As wedding week comes to a close, we’ll wrap up with the as-promised details of how we honored this year’s anniversary, including where we went, what we ate, what we gifted each other, and how we added to our collection of sweet mementos around the house.
First, we’re all about checking off some of photographic traditions of the day. Wednesday afternoon we took a trip down to Richmond’s Carytown district to pay a visit to our go-to photo booth at the New York Deli. It was Clara’s first photo booth experience and she loved it so much that we couldn’t resist grabbing a second strip. And now they both live on a shelf in our dining area with all of our other strips from big days gone by (which we shared in Wednesday’s post).
One thing we forgot to show you on Wednesday is that we have another collection of anniversary photos in our bedroom. On the ottoman near the mirror, we’ve got small framed pictures that we took on our last two anniversaries (we plan to add one each year – eventually moving the collection to a wall somewhere). In the left photo (our first anniversary) you can even see us holding the cupcakes that we froze from our wedding day to be eaten 365 days later, they were actually pretty good.
So to continue the anniversary “portrait” tradition, once we got home from our photo strip session we braved the heat to snap a few pics in the backyard – with Clara being an important addition to this year’s documentation (thanks to a tripod and the auto timer button on our new camera).
We especially enjoyed taking this one with the arch that we got married under in the foreground.
After that it was time for the all important anniversary meal. Since we had already recreated our wedding menu for year #1 and dined at our rehearsal dinner spot for year #2 (learn more about those adventures here) we decided to honor our Alaskan honeymoon this year by making some sort of salmon dish. And since I’m in the midst of cooking my way through Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (Sherry calls it my Johnny & Jamie project a la Julie & Julia) we plucked out a salmon stir-fry recipe that, despite Kroger not having all the right ingredients, turned out quite well. Yum.
Then after dinner (with Clara off to sleep) it was present time. Even though third year gifts are traditionally supposed to be leather, Sherry and I broke tradition and coincidentally each went the art route. She had 12″ x 12″ enlargements printed of two of our favorite pics of Clara from her newborn photoshoot with our friend Dana Duncan and hung them in our bedroom in inexpensive Ikea frames to surprise me (where one of our botanical prints had previously hung). I love that we can now admire our little girl even when she’s sleeping in her nursery across the hall – plus we couldn’t have planned our outfits better (they coincidentally match the color scheme in there perfectly). See the full sized pictures here and here.
And when it came to my gift for Sherry, I knew that we’d soon have a need for lots of postcard-sized art, so I channeled my inner graph nerd to make her a geeky-sweet representation of all of the things that Sherry has meant to me over the nearly six years that we’ve known each other (and the five that we’ve been dating/betrothed/married). I got to work in a lot of sweet things (like how we went from single people to a family of four) as well as a lot of humorous stuff (like the brief time I thought Sherry’s name might be Heather, how she’s always been the passenger in our relationship since she rarely drives, and how I’ve known her as everything from a fish mom to an actual baby momma.
The gift exchange pretty much wrapped up 7/7/10 for us, but it wasn’t the end of our anniversary festivities. We had planned a day-trip too, but with the triple-digit temperatures (insane) we decided to postpone our travel until yesterday when the heat dropped about ten degrees (you know, because the 90’s is sooo much cooler than 104).
So yesterday we hopped in the car and headed west to Charlottesville, VA. Why there? It’d put us at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just about 30 minutes from where we got engaged. In fact, we actually spent most of the day just outside of C-ville driving on the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway to soak up the view and tell Clara all about the fun adventures that predated her much-anticipated arrival (being mathy I’m good at recalling where we were and what we did on specific days, so there were a lot of “three years ago on this exact day we were…” conversations). Oh the memories.
We also stopped for lunch near the base of the mountains at the Blue Mountain Brewery. Yes, it’s odd that two non-drinking baby-wearing people would choose a brewery to celebrate, but we had heard good things about its picturesque setting and delicious food. Plus they consider themselves to be a “green” business (we happily counted at least three rain barrels when we arrived) so that always makes us happy to show our support. And although we didn’t head there expecting to see anything home related, as soon as we pulled up Sherry was raving about their deep bronze-toned metal roof. We’d love to have one someday… if they weren’t so darned expensive.
Inside the meal was simple, but delicious (and made from local ingredients). Plus I had the pleasure of rocking my Ergo carrier throughout.
Heck, if you can’t enjoy the view of the mountains – this one isn’t a bad substitute, eh? Clara’s like the seven dwarfs these days (sleepy, happy, bashful, and even occasionally grumpy). Here are just a small sampling of the faces I was getting throughout the meal.
