Date night

Last night Doug and I were able to go on a date. We try to do date nights often, but usually our dates will consist of candy and cuddling up to watch something on Netflix. Last night we actually got to get out and do stuff we hadn't done yet. 

We started with dinner at Ferraro's. It's a local Ventura place that everyone talks about and has been to (or so it seems). I had never been and Doug hadn't been either, so we checked it out. And we liked it. It's an Italian restaurant and had a fun atmosphere. Cozy and quaint. I liked the fact that they had real flame candles. I don't like it when restaurants have the fake kind. I got a spinach and pesto ravioli and Doug got beef ravioli. We were stuffed. 

Next we went to golf n stuff. We hadn't been here yet. We went miniature golfing when we were in South Carolina, but had never gone in Ventura. I don't usually care for putting, mainly because I'm not very good at it. So we don't keep score (although I know that Doug won but he wouldn't believe me when I told him that). We had a lot of fun though just goofing off, calling Mulligans, and at least trying not to hit it more than 6 times. 

On this hole we both hit a hole in one. Doug got it to go up the ramp and that was an automatic hole in one. I went to the side of the ramp and then when we went to the lower green couldn't find my ball. It ended up being in the hole. Too bad we missed it, but hole in one!

Inside the gold mine tunnel. I remembered a lot of the course from when I was little. Mainly how I wanted to be able to play in the little buildings and forts that were built, and was disappointed that they were fake.

I think my form could use a little work.

Then we roamed around a few stores. We like just hanging out and window shopping. We started at Petsmart and found this awesome bird. The first part of the video is a bit boring, but I love how you can see Doug and the bird interact with the bobbing. So awesome. 

We wandered through Michales, Sports Authority, and Barnes and Noble. I got a pumpkin cookie cutter for when I make sugar cookies in the fall. We were going to get Thrifty ice cream, but the flavors were really low since it was so late at night. Then we came home and watched Hunger Games special features.

I'm so thankful for opportunities like that to hang out with my best friend.

Done with Summer

For the past couple of weeks I've really been looking forward to fall. Schools are starting to begin and summer is coming to a close. Although it will still be warm for possibly 2 more months. Boo. Lately I've been looking forward to all of our fall activities.

Hot drinks on cold nights. Chai, hot chocolate, apple cider...

Hot coffee on cold mornings. Drinking hot coffee in a heat wave just isn't enjoyable...

Electric blankets. There's just something about being wrapped up in a warm bed in a cold room. So toasty.

Early sunsets. I've always liked when it gets dark early (but I enjoy the change when daylight lasts till 9 pm also). I'm ready for bed much earlier.

Sweaters. It is so hard to wear a cozy sweater when the weather isn't permitting!

Moccasins. They are my go-to shoe during the fall and winter when it's too cold for sandals.

Curling up with a book with a blanket and a hot drink. Once again, you can't do that when it's hot out!

Cuddling with a sweet husband (or cat if he's not home). Neither really wants to cuddle when it's warm because it's too uncomfortable to be that close to someone when it's 80 degrees out.

Crisp cold air. There's nothing like the smell of fall (I swear there is one).

Pumpkin. Pumpkin everything. Coffee creamer. Bread. Muffins. Cookies. Pie. Air freshener. Candles.
Not to mention Jack-o-lanterns and their seeds!

Orange and red. Neither look good on me to wear, but I love seeing them everywhere in the decorations.

Thanksgiving and all the delicious food and leftovers that go with that.



That's what comes to mind right now, but I know that there are more. So summer, you were great but you can see yourself out now. Autumn, you're welcome to come anytime.

A couple weeks ago we celebrated our 3 year anniversary. It does not feel like it has been that long at all. It's crazy when I think about all that has happened and all that we've been through. 

We both had the day off and we decided to go on some adventures. Doug had been wanting to go to the Los Padres Forest again. We went last summer but didn't have a chance to go back again. We got a park pass and went up there. We did one trail that took us to a water fall. The waterfall was pretty dried up though. This was the first one that we came to. The moss was really pretty. It was supposed to be a short hike (and to this point it was), but then we decided to go up the side of it. It was a challenging climb and we were wishing we had brought our water (but we hadn't because it was supposed to be a short hike).

View from the top of the valley. There was a view of a rock wall behind us that was supposed to have a big waterfall cascading down it, but it was completely dry. 

We then went to the trail that we had been to last time. We hiked to some huge white rocks last year, but this year we decided to follow the river. Except that when we got to it, there was no river. It was completely bone dry. And it was in the nineties. We were so hot hiking in the sun. We hiked for a bit, and then decided that the beach sounded good.

So we went there

We layed out and enjoyed the sun. I fell asleep for a bit, which left a nice tan line on my back...

Then we went back to the apartment and got ready to go out to dinner. When we were on Kauai for our honeymoon we went to Duke's for dinner at our hotel. We have one in Malibu so we thought that it would be fun to go out there for dinner. So we got dressed up (California standards) and drove out there for our reservations.

The view from our table

My baby back ribs

We were actually kind of disappointed in Duke's though. We thought that for the money that we were paying, the food wasn't as good as it should have been. It was good, but we could have gotten that kind of a meal at Wood Ranch or something for a lot less money. But oh well. It was fun going out there. Actually we were laughing that a lot of thing didn't go as planned that day, and if it had been about having the "perfect" day, we probably would have been upset or felt like the day was a waste. But it came down to our attitudes and our responses to situations. We were just happy to be hanging out with each other and celebrating our marriage. In fact, now that I'm writing this, I'm having a hard time of the things that went "wrong". Which means that they really weren't wrong, they just were unexpected. We had a great day and I'm so lucky to have Doug as my husband.

Lately Luna has been loving our windows. This is our bedroom window and she is almost always in it when we get home from work. She meows at us as we walk up the stairs and then when we open the door she still comes running. She likes this window when the curtains are open and the one by our kitchen table. She loves just watching.

This week we had Thursday afternoon off again to spend with each other. It's been hot with a heat wave so we hit the beach again. Then we went to my parent's house to watch the Chargers first preseason game. Which they won. Against the Packers. Then we watched the Olympics that were on since we haven't been able to see very many without having cable. 

Doug left tonight for Indianapolis for a convention with GameChurch. So now Luna can finally live up to her purpose in our family. We originally got her to keep me company for when Doug was gone since he had been gone a lot. She is always company though for both of us when the other isn't there. Now she has extra purpose since Doug will be gone until Monday. I hate when he's gone. He keeps me sane.