Thursday, December 9, 2021

9 Years

Hi my love,

Nine years ago this month we started talking at work (December 14, 2012) and four days later we went on our first date (December 18, 2012).  How could we have known how those little encounters would change our lives forever? I can't describe how grateful I am that we met. 

God, I thank you for brining Tiffany and I together! 

We have loved each other through many difficult times. We are so blessed to have each other and are blessed to have a healthy 7 and 5 year old! I am blessed to have been able to spend 9 years with you, my love. Cheers to 60 more!

(I know I write about us meeting a lot but it's so important to remember and be grateful!)

Love,

Nick

Thursday, November 18, 2021

I Love You!

Tiffany,

Thank you for being my wife. I love you so much! 

Love, Nick

Saturday, October 16, 2021

Chicago - October 2021

Originally were supposed to go to Las Vegas for the NBAA (National Business Aviation Association) convention with Uncle Rick & Aunt Meredith but because of COVID-19, lots of the company's pulled out of the convention so we decided not to go there. 

Since your mom was already planning on watching the boys for a few days, we decided to swap our southwest tickets to go to Chicago! <I think this is our 4th trip to Chicago together? First time - 4/2013; Second - when G was a baby, around 2016 when we stayed in the Airbnb owned by the Judge near Wrigglyville; Third - 9/2018 (2nd city; Husker bar; b-fast at Ann Sather)>

A few things we did - ate pizza at Giardano's pizza. Walked around downtown / Magnificent Mile. Ate breakfast at Ann Sather! 

More things:


"Kissing Bridge" (near Lincoln Park Zoo) while on the bike tour

"Bobby's Bike Hike" - tour of lakeside neighborhoods

Chicago Bulls vs Memphis Grizzlies. Our first Bulls game was April 2013 vs NY Knicks while we were dating! 8 years later we get to go back to a Bulls game! Bulls won both times.


Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Beauty

I just want to say thank you for adding some art and beauty to my life. You teach me things everyday. I love how you have decorated our home - of course I am never on board while you are thinking of it - everything is fine the way it is!, I would say. But I am glad you add beauty to our lives, sonrisa. Here are some things I really enjoy--

Decorations

I like the art piece you found near the back door!

You put the keurig on our wedding registry - Over 8 years ago! Then with our new kitchen you had the idea to have the coffee bar, complete with my own spoons to mix in my brown sugar lattes!

Monday, September 27, 2021

Happy Anniversary mi amor (8)

Tomorrow we celebrate eight years of marriage! You truly amaze me - you are such a stunning person! I love your heart, your openness, your faith. You are a gift that I never imagined could be. I thank God for bringing us together!


Kirsten & Brandon wedding, 9-25-2021 (at The Hanson's House)



Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Dates Over the Last Year (2020-2021)

2021 

August

August 21 - We went to the Funny Bone to see Kevin Nealon!

Kevin Nealon @ The Funny Bone Aug 2021

@ The Funny Bone




August 7 - Your mom was in town and we went out to the new "The Switch" Beer and Food hall in Blackstone (36 and Farnam). I got "El Arepon" arepa and you got a cheeseburger from Ansel's. Talked about food questions - best food memory (NYC tacos with Sarahs. Sweet potato & black bean Quesadilla from food truck in Moab, UT. Chicken from J Gilbert's on our anniversary in 2019)


June/July

June 16 - New breakfast restaurant - "Good Lookin'" in Dundee. After dropping kids off at school we had a little breakfast date. Their breakfast sandwich was really good. (biscuits and gravy was pretty good too, spicy and brown sauce but still ok)

June or July 2021
we ended up going to a comedy show downtown at the last minute. improv. can't remember what we did  before that but i think our original plan fell through then you found the comedy going on! Backline comedy


June 12 - Javi's tacos for lunch, near 180 and Q (after dropping the kids off at my parent's)

June 5 - tonight we simply went for a walk. Gavin and Noah were at my parents for a couple hours and it had been so long since me and you just went for a walk together. So we went down the circle a couple times. It's so nice spending time with you. You are the most amazing person I have ever met, sonrisa. 


May 

 May 29 - Kitchen remodel going on. We took kids to my parents house. We went to Blackstone "Meatball" restaurant. If you could go back to one year in your life, which year would you go back to? You chose senior year of high school - you were in show choir, band, and could drive! After eating we went to the Improv Theatre to watch improv. Then we got ice cream at ConeFlower in Blackstone! 


 April 

 April 1- Went went to Kaneko downtown. It's an art gallery/studio space. We walked around saw a display on COVID. We went to dinner at Andres Tortillery in One Pacific Place afterwards. We talked about the Down Syndrome Alliance (DSA) video - they are interviewing us for the Gala about our family 

April 21-24 - Moab, Utah road trip!! (separate post has pictures)


 March 

 March 10 - We went out for breakfast at "Early Bird" in Blackstone district on Farnam. Noah got to come with us (since he doesn't go to pre-school on Wednesdays). Fun time together! 

 March 7 - Rescheduled movie! We went Westwood 8 cinema to see the movie (Our Friend) that we couldn't see in February. Sarah Hood watched the boys! Sad but good movie. 


