Inside boys cupboards.

We've just got back from a short stay at Warr's folks house - it was so lovely to have some time with his folks. As you can imagine, we spent a good few hours snooping looking in all the drawers and cupboards in Warr's old high-school room to check out all the hidden treasures. I particularly enjoyed his "high-school-boy cupboard collages". You know the kind of thing: stuck up Prefects Pledges right below disciplinary hearings (naughty boy). Tons of old school pics, rugby team pics, high school cricket team pics, party invitations, international school exchange badges, school ball invitations and letters from old girlfriends. (lols)


Since it's "Throwback Thursday" I thought I would whack these up - just to show you what an absolute Kool Kat I have married - (I believe these pics are circa 2001.)


We also measured the man against his height chart and we are delighted to announce that he has grown approximately 1.5cm in the last 13 years. Well done Warren.

(please note: Junior Bob Card, bottom left)

We also found a massive bag filled with a stash of letters, notes and cards that I wrote to Warr when we first parted ways (at the end of his last year at University) and he went to Austria on a ski season. We haven't actually opened this bag yet (it's crammed full!) and I'm so excited to read all these old love letters - because I am sure there will be some gems in there! Will definitely fill you in when we've been through them!



Over dinner one night, his mom told me that right after Warren had met me, she got a call from him saying, "Mom, I don't know what to do. I have met someone who is awesome and I really like - but I know I'm leaving University at the end of the year and she's only in second year. I don't know if I should even get involved."

His mom replied, "I can't help you make this decision... but all I can say is, Follow your heart."

Thank goodness for moms.
x

But WHAT did I get for the Husband?!

If you read my blogpost on the 25th - you will know that I was busy celebrating My Favourite Human's birthday. I woke The Warr up early with some presents and a birthday "cake" (which you can see in the previous blog post.

Throughout the day, I sent him different pictures on the hour (you can go back and have a re-cap of what they were here). Right before I met him for a delicious sushi dinner - I sent him the last pic, which I think is what gave the whole thing away -

 

Can you guess?

Yes.
It's the zoomed-up roof of an Audi Car.

And no, I did not give him a car for his birthday - (who do you think I am, Rockefeller?!). But maybe knowing that clue - you can figure out some of the rest?



easy huh?

Over dinner, I made him go back and guess what each of the pictures were - and presented the entire picture from "MY SECRET ENVELOPE OF PRINT OUTS" when he guessed them correctly - and he got most of them spot on! Knowing that each of them are "car-related" maybe you'd like another shot at guessing the pictures? The yellow ones all go together and I've put the answers below each picture - so scroll slowly if you want to try guess them before you see the answers!

ANSWERS Left to Right: 1. This was the hardest picture. It is the very zoomed up tip of the door of this Lamborghini picture (it opens into the sky, remember - James Bond Style). 2. This is the beginning of the word Ferrari in the Ferrari Logo. 3. The underneath of the Lamborghini. 4. The curve of the Ferrari shield.



Left to Right: 1. Blue sky, with a grand prix flag. (this was also a difficult one). 2. The Aston Martin Logo. 3. A close up of the curve of a race track - road and curb. 4. The top of the Ferrari Logo Shield.

And of course -

My EPIC car birthday cake which (unknowingly) tied the whole thing together!

For the husband's birthday present, I have bought him a Super Car Racing Drive Experience. For one afternoon - he will be able to choose three cars of his choice (including Lamborghini's Ferrari's, Aston Martins, Bentley's and Audi R8s) and race them around a track, while I watch from the side, meditating to calm my shattered nerves. I can hardly wait. And, so it seems - neither can The Warr. Since the tracks are all a little way out of London - I think we might find a cool place to nest for the night and make a weekend trip out of it. Good. I'll need some way to unwind after all the race stress.

After a delicious sushi dinner (and a bunch of picture revealing), we had a slow stroll back home and finished off the evening with red wine, cupcakes and BINGO cards.

Because what else are birthday's for?

BIRTHDAY BOI.

This post is a rather late post in the day - because I have been so busy with other stuff - guestbook orders, poster inquiries, The Photo Hunt Prep, website content, Etsy orders etc! But I needed to get this post out today because TODAY we celebrate the birth of my absolute favourite human.

(Above right: My favourite human as a young fry - high school days I think?)

Above: My favourite human on the day he married ME.