After our second tasty anniversary meal we stopped at my alma mater (to get Clara her first UVA onesie, of course) and then we headed back home to call an official end to the extended anniversary festivities. Well, that is until this morning when we made one last nod to our lemon-&-lime themed wedding with Clara’s eight week photo. She’s such a good sport.
Thanks again for celebrating wedding week with us this year! It’s always fun to take a slight detour and look to relationships & the celebrations that accompany them for DIY and design inspiration. We’ll be back on Monday with our regularly scheduled programming, so until next year we hope everyone enjoys celebrating their own anniversaries and all of those other heart-warming milestones over the next twelve months!
Psst- Clamoring for more Clara? She doesn’t usually hang out on the blog all that much, so just click the sidebar button with her cute mug on it for tons of regularly uploaded photos of Baby P!
RC says
Happy Anniversary week! Love the Clara pics. It would be neat to have a duplicate Clara gallery with just the Clara week 1, week etc. onesies.
YoungHouseLove says
RC – Funny you should ask. That does exist! Here’s the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/younghouselove/sets/72157624154743476/
-John
Karen J says
Boy oh boy!! You guys sure know how to be creative without breaking the bank. However, you failed to mention Burger. What happened?
YoungHouseLove says
Burger still sleeps with us every night while Clara’s in the nursery. Fret not, he’s much loved and enjoys everything from playing with Clara (see all of those pics, and even a video, by clicking the Clara button on the sidebar) to strolls around the neighborhood and evenings on the sofa with us. He’s very much a beloved part of our family, but we thought since he wasn’t in the last two anniversary photos (and since it might be hard to juggle a pup and a baby while pressing the auto flash button and running into frame) that we’d let him play in the yard instead of making him pose. But he does have his own blog while Baby P just has a flickr page so he’s still the man. No worries!
xo,
s
Amanda says
Love this post! You guys are the cutest, happiest little family!
I love your anniversary traditions! John, that gift for Sherry was stellar & so creative. Love it!
Jessica @ How Sweet says
So precious! Glad you guys had a great week!
Austyn says
Those are absolutely the sweetest gifts ever! Love them.
Btw, I was looking for a post you featured a while back with baby products that you purchased for Clara, I remember that it included a nightlight/white noise/iPod dock of some sort, but I can’t seem to find it. Could you link to it, pretty please?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Austyn,
Here you go: https://www.younghouselove.com/on-your-mark-get-set/?cp=4
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kim Smith says
Sherry & John,
Thanks for sharing your anniversary celebrations! Congratulations again! My husband Sean & I are celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary next week on the 13th. We always like to go back to the location where we got married at here in Vegas (no not one of the wedding chapels :D.). We wanted a tropical location that was indoors in the July desert heat, so we found the perfect place at a local hotel atrium area where they hold wedding ceremonies.
SSB says
Happy Anniversary Week!
The two of you are so thoughtful towards each other and your family, its heartwarming! :)
John, your gift to Sherry was beyond perfect! And I love the pictures of Clara Sherry presented you.
Jackie says
John, My 5th anniversary is coming up and I’d love to adapt your idea as a gift for my husband. What program did you use to make it?
Lessons in Life and Light says
What great gifts! I LOVE the photos of Clara with your wall color. And that timeline is so wonderful. You’ve got to frame that, Sherry!
Felicity says
Clara looks like your dad in some of her photos, John. And that’s a compliment ’cause your dad is a cutie patutie. I just love dads who help with projects :)
Jennifer says
I loved this post! The hubs and I are coming up on our 3 year anniversary in August and I’ve been racking my brain for ways we can celebrate with the two of us And our sweet 14 month old. Thanks for always bringing us such budget-friendly, creative, and meaningful ways to enjoy the little things in life :)
Lynn Van Slyke says
OMG! I love the photo strip of the three of you. That has got to be the sweetest thing ever!!!
Happy Anniversary =)
Martha says
You two are an absolute inspiration for learning how to savor life!
This was one of my good intentions for 2010 because 2009 did not happen for us and I hate looking back and having almost no memories of an entire year of my life.
Reading your blog every day not only provides great inspiration design-wise, but is also a reminder to put life’s simplest moments in the spotlight.
Maybe the husband and I will actually get around to celebrating our next wedding anniversary (5!). :-)
Thanks!
Keeley says
I love that you take an anniversary photo each year! I wish we had thought of that! I love that your gifts and celebration were very sentimental. It looks like you’ve figured out what really matters.
Rose says
Nice close to the Wedding Week!
Great gift ideas…pretty clever on your part, John!
By the way, where did you get all the printed fabrics from and what are you doing with them? Sewing things and such?
