V-Day (A Little Late)

We wanted to have big plans for Valentine's Day this year, start the morning off with breakfast and then think of something really fun and special to do for the rest of the day. But come Valentine's Day morning we still weren't sure what. Zeniff did come down for breakfast but by the time we actually cooked, ate, and cleaned up was already 1:00 p.m.! We still hadn't thought of anything spectacular to do so we headed down to the gym to work out for awhile. It was so fun to go with Zeniff since I always have to go to thy gym alone. In fact I have to beg him to come work out with me at all! By the time we got back from the gym and actually got ready for the day it was almost dinner time, and now we were both too tired to want to go anywhere or do anything. We ended up making dinner at home, exchanging gifts, and then watching TV for the rest of the night. Nothing spectacular, but it turned out to be the perfect day!

Valentine's Day Breakfast

Heading to the Gym

We tried something a little different this year for our gift exchange. The beginning of February we decorated valentine's boxes, just like in elementary school and then we gave our decorated empty boxes to each other. Then the rules went as follows:

1. Return the box to the other person, filled on February 14.
2. Stay under the $5 limit, including supplies.

It was a little challenging, but so much fun!

Zeniff's Gifts included:

• A couple of his favorite candy bars, wrapped in a valentine's motif
• 10 'Love Coupons', for back massages, cookies, etc.
• 220 pieces of paper with different reasons why I love him, which I made him read
• Me playing the guitar and singing "1234 by the Plain White T's"

Natalie's Gifts included:

• Bouquet of Tulips
• My favorite candies - individually wrapped
• An oil painting of a field of daisies (one of my favorite flowers), which he painted
• A photograph of a piano that Zeniff took in college, which I have been practically begging for a copy of for 3 years!

Mexican or Arab? You Decide.

My boyfriend and I have been dating for 3 1/2 years now and it never ceases to amaze me that every time I mention his name to someone for the first time, I have to repeat it twice or even three times. If we ever have to put our names on a waiting list somewhere, we always use my name just for simplicity sake. When he's picking up an order and they ask for the last name, it's "J-A-S-S-O" pronouncing the letters only, not a word. His name? Zeniff Jasso. Generally speaking, when ever I have introduced him to someone, the next question always follows: "So Zeniff, is that right? Were is he from?" Zeniff is from Mexico. He has lived most of his life in Dallas, TX but was born and spent the first 8 years of his life in Mexico. I see it. He looks hispanic, we eat a lot of tortillas, beans, and rice, and he speaks mainly spanish with his family. Once a few years ago someone asked me where he was from. I answered Mexico, and they said "Mexico really? I was thinking that he was from some Arab nation." Arab Nation? I see Mexican, but I don't see Arab!

It wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I finally began to see where my friend was coming from. We went snowboarding and were taking a break, goofing around in the lodge with the camera. Later that night, when I looked at the pictures I finally began to see what she had been seeing all along.

I only wish that I had a picture of him in a sombrero to compare this to! And for those of you still wondering how to pronounce his name, go back to your high school spanish class and say this: Zeniff Jasso "[Suh-neef] [Haw-soh]"

Not Your Typical Accounting Equation

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DISASTER!!!!!

(Yes i'm speaking from experience)