HOW hot is he?!?! (If you don't know which one he is, look for the hot one)

So, My family have a "thing" about waking up early on birthdays. In fact, last night before we went to sleep, I asked what time The Warr was setting his alarm for -

Warr: 6:20am... but I don't know why I'm even bothering to put my alarm on, because I know your family is going to call me at like 4am.
Me: Yep.
(They did)

So anyway, I woke up all spritely for the man's birthday and presented him with some coffee and "cake" and presents:

( I will post more about the gift-wrap soon - I haven't done a gift wrap post in ages!)

Throughout the day today (on every hour), I have been sending THE BIRTHDAY BOY some pictures:

(starting with this one)

and then, one hour later, this one:

  

Is it the new designs for our tattoos?
Who knows?!

NOT ME!
#playdead

Then, one hour later, THIS ONE:


SIDE NOTE: When you are questioned me about the pictures that your husband is receiving on his phone - you must play innocent:

 
ONE HOUR LATER:



* * * * *
So that's where we are at right now.
I have sent some pics every hour up until now
(with another one due in ten minutes)





(I am actually a really obnoxious person to be married to. lol)

Can you see where I am going with this?
If you can, DO NOT leave a comment giving it away -
because I WILL CUT YOU.

I wanted to close the comments completely,
but then decided that anyone who reads this post and does not comment
to wish my favourite HUMAN a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" -

I WILL CUT YOU.

Either way, someone's getting CUT.

* * * * *

OH by the way!!

Did you see the "birthday cake" I made for The Warr!?


(side note: am clearly TOTES ready for children)

I am taking The Birthday Boy out for dinner tonight...
to reveal my "things"

chat tomorrow
x

The Progression of a beard

It all began soon after Movember... Once we had waved a FOND farewell to the horrific mouth-eyebrow, I  casually exclaimed, "Wow you look SO much better without a mustache but.... I wonder what you would look like with a beard?" Well. Let me tell you...
Husband took this as a DIRECT CHALLENGE to grow as much face-hair as humanly possible.

Now let me first state that I do in fact really like the rough-man-beard effect. Five o-clock shadow?  Bring it! Unshaven rugged man look - HIGH FIVE. But over the last few weeks, I have come to realise that there are very definitive stages to the progression of a beard - and I felt like with husband's epic beard growth - we accelerated straight to Stage 6.
 

BEHOLD: Taliban Beard Man - 

On a few occasions this month there has only been one word used to describe this massive face-growth beard:

IMPRESSIVE.

There was a stage just before TALIBAN that looked very Ben Affleck. I wish I had snapped a few shots of the sexy-inbetween phase.

I am happy to report that TALIBAN-beard has disappeared since two days ago - (even after I was beginning to worry that The Warr was getting WAY too attached to it). I do have a sneaky feeling that this isn't the last time The Beard makes an appearance. I actually couldn't believe how YOUNG he looked after having his beard for so long and then shaving it all off! In fact I remarked on it so many times that I think The Man now thinks that it would be a fabulous idea to grow an epic beard every single month.

I'll keep you posted.

DO NOT try this at home: Red Dog Saloon Hot Wings Challenge

This post has been sitting in my draft box for quite some time now - today I had wanted to share a fun little Christmas tradition that my family does on the 24th, but then when I saw this post - I figured that I can't very well post it in 2014 - a whole "year" after the event. So CHANGE OF PLANS for today and instead of our fun Christmas tradition (coming next week!) You will be reading about "THE HUSBAND: BOYS WILL BE BOYS"

A little while ago, I mentioned on twitter that The Husband was going to attempt The Red Dog Saloon Hot Wings Challenge, which is of course extremely mad brave. The idea is "simple": 6 chicken wings, cooked in Naga Viper chili sauce. Eat all 6 wings, then sit for a 5 minute "burn-off". No water, no milk, no ice-cream, no bread, no nothing.

Just so you know, Naga Viper is the Guinness World record HOTTEST CHILI IN THE WORLD. On the scoville scale of chili hottness it is right there below US Grade Pepper Spray.
Anyway, where was I?

The Crowd:

(Above: Pre-red-wings challenge at a bar in Hoxton Square: Shan & I)

(Above: Grant & Shan - recently engaged, yo!)

(Above: Paula & Ryan - Ryan-man-of-Movember)

(L-R: Grant, Shan, Ryan - awaiting the Red Wing Challenge - as observers, not participants. ie: "the sane people")

So, Husband decided he was going to do the HOT WINGS CHALLENGE, in front of the above crowd. Let it be known, that it was not a "spur of the moment" decision. He had decided on this challenge months ago and had been "training" for the event by ingesting raw chili on every occasion he could. Very Brave. Very inadequate training.

