1st Anniversary and other adventures

Well it has been a great year! Two nights ago Ashley and I celebrated our 1st Anniversary, and we did it in style. We spent the day writing a 5 page paper for her Grad school (yes!), watching golf (yes!), and going to church (getting better). But the good times really hit around 5:30 when we toasted to a great year with a glass of champagne, followed by an amazing meal at Urban Farmer. We capped the night with chat and a pillow fight! I was once told by a very wise man to have a pillow fight once a year because "it keeps you young!". Good advice!

A funny thing happened at dinner, however. Ashley excused herself to go to the bathroom about halfway through our meal and came back smelling her hands. She said, "Man, this place is great! They have this really nice oil that you can use on your hands after you wash them! My hands feel so soft!". So naturally I wanted to investigate this claim. I excused myself and headed to the men's room in search for this oil. After washing my hands and looking around, I came up empty. I told her that I couldn't find the oil in my bathroom. She said, "Well did you see a little blue bottle?" "Yeah, it had three of those smelly sticks sticking out of it".

Silence.

"Crap" she says. "I doused my hands in the smelly stick oil and it is so strong!! My blue bottle didn't have the sticks poking out so I thought it was hand oil!!"

My wife, ladies and gentlemen! She keeps me guessing and smiling. And that's why I love her.

2 days later her hands still smell!

Other than that, Ashley obviously made it home safe and sound from the beaches of South Carolina and is now depressed with the weather. But she's a champ and realizing that Summer is right around the corner! And a great Summer it will be. Aren't we all looking forward to getting rid of this Winter?? On to bigger and better things!

I hope you have a great week, and remember - watch out for those things that sneak up on you, like oil. . .Until next time, wash your hands and pray for sun!

ASHLEY'S GONE! WHAT DO I DO???

Well its been only 4 days since Ashley left for the East Coast, and I'm bored!! She went to celebrate her sister Jamie's 21st birthday (a worthy excuse, I suppose) and they are enjoying the beaches of Hilton Head, SC. Paparazzi stay away!!! Anyway, that leaves me here in the rain, working away. So far I have done about nothing. Here are some highlights:

- Worked out on Sunday morning while everyone else ran the Shamrock Run. (I have a fractured foot or else I would have!)
- Went to church on Saturday night with a group of friends, then went and had a beer with a group of friends.
- Went to church again with best friend on Sunday night, following a nap while watching golf. Riveting, right?
- Worked all day Monday, Kettlebell (aka KILLMEBELL) class in the evening.
- Woke up not being able to move
- Worked again. Boring! Ok, I did go to Spin Class.
- Farted while doing a sit up in front of my trainer (at least Ashley didn't hear it!)
- Finished the set sits ups with no more farts or sharts.
- Bought some iTunes music (Matt Wertz - get it, The Civil Wars, Amos Lee)
- Went to Molly and Will's to watch Emily win the Bachelor, then announce the break up. What a waste!
- Now I'm blogging.

I mean, come on! Life just isn't that fun without my wife around! She's laying on the beach, drinking some Mick Ultra, eating Danny's killer food, and laughing the night away! I'm in the apartment eating quinoa, brussel sprouts and fish. Boooorrrring!

Ashley, if you can hear me - come home quick and save me from myself!!

In other news, I am leading Em in our year long game of cribbage (and will be adding to my lead on Friday), am very excited about our upcoming 1st anniversary, and am loving the longer days! See, some things aren't all that bad. Until next time, count your blessings. And come visit me.

Life with the Casebeers

Its a fun life, really. We laugh a lot. We cry rarely. We try to have as much fun as we can. All in all, we like life being the Casebeers. End of post.

You weren't going to let me off that easily, were you? Life has been to good to us so far together, but it isn't all peaches and cream. For instance, lately I have been punching Ashley in the face while sleeping. Unknowingly of course. You could set off a blowhorn under my pillow and I wouldn't wake up. And apparently I have been sleeping as if there were a blowhorn under my pillow and swinging my arms around. But she treats me pretty fairly after these instances...I'm grateful for that!