 February 

 February 26 - Dinner at Biaggi's (Italian). After we were going to go to the Westwood 8 cinema to see a movie (Our Friend) but T wasn't feeling good. 


 January 

 January 26 - my mom came to watch the boys so we could go to a new city group. But on the way we found out it was cancelled (it had snowed 12 inches the day before and plows hadn't gone through their neighborhood). So we detoured to "Stories" coffee house on 114 and Dodge. Luckily we had our bibles with us so we could continue with our two year Bible reading journey! 

 January 23 - my mom & dad watched the boys and we went out to Panera Bread for dinner. Lately in the past few months we have been just staying in due to COVID, so this was a rare time to actually eat out. The last few Saturdays we have been dropping the kids off at my parents and we just come home and make food or pick something up and bring it home while relaxing and watching netflix. It's hard to have a date night during COVID in the winter (it's not like we can have an outdoor picnic when it's 18 degrees out). 


January 2021

Bailey's breakfast 



2020


December 2020

Dec 12 - My parents watched the kids & took them to Jack & Mary's for dinner while we went to "Earl & Grey" Boutique in Benson then we got take out "Charred" burgers for dinner for a night in watching Netflix.


November 2020


Nov 20 - Your birthday! Date night with your sister Mandy and husband Matt - dinner at Mula's Mexican in the blackstone district

Nov 18 - Date breakfast with Noah - after dropping Gavin off at school me, you, and Noah went to Lisa's Radial cafe for breakfast. 

Nov 2 - We both got off work early (12:30pm) so we decided to try Vidlack's Cafe for some breakfast food (for lunch!). We love breakfast food! Then we came back home and watched Netflix (The Blacklist)



October 2020

Oct 30 - We went to Oscar's sports bar/pizza for some wings & meatball sandwich. My mom watched the kids so we just had a relaxing evening together. I love spending time with you, my love! Afterwards we wanted to take a walk together but it was pretty chilly outside so we went to Oakview Mall to walk around!


September 2020

Trip to Whitefish, Montana together! (separate post with pictures)


Sept 18 - we went to Vis Major (crab Rangoon pizza)

Then to Ditmars orchard for free outdoor movie (The Goonies)



Then the Next weekend anniversary dinner at J Gilbert’s 


August 2020

We met Kyle & Catherine Hanson at the Mexican Food place at One Pacific Place (Andres Tortillery) then they came to our house afterwards and we played board games on the new back deck!


July 2020 

We were in quarantine after I tested positive for Covid-19 so we didn't really do many dates!

I think at the end of July the kids stayed with my parents for a few hours while we got take out and came home and played board games together.

July 29, 2020

Dad comes over to watch the boys

The running store 77th and Cass

Ice cream
Walk around the lake?

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Washington (Seattle / Spokane) Trip

 

Catherine Sandquist wedding reception



Space needle


Water near Seattle



Ferry to Bainbridge Island

Saturday, June 5, 2021

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Moab, Utah trip

Last week we drove Aunt Meredith and Uncle Rick's Prius to Moab, Utah. It was a really nice trip together! G&N stayed with your parents so we could go hiking together. We drove to Glenwood Springs, CO and stayed the night - so the next day we only had a 3 hour drive to Arches National Park. The arches and landscape was very impressive! That night we stayed in Moab. Next day we went to Canyonlands National Park! On the way back to stopped for the night in Grand Junction, Colorado. It was nice to have a good dinner out together, a few of the nights. The highlight was the Quesadilla Mobilla (food truck) in Moab! I also really enjoyed the burger and fries at the Dam Bar in Dillon, Colorado. I love spending time with you. You have a fun adventerous spirit that impresses me. I loved being able to road-trip with you, read the bible, and talk about life and God.

Saturday, March 13, 2021

"Early Bird" breakfast restaurant in Blackstone. I just love this picture of you. You are the most beautiful person I have ever met - both inside and out. I feel so grateful, and so blessed, to have met you. Thank you God for bringing us together. I love you so much!

Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Milestones

Sonrisa, Eight years ago this month was when we went to Alan & Lindsey Singkofer's wedding together (February 2, 2013). We have the picture of us at their rehearsal dinner, smiling BIG. I think that was the first time I went to Grand Island? Our lives have changed so much since then - there was no way of knowing at that time where life would take us. Through it all we have each other and we have Jesus. I appreicate your love so much. You continually surprise and amaze me through life's ups and downs. That weekend in Grand Island with your family was just one beginning to our life journey together. I love doing life with you! Love, Nick

Wednesday, January 20, 2021

New Year 2021

Buenos días mi amor, It's a new year! I'm so happy for you that you have got to work in the Down Syndrome clinic at Children's for over a year now. I love your passion for helping people. You have a servant's posture and that inspires me. I just want you to know how much I love you. You are a truly amazing person, and I am so grateful that we met. My life was changed just over eight years ago when I got to go on our first date together at the Dundee Double Shot coffee house. I love pursuing you as my beautiful wife! Cheers to 2021 - Gavin in first grade, Noah in pre-school (but he's so ready to start reading and going to school full-time!) and our crazy lives together! :-)