Me to Husband: You MUST eat some yogurt. You MUST line your stomach with some thick dairy!

So, we went out for pre-wings challenge drinks: Mojitos and luxury yogurt. As you do.

Eventually we made our way to the Red Dog Saloon:

Husband: OH. THE. NERVES.

Yes. They make you sign a Waiver.

The chicken-stare down.

We had amassed quite an "extended-crowd" and by extended crowd, I mean - the entire restaurant had come downstairs to watch the proceedings.

One of our new restaurant friends, was a Personal Trainer - 

which is hilarious to listen to in the video -

"come on Warren - eaasssssy work.... think of that holiday in Jamaica..."

(thanks Shan for filming!)

So.. the husband passed the wings challenge with flying colours!
He got his name and photo pinned up on that wall! Well done husband! You have ACHIEVED!

Although, he will tell you that he was up the whole night with EVERYTHING happening. And by everything, I mean upchucking, sweats, stomach-ache, everything.

We had bought tickets to Thorpe Park Theme Park to celebrate a friends' birthday, which was taking place the day after the challenge. Needless to say, we had to forfeit our tickets and miss the celebrations in favour of staying close to the toilet.

And that was that.

But what can I say?
He braved the hottest chili in the world and smashed it.

Warren Dyer, Man of Steel.
x

ENGAGED!!

SO

Just to fill you in....

We're ENGAGED!!

Did you miss it?

How could you have? lol. 

Read the full story NOW!! - Click HERE!!

After the massive-well-planned-international-flight-trip-executed-like-a-boss-can't-believe-you-kept-a-secret-of-that-epic-proportion-from-me-the-sleuthing-queen-proposal-of-a-lifetime - we joined our families, they all hugged it out and we had French Champagne on the golf clubhouse deck overlooking the Drakensberg resort. Then both our families went out to dinner together and we all retired after a very exciting and memorable evening.

Except....

no, boys don't like this.

The Warr: Go to sleep.

Me: let's talk about the wedding!!! WOOHOO!!

The Warr: I think we have enough time to save it for morning.

Me: We need to get a head start

TW: We got engaged 8 hours ago

Me: EXACTLY. Time's a wasting!

TW: You know it's three am?

Me: OOOH!!!! SUNRISE!!! We should TOTALLY watch the sunrise.

TW: That's in another hundred hours

Me: We don't want to miss it!!

TW: We won't

Me: We might if you plan on going back to sleep!! We need to keep guard. I'm going to check outside.

TW: It's 3 am.. i really don't think you need to....

Me: (from outside) ok. still the moon. But we need to be ALERT. The sun in the mountains is very sneaky.

TW: I think we'll be fine. Just chill a little for now.

Me: ok.

(2 minutes)

Me: OK!! Sun check again!! Your turn!!

TW: That was like one minute

Me: Ok, I'll go then....  "REPORT BACK: there's been no sudden movement. Moon is still in orbit" I think I'm going to make a cup of tea in preparation.

TW: You can wait at least another two hours for that

Me: It might be MIDNIGHT again by then! SNEAKY MOUNTAIN SUN REMEMBER?!

Approximately two hours and forty-five mintues, 3 long life-chats, one present-opening and 20-wedding-planning-book pages later) that SNEAKY sun decided to make an appearance. I made some tea and put it into the thermos for our drive up the mountain... We sat watching the sunrise, chatting and eating pretend/imaginary rusks in our tea - because you get very hungry when you've been awake for 5 hours and have no food. The rusks were delicious. And i baked them myself.

lol

Some morning snaps - 

you want a closer look? - yeah ok, i really HATE to show it off

Is this not the most gorgeous-most-exquisite-most-precious-piece-of diamond-encrusted-jewelry you've ever seen? Yes. yes it is. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) it's everything I've ever loved on Pinterest all smashed into one. My hand hurts from the extra weight. lol. wow I am a lucky girl. Warra you did so well :) After watching the sunrise and eating our imaginary rusks we went down to breakfast with the fam and then spent the rest of the day lazing by the pool just soaking it all up....

he loves his sunglasses that man of mine.

 

My mom took these pics - she's really good at focusing on the trees:

 

And she took these ones too:

 

Was really special having the family around so thanks for happy-snapping mom :)

and then around 2pm -

Thank you all so much for all your lovely and heartfelt comments on the blog, facebook and twitter - I am overwhelmed with love and filled with gratitude.

More engagement-weekend stories coming soon :)