet maintain full safety! Husband is PUMPED! He has wanted one for so long...but I have adamantly refused, maintaining that they are currently illegal and our house insurance would probably end up null and void if anything ever happened! I have been the voice of reason! Happy Anniversary Husband!

Thanks to Aimee, I also have a new backsplash in my kitchen! It is absolutely FABULOUS!!!! It has added warmth and beauty and colour to my stark white kitchen! If I had known what a difference it would make...nah, who am I trying to kid...ceramic tiles are way to expensive and we got lucky finding them on sale the way we did!
Aimee and I had a wonderful day measuring and scoring and breaking tiles (okay, it was me that broke them....Aimee figured out the damn machine and she really is the Queen of Cutting Tiles!!) We needed to get some special cuts done for tiles that went around the electrical outlets...it turned out to be almost as expensive getting those four tiles cut as it was for all my tile! Thanks Aimee! It loooks fantastic!!!

So next time you are in the neighbourhood drop by to admire our handy work!! We'll either be in the kitchen feeling warm and cozy, surrounded by beauty or in the back yard keeping warm by the fire, admiring our new gate that opens sooooo easily!

TTYL!