Life has also seen me start my year of travel (for work). I'll be spending 6 weeks in Washington DC this year for the NADA Academy (Nat'l Auto Dealers Association). My brother and I will be learning intensely what it takes to run an auto group and how to be more effective leaders. It is a huge task but we will be so much better off after this year!

Ashley on the other hand is busy with Grad school full-time while I'm gone (and while I'm here). Her 3rd term ends next week (how time flies!) and will moving on to term #4 and a thesis. "Yuck" she says as I write this. I agree.

It has been a great start to 2011 - our first Valentines Day together (a smashing success!), a trip to the National Championship game (don't wanna talk about it), and our first anniversary, which is in 2 weeks from today. We are so grateful for what we have and are looking forward to this next phase in our lives! Any suggestions?

Keep checking back. I'm going to try to do more posting this year. In the meantime, enjoy what you have and look for ways to enhance it!

It's that time of year again...

For presents, movies, fires, and Alex's Annual Top Ten (or 5 or 11 or whatever) Blog! Saddle up folks, this one might be good! If not, well there's always next year.





Top 5 Trips of the Year (lots to choose from!)
5. Ruby Springs Lodge, MT. Fishing, shooting, laughing, Moscow Muling.
4. Watercolor Beach, FL with Ashley's family. Sun, bikes, sun, beers, food, and sun. LOVED IT.
3. Camping with Molly and Will. Have you met them? You should.
2. Surprise visit to Georgia for Mother's Day. Holy surprise!
1. Did you have to ask? HONEYMOON!!!! DUH.

Top 8 phrases of the year
8. Brotally (hybrid of bro and totally)
7. Y.O.L.O. (You Only Live Once - thanks Chris Brickell for that one!)
6. "Toyota Service, how may I help you?" Glad those days are over!
5. "Chevrolet Service, what's the problem with YOUR car?" Glad those are over too!!
4. "You gotta get your veggg". Worker in Antigua on why they eat so healthy there.
3. GO DUCKS. Need I say more?
2. "I DO". I said that on March 20.
1. "I DO". She said that on March 20. SCORE!

Top 10 Books Read this year
Oh wait, I didn't read that many. Some honorable mentions..."Little Bee", "A Million Miles in a Thousand Years", "Don't Blink"

Top 5 Favorite TV Shows of the Year
5. The Office
4. Keeping up with the Kardashians. Wait, what?
3. Modern Family - Laugh out loud every episode!!
2. The Biggest Loser
1. Survivor!!!

Top 5 games of the year!
5. Catchphrase!
4. Yahtzee!!
3. Battle of the Sexes!!!
2. Words with Friends!!!!
1. SCATEGORIES!!!!!

Top 5 Family Members
5. Really, you tought I'd actually do that?? Pfff.

Top ? Things Learned this year
1. Ashley is a great chef!
2. Ashley is a great launderer!
3. Alex is neither (see "failed steak dinner" and "shrunken sweater" categories)
4. Ashley loves making things. Wreathes, plants, Christmassy things, creative things
5. Alex loves to run but never does it......
6. Ashley actually liked Spin class!
7. So did Alex
8. Still got the magic...sold 11 cars this year and didn't work 1 day in the Sales Department!
9. Drove approximately 12 cars this year...liked the Toyota Sequoia the best.
10. Ashley is a great wife...but you already knew that, didn't you?

Top 5 iPhone Apps. Am I a geek or what?
5. ForkFly. Coupons in Portland galore!!
4. Twitter
3. Words with Friends
2. PDXBus (saved our butts many times!!)
1. Facetime. How freaking cool is that?

Are you tire of this yet??? ME NEITHER!!


Top 3 Marriage Moments
3. Ashley's Birthday. She finally got a good one!
2. Christmas tree decorating. It was interesting.... but we ended up friends, so it worked out.
1. Honeymoon. End of story.