Jessie (Bites and Pieces) says
Everything in this post is so adorable! Clara has the cutest expressions too. Happy Anniversary guys! :)
Julie says
Glad you guys went to check out Blue Mountain Brewery! I’ve been twice while vineyard hopping and loved the view and the food. Charlottesville makes for a great mini adventure from RVA. Happy anniversary!
Patti says
Happy Anniversary young house lovers! Love your gifts to each other but John … I think I’M in love with you after I saw what you created for Sherry … I had tears in my eyes! What a lovely loving man. Do you have a brother?
jen@homeinthecountry says
Happy Anniversary week! Your gifts to each other were super-sweet. I am super-impressed with John’s timeline, too. Super-cool.
Crystal says
okay, so first-congratulations on three years! second, and this is quite eerie (possibly creepy) actually- i had a dream about running in to the two of you in a home depot in the paint section. (i live in c-ville so the chances of this happening are pretty moderate). and when i read your story about visiting c-ville, i was reminded of the dream i had, which happened to coincide with the days you were near c-ville. maybe it was coincidence or maybe i could “feel” that you guys were near (ha!). anyways, thought that was a totally random story!
ps: the paint color you helped me pick out in the dream was an aqua marine color. i looked online and it’s gorgeous….so thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Crystal- That’s too funny! You must have sensed our presence!
Patti- Sadly I’ve never had a brother, just three sisters. I did have a single cousin but Sherry hooked him up with her best friend (and they’re now married with a baby!).
Rose- We’re not sure what we’ll be doing with all the fabrics that we’re finding at discount chains like Jo-Ann and Hancock. We’ll definitely figure something out and post about it someday though. Stay tuned…
Jackie- I made the timeline in Photoshop. Hope it helps!
-John
Ashley Lovett says
You guys are TOO cute! I can’t stand it :)
Sarah @ The Ugly Duckling House says
Happy anniversary! I’m thankful you guys are so creative! It really helps when thinking of some new stuff for my guy (who for the last few months has been a wonderful sport at remodeling our “new” house). We’re not getting married anytime soon, but these are certainly great ideas for any stage of a relationship!
BTW, LOVE the POSTSECRET series/books/blog. Such a wonderful peek into the lives of others.
Claire says
I LOVE your gifts to each other. I hope you don’t mind John, but I might have to steal your time line idea for a gift for my husband at some point. Very thoughtful!
Barbara says
Those are the sweetest gifts ever, and I’ve never seen a more romantic, in love couple as you two. I hope you always feel this way and that you have many, many years together.
Lindsay@Tell'er All About It says
Congrats again, guys!!! Your gifts and traditions are so cute!! I admit that my hubby and I (just celebrated 3 years last month) have had pretty terrible anniversaries up until this year – we moved cross country on our first and then we moved into our first house on our second! Exciting, but definitely not romantic! Now that we’re finally “settled”, we’re looking forward to incorporating some awesome traditions going forward and I might keep the above in mind!!!
xoxo,
Lindsay
Holly says
The DIY relationship timeline is so cute, you could probably sell personalized ones through your store. I know I’d buy one!
Amy says
Ok, of all your wedding-themed posts this week, this one is my very favorite. I love the things you gifted eachother, and especially love your postcard art, John. Wow. So, so thoughful and special! You two are the picture of romance.
Kristen says
That graph John made is too cute! What a creative idea!
Trish says
Happy anniversary to you both! So cute! Congrats!
Trish @brilliantnest (Where another married couple works on their home together, thanks to your example– http://www.brilliant-nest.com)
Kate says
First and foremost, Happy Anniversary! Second, Clara is adorable! Love all the pics you guys are sharing of your precious bundle. And the gifts (framed photos) were to cute…I love those pics too (especially the top one). Oh, and the timeline was funny! Never heard of that before but BRILLIANT!!!
Lise says
That anniversary post card has got to be the sweetest idea I’ve seen in a long time. Way to go John!
Jenn says
aww these are so cute and Sherry you look great!!!
Robyn in Chicago says
#1 – I can’t believe Clara is 8 weeks old already.
#2 – lurve the timeline – nice work John!
#3 – you guys are the cutest.
#4 – anniversary / wedding week was fun – loved the guest post from Style Me Pretty!
Beth @ bethcooks says
Y’all are so stinkin adorable! I love all the things you did to celebrate your anniversary. Great pics too. It looked like the perfect week :)
P.S. Sherry, you look amazing!!
Dana @ House*Tweaking says
What a happy lil’ family and happy lil’ ways to cherish it! Great to see you still taking time for each other when things are busy. Congrats!
