Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Love Notes and Blogaversary

My friend, Alisa, passed along a fantastic idea:  a conversation journal.  The idea is for you and the loved one to leave little notes for one another periodically.  However, instead of having little post-its (not wedding vows, Grey’s Anatomy fans) and scraps of paper to try to keep up with, all the notes can be kept secure in one nifty little place. 
Lloyd & Cheryl 5th Wedding Anniversary 121009 4x6 size 1
I love my dear sweet husband, Lloyd.  He is the most loving man I’ve ever known and treats me better than I ever imagined anyone would treat me.  He’s kind and honest and sensitive, and has amazing patience with me.  He has so many wonderful qualities, but good penmanship is not one of them.  Though he’s smarter than most people, he just never seemed to get the point of taking time to write properly.  But, I love this little quirk about him.  I love getting greeting cards from him on all those special occasions:  Christmas, Birthday, Valentine’s Day, Anniversary, etc.  He always seems to pick out the most beautiful cards with verse that seems to be perfectly written about our relationship.  As much as I love these chosen words, however, what I love MORE is the personal message he always includes.  He writes little things about how much he loves me and wants to be with me forever (and sappy stuff like that, which makes my heart melt and my eyes water.)  These special occasions are the rare times I get to see his clunky and ill-formed lettering, and it just endears him to me more.  So, when Alisa mentioned the conversation journal, I KNEW this was something that I HAD to implement into Lloyd’s and my life. 
fortune cookies
One of the gifts Lloyd had given me last Christmas was this miniature book kit about Love Fortunes.  (He’s one of those “shop-on-Christmas-Eve” kind of guys and I never know what crazy thing he’s going to bring home!)  When I first opened the gift, I tried not to show my disappointment.  “What a waste of eight bucks!”  I thought.   But, being the semi-decent wife I strive to be, I graciously accepted and thanked him. 

How wrong I was!  That little silver fortune cookie and book of perforated tear-out love fortunes has been one of the best $8 we’ve spent in our marriage!  I took it in the bathroom one day to flip through while doing my business.  I saw such cute fortunes, I quickly picked one out and folded it inside the silver fortune cookie.  I left it by Lloyd’s sink for him to find.  The next morning when I got up, I was thrilled to see a new fortune waiting in the silver cookie on MY side of the vanity.  

Although we’ve run out of most of the “good” fortunes, we’ve begun adding our own little comments in addition to the generic ones printed (and no, they don’t all end in “in bed”—though I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with that!  :)  I’ve so enjoyed Lloyd’s little hand-written notes and have saved all these little fortune slips for future scrapbooking layouts.

Now, with a Love Notes journal, Lloyd and I can continue our little notes to each other, but I won’t have to try to keep track of 100 little slips of paper!  I will, however, have a book full of precious love notes written in my sweetheart’s horrible handwriting to cherish forever.
Love Notes Journal 020810 1 Front

A BLOGAVERSARY VALENTINE GIVEAWAY!
With all that said, I decided that since I missed my 1 year blogaversary (during which most bloggers offer a giveaway as a celebration), it was time to offer a giveaway to anyone kind enough to follow me here.  I’m going to giveaway this lovingly-crafted (notice I used my paper toasting technique) “Love Notes” journal so you and your loved one can share in the fun!  (Or, if you’re not currently involved with someone—take this opportunity to use it as a journal for yourself, and write about YOU and the things you LOVE about yourself!)

The rules:  You don’t have to comment unless you feel like it.  If you’d like to be included in the giveaway drawing, however, I will need you to email me or otherwise leave your name and some way I can contact you (email address, blog address, facebook ID, whatever.) 

If you DO choose to leave a comment, what I’d like to know is this:  what’s your favorite quirky thing about your significant other?  And if you don’t have a significant other (which I TOTALLY get because I was single a LONG time!), tell me about a favorite quirk about a family member or friend, or even your pet!

Finally,  it is not  requisite that you click on the “Follow Me” tab to the right to follow my future postings on this blog.  However, I’d be thrilled to add new readers/friends.  I’ve so enjoyed the friendships and connections I’ve been developing over this last year in blogland and hope to continue to do so.

Drawing will occur on Valentine’s Day 02-14-10 (Sunday).  I’ll announce the winner on Monday 02-15-10.  Good luck!

Love Notes Journal 020810 2
Inside Front Cover to Write Your Names and the Year

15 comments:

  1. Cheryl, what an amazing idea. As Chuck and I courted long distance for a few months I have countless emails and letters stashed away in a box somewhere. You have inspired me to get those out and make my own book for us. We have continued over the years to leave each other love notes here and there but it has waned as of late. Time to get back with it. Those little notes, expressions of love, are priceless. Thanks for the inspiration. Time for me to GET BUSY!!!!

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  2. Awesome Blog, thanks for sharing Cheryl! I love the idea of the love journal too. Very creative and a great way to save those fun attributes to one another. Let me think quirky thing huh? That's a hard one! I don't if it's quirky or not but I love his bald head. I don't think I would like him any other way. So please Bosley stop sending your mail trying to get him to grow hair! :) Oh and Cheryl you can message me on facebook if I happen to be the lucky winner of this awesome give away. Thanks so much and have a fantastic week!