Top 5 things Ashley caught while fishing in Montana
5. A bush
4. A bridge
3. A hat
2. the boat
1. A FISH!!!

Top CD's of the year
3. Jamie Cullum. What that this year or last? Can't remember. Who cares it was good!
2. Project 4. Shout out to Mark Wade! Buy it in iTunes...support him...
1. Dave Barnes Christmas Album. BUY IT NOW, QUICK!

Top New People Met or struck up a friendship with this year. To be PC, there is no order here!
1. Brody (www.nivenspt.com). Once an enemy (kind of in high school - we were idiots). Now a friend and getting me in shape!!
1. Terah soon to be Wade. A wonderful addition to the Wade family!
1. Molly. Funny how you meet people and take it from there!
1. Gene. Your architectural plans will shape my future. Literally!
1. Will. Have you met him yet? Why not?
1. Eric. Duck fan, loud like me = great guy!
1. Whitney. Also a Duck fan, keeps Eric in order, easy to hang with!

Top 6 Memories from 2010
6. December 9, 2010. 1st Annual Casebeer Ornament Exchange! What a night!
5. June 18,2010. Watercolor Beach, FL. LOVED IT!
4. March 21, 2010. First day of the best vacation ever...aka HONEYMOON!
3. December 4, 2010. Civil War win sends DUCKS to the National Championship game!!!!
2. February 9, 2010. RRRRHHHOOODDDDEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
1. March 20, 2010. BOOM. MARRIED!

Well friends, its been a great year. Maybe I'll be better at posting more next year. I hope so! I hope that your 2010 has been wonderful as well, but you know what? 2011 is going to be a great one regardless. Starting with a DUCK victory on January 10!!! Anyway, enjoy the Christmas season and until next time, make a top 10 memory before the year is over. You won't regret it!

What's your favorite color?

Don't ask Ashley this question on Sundays. Any other day, fire away. But on Sunday? Stay away from anything having to do with Blue. Why, you ask? Well, there is a phenomenon I hadn't heard of until recently (read: marriage). It's called "The Sunday Night Blues". Da daaaaa da dun (sing with me). Da daaaaaa da dun.

It's inevitable. Every Sunday night (unless Monday is a holiday, then it's the Monday night blues) about 6 o clock the blues come upon us. It starts with a rather frank statement, something like "Babe, I think I've got the Sunday night blues". I say, "NO YOU DON'T, IT'S ALL MENTAL! FEND IT OFF!!!" Then she says, definitively, "Yep, they're here". Dang.

Most Sundays I can't do anything to stop the blues. Sometimes you just have to talk about Monday. How bad it's going to be, and long with week is, and far off the next weekend is. But not me! I'm an optimist! I'm going to work out more this week! And we are going to have some great dinners and have the best week ever and hey, the weekend is right around the corner! But not those afflicted with the Sunday Night Blues. It is a very bleak outcome. However, I figured out a few solutions. Here are my tips for curing the Sunday night blues:

1) Beef Stew. It was cold, rainy, and sucky. Stew helps all of that.
2) Yahtzee. What else do you do while you wait for stew?
3) Wine. Well that helps a lot of things, and the blues is one of them.
4) Conversation. Take her mind off the blues!!!!
5) Movie. In our case, it was reruns of "Sister Wives". Disturbing, but it took her mind away from the blues and into happiness.

Once I heard of these blues, I was convinced that they were indigenous to Ashley. Nope. My friend Kevin has them too. Every Sunday. I tested my theory last night, and sure enough - he had the blues. So does Ashley's Dad. He had the Sunday night blues even when he was here and he had one day left to visit!

They are unstoppable my friends. Don't give in. Don't let the Sunday night blues take you over. Stay positive! Have a glass of wine - it's healthy, in more ways than one! Eat a big fat meal and watch trashy TV! It will make Monday morning much easier.

Until next time, enjoy MY favorite colors - GREEN AND YELLOW!!!!