HHC says
OMG – the timeline gift is so adorable. Would you perhaps offer up the digital file, even for sale in your shop? Super cute.
christa says
i could see sherry as a heather perhaps.
:)
happy anniversary
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Christa,
The story is that when I met Sherry while working at a NYC ad agency with her, she was a copywriter and she had a female creative partner (an art director) named Heather. So I was always introduced to their creative team as “Sherry & Heather” so I didn’t know which one was which for a while!
-John
Erin S. says
I love your gifts for each other! John, is there any way you could post some sort of template for yours for us non-graph nerds? :)
Kelly S says
What a small world! I drive over Afton Mt everyday from Waynesboro to C’ville (I work at UVA) and back in the afternoon. You probably already know this but I highly recommend you coming back this way in October. The fall colors on Afton are incredible. I absolutely LOVE my drive to and from work during that month.
We went on a picnic on the parkway over the weekend and ended up cruising Wintergreen resort. On Sunday it was a blistery 99 in W’boro and it felt 20 degrees cooler on the mountain!
Gayle says
I love this post. You all are so creative. What a way to build memories.
Kate! says
I love the timeline! You guys have so many great ideas. But what is the one, two, three, four on the timeline? Everything else I could figure out!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
That’s where we went from being two single people (1) to a couple (2) and then a family of three (including Burger of course) and now a family of four (thanks to Clara!).
xo,
s
jennifer says
How sweet are you two?!? Sherry, you look fabulous…would never know that just 8 weeks ago you had the whole 9 months pregnant thing happening!
Happy Anniversary crazy youngsters/parentals!! And as always, thank you for sharing!!
Anna says
Congratulations on your anniversary! John, would you mind sharing how you made the graph? My husband is a major graph nerd and I’d love to make him one for a “here’s all the stuff we’ve done over the last almost 9 years together” collage we’re working on.
YoungHouseLove says
Anna, Erin S, and HHC,
So sorry but I never anticipated people asking for the file of the timeline that I made for Sherry. I actually flattened it before printing it for her so it’s no longer editable. Bummer! But here’s how I did it:
I used Photoshop, turned on the grid tool (to keep my lines organized) and used the line tool to make them (along with the type tool to label them). The font that I used was Otari. Hope it helps!
-John
Anna says
That definitely helps, thanks John! Keep the great ideas coming :)
Fernanda says
You guys are just the cutest!!! I love your blog. Thank you for sharing your anniversary week with us!! My husband and I will celebrate our first Anniversary in September, and you gave me a lot of inspiration to keep the memories!!! Thank a lot!!
I wish you all the best! Happy Anniversary to the cutest online couple ever!!!
Heather says
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see a couple so much in love and that truly celebrates their anniversary every year! My hubby and I will be married 10 years in November and although we were married young (I was 18 and he was 20) we continue our tradition of taking a trip to the mountains every year! This year we are doing something a little more special and going to Boston! I love all the little ideas you have to show your love and how cute you are together! Now with Clara you are just the cutest little family! Keep it up and you will have a long and happy marriage! Happy Anniversary!
Alyssa says
You guys truly are the cutest couple (and family!) ever. Thanks for showing what thoughtful moments can do for a relationship. You guys seriously set an amazing example! And Clara & Burger…adorable.
Congratulations! Thanks for being such great models for love!
Elena says
I always read but hardly ever comment – I have to comment on this one!
Absolutely adorable, you guys are an inspiration to young, married and busy couples everywhere!
John, I adore the timeline and have to second someone else above – you should start selling personalized ones in your shop! i know, i know, if you only had more time on your hands….but seriously, think about it!
love, love this!
dinah says
why are you guys such a cute family?! ^_^
Fernanda says
I forgot to ask something… what tool do you use on Photoshop to add the weeks number to Clara’s pictures?? I love that idea, and they look so real! I am not very familiar with Photoshop… I am trying to learn some tricks… :) thanks!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Fernanda,
The weeks number is just two separate layers using the type tool (the number is a font called Fyra, the work “weeks” is Otari – both downloaded for free somewhere). Then I just use the transform tool to size and rotate them to look like they’re on the shirt. Then I set the layer to “Multiply” instead of the default “Normal” so that the text picks up some of the shading of the shirt. Lastly, I usually make the layer between 60-80% opacity to again help it show some of the texture of the shirt.
In the rare case that her shirt has a wrinkle I have to Rasterize the layers, which allow me to select and skew slivers of the type to try to match the folds. I’m no expert at it, but so far I’ve managed to do a relatively convincing job of it (hopefully).
Hope that helps!
-John