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  3. Beautiful journal, Cheryl!
    No need to put my name in the hat, as A)I already have a journal for this purpose and B)you give me goodies ALL the time, but I WILL share a Farmboy quirk....
    When we walk around Home Depot or Fry's or somewhere like that, he knocks on stuff with his knuckles and then sniffs it. He says it's a tester to determine the quality of the item. I get the knocking, but the sniffing part... not so much. LOL

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  4. Dearest Cheryl! What a great giveaway! I WANT THIS REALLY BAD!!!!! (in bed-haahaah! sorry i couldnt resist!) You are so creative. Not a trait that I have. A quirky thing abou Josh, huh? Well, this isn't really quirky but it is one of my most favorite things in our marriage. Every night before bed we always say the exact same thing to each other, even on the phone if he is at the hospital. It always ends in "i love you madly". AHhh, I just love it!

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  5. I'm in here, Cheryl. :)

    Quirky? I make him very happy when I use leftovers and he would be gleeful if we only opened one or two boxes of cereal at a time. teh guy hates wasting. There you go.

    Love you....

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  6. Hi Cheryl! I hadn't been to visit you for so long cause I know you had been absent in blogland for a while, so I was so happy to notice your blog link on Facebook! How are you? I still treasure the gorgeous swap of Marie Antoinette you gave me, it hangs in my foyer! Are you going to Cowgirl this year?
    Your story on the fortune love notes was so great. My husband has lots of quirkiness, I suppose you'd call it that, since he's Polish! Ha,ha! No, not really, I just like poking fun at him for being Polish! I'll share instead a quirky weird fact about my 10 month old grandbaby Madison. She LOVES to eat pickles! Like sucks them, eats them all up and never even makes a face showing how sour they are! That's weird to me! And cute! I'll keep my fingers crossed to win the gorgeous journal, I know it'll be as stunning in person as I've received your artwork before! Suzie

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  7. Hey Cheryl! Long time, no see or talk friend! What an AMAZING idea you guys have with your sweet little love note journal! You guys are too cute!

    I would love to have this journal to put the spark back into our relationship! I will tell you a little quirk about Marty that I think is charming: he's a midnight snacker...he will often get up in the middle of the night, go into the kitchen, make a snack, drink a coke and come right back to bed! I love it because he doesn't worry about not eating past a certain time or gaining weight...he just does it because he says he's truly hungry! Gotta love him!

    I'd love to be entered into the giveaway if possible! Miss you friend!

    Meredith Sheehan

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  8. Cheryl,

    What a fun idea!! I love my husband soooo much! I love that he will only eat Red Delicious apples. That is a quirk to me...how can anyone like them?

    I have to tell you that you helped me to have a stronger marriage and to really try hard to work it out about 6 years ago when John and I almost ended it. I am sure you didn't know anything about it and I am sure you wonder how you helped, but you did! During that time, I reflected much on the time that I spent as your companion and the things I learned during that period while serving as a missionary. I am so grateful for having had you as a companion! John and I have a much stronger marriage now and I am so grateful for that...and I still think of you often and am blessed to be your friend!

    I'd love to be entered into your giveaway as well.

    Sarah

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  9. I love the pic at the top of this post, by the way!

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  10. Great idea for the giveaway!! Pick me pick me!! My favorite quirk of Eric's is the way he dresses. He just doesn't care! Drives me nuts, but hopefully people don't judge him in the way he chooses to dress. :)
    Take care,
    Clare

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  11. I'm in!

    During the winter, Bryan wears two pairs of socks at the same time to keep his feet warm. The first layer is a thick white tube sock, and the outer pair are his dress socks.

    He also wears a hat to bed to keep his little bald head warm.

    I LOVE your fabulous blog! You're in my google reader. :)

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  12. Love this Cheryl. This has to be one of the things I love most aobut you... your love for your hubby and how you show it.

    Tim is an amazing man, he has supported me through many trial life has passed my way, I will say he has a very odd sense of humor and others will tell you that quickly. I can always count on that with him. It used to be something that drove me crazy but being in our 11 year of marriage, I now love it about him!

    Happy Valentines Day!

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  13. Cheryl!
    Thank you for inviting me to your giveaway!
    Well what to say about the love of my life, the joy in my heart , the gleam in my eye........
    I AM HIM, HE IS ME, and WE ARE.....it'd deep I know but We Are One!
    Happy Valentine's Day and may you continue your blissful journey with your one and only!
    xoxo, Ann-Denise

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  14. This is such a fantastic idea Cheryl. Even if I don't win I'm still going to make a love journel. I would love to have a place to keep John's notes.

    I have two. John's mind is always running. It never turns off. Many times when I see John staring off I like to catch him off guard and ask exactly what he's thinking at that moment 'cause it's always so random. In the beginning I use to ask "what are you thinking about?". Over time I found it funnier to ask "what are you thinking at this exact moment." He always laughs when I catch him on it.

    The second is every single night John and I before prays and bed sit down and say what we are greatful for. We started this on our honeymoon. Over time it's narrowed down to three things and one must always include something about the other. The quirk is no matter how tired John is and even if he seems like he wants to hurry up that night to get to bed he always ends up talking longer (I'm guilty too). This was a tradition that he started for us as newly weds and is 6 1/2 years strong.

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