Meet Cute Part 3

Meet Cute Part 1
Meet Cute Part 2 

Part 3

I mean I can't hid the fact that our main form of communication was FB messaging is slightly embarrassing. I can feel slightly less embarrassed that HE started facebooking me first. Several weeks of faceboking later he ended up with my number though, not surprisingly, a margarita. 

I was barely 21... making a margarita was not in my repituire. At some point in the planning of yet another "surprise" birthday party someone suggested calling Reese for his margarita recipe. I obviously volunteered--no one objected. 

Our first phone conversation was a grand total of 31 seconds long and included directions on how to make a margarita, but he now had my number. 

Our first picture together! 

Facebook chats turned into texts which turned into nightly phone calls. Despite all the time I was spending communicating with this boy I still wasn't sure how I felt exactly.

Somehow he just ended up in College Station one weekend. Not surprisingly our first date was at a grocery store. We cooked dinner, ate with friends, and went on our first real dinner date, yet he left with things still up in the air.

Just has "mysteriously" as he had materialized in College Station I ended up in Shreveport the next weekend. The plan was to go up to Reese's families lake house. With some winks and a few nods Reese and I ended being the first two at the house. The conversation went a little something like this...

Reese: " Lets go sit on the doc"
Me: "OK!"
(Meg and Reese Walk down to the doc and sit on the porch swing)
Resse: " Sooooo"
Me: "Soooo"
Reese: "Sooooo are we talking or what?"
Me: "Talking is stupid your either dating or your not... sooo?"
Reese: "so I guess were dating?"
Me: "That's what it seems like to me."
Reese: " WOW! My mom's not going to believe I have a girlfriend!"

Don't worry I still make fun of him for that last line!

Sunset at the lake!

So with that on the doc swing of a lake house on May 29, 2010 I started dating my best friend! 

It has been my favorite 2 years! This is not how our story ends but where it was just getting started!
I am one lucky girl!!

My Sweet Surprise

[2 posts 1 day I know... who am I? BUT this anniversary surprise deserves a post!]


 "Uhhhh" I thought as I heard the loud knock at my front door. 99.9% of the time when someone is at the door they are under the age of 13 and want to show me their dog. 

"Knock Knock Knock" 

Ugh I guess I could get up and see who it was. 

I'm not really sure why I have a peep hole because I can't see anything out of it... annoyed I opened the door and decided I would listen to yet another a dog tale. 

BUT....

When the door swung open and standing there was my amazing, crazy, lovable, FANTASTIC boyfriend. 

After we took this picture he looked at me and said "how long until it is blogged?" Ahhh he knows me too well.

Not only was he standing there but he was holding a homemade... like 100% from scratch Reese's Peanut Butter cup Cheesecake.

This cheesecake recipe is one that is included in our 1 year cookbook (a compilation of all the dishes we made our first year of dating)

Frozen. I was absolutely frozen by the shock of it all. My boyfriend had made a homemade cheesecake, got in his truck and drove 2.5 hours to come see me and celebrate our 2 year anniversary.





Slices of the AHHHmazing cheesecake!!



We exchanged cards, ate cheesecake, drank our favorite wine and watched Mad Men.

I could not think of a more perfect way to end my 2nd start my 3rd year of dating my best friend.

Not to mention he helped me clean my apartment (which is what I was doing when he showed up).I am one EXTREMELY lucky girl!

Meet Cute Part 2

Cute Meet Part 1 

"What can I get you to drink?" he asked in a slightly hurried tone. 

"A margarita is fine." I answered with an air of suspicion in my voice.

He handed me my drink and didn't say much else. 

The original FB caption on this photo is "Reese doing what Reese does best" little did I know! 

"Um hi? I'm Meg" I offered slightly annoyed.
Why had this guy not asked me my name... isn't that the whole point of the "what can I get you to drink" line?
 I later found out that though the magic of facebook stalking he already knew it, so introductions weren't as necessary as I thought. 

"Hey, Reese" he answered.

Right there in College Station, Texas on February 19th in a kitchen littered with drinks, our friends and birthday decorations I met the boy who would change everything. Although, again, I had NO idea. 

I learned that he was high school friends if Janas. A Louisiana boy. A frat star (ahh he might kill me for writing that) from head to toe. He went to Louisiana Tech a fact that was confirmed by his visor-- a piece of clothing that would soon become the bain of my existence.

Other than those few simple facts I didn't know or think much abut him. Just casual party talk. 

A few days later being the good 21st century party goers we were we friended each other on facebook. He had already done his stalking but I had my work cut out for me. I flipped though his pictures unaware that the faces I was staring at would be the cast of characters I would soon count among my friends. 

Meet Cute Part 1

 Say a man and a woman both need something to sleep in and both go to the same men's pajama department. The man says to the salesman, "I just need bottoms," and the woman says, "I just need a top." They look at each other and that's the 'meet cute.' 

-Arthur Abbott, The Holiday

There is a reason this blog is named Sweetly Complicated I truly can not do anything simply. I get the pleasure of the majority of life being done the "complicated" way... and honestly I'm ok with that. How I ended up dating my wonderful boyfriend Reese is just as complicated as the rest of my life. 

In honor of today being our 2 year anniversary I am going to tell you the story of our cute meet. 

part 1

  favorite 

January/February 2010

I walked into the room with typical "I dont know anyone in there" caution that comes with the first day of a new semester. My eyes swept the rows and finally landed on a familiar face. A sigh of relief left my body as I plopped down next to her. Technically, we had met our freshman year in a service organization we were both a part of. Jana, little did I know would have a hand in changing the course of my life. 

The routine started-- go to class, laugh at our CRAZY professor, chit-chat and walk back to our cars. The 7th day of class while walking to our cars she turned and proclaimed, "I'm having a surprise birthday party and you will be there." Typical lovable Jana. 

Facebook message were exchanged and party plans were made. I vaguely remember someone mentioning something about some of Jana's "Shreveport" friends coming, but didn't think much of it. 

February 2010

Jana and I at her 21st birthday! 

Jana's 21st birthday party finally arrived. I washed, straightened AND styled my hair, big deal BIG DEAL. Spent more than 56 seconds on my make-up, and ventured into the side of my closet that contained actually clothing rather than the nike shorts I had been living in (did I mention that this was a big deal?). I distinctly remember thinking that for some reason this night was going to be special, truly not know what was awaiting me in a matter of hours.  

I walked in the house and almost immediately noticed two boys standing in the kitchen. I noticed but didn't really give a second though to until I needed a drink...

Stay tuned fir how a margarita changed my life...

Reflections on Year One

May. It’s May. I have learned a lot in 187 days 5 hours and 6 minutes (not that I’m counting) of teaching.  There is constant change, I have learned that assuming-- well you know what assuming does, and that having back up is the only way to survive. 

The constant change is astonishing to me. I loathe change, I abhor having to stray from the perfectly planed out path. Honestly, I have been especially impressed with myself that as I pulled into the parking lot the day of my first formal evaluation and changed my lesson plan, IN THE PARKING LOT. I whooshed in the building, fumbled for my keys to unlock the door, and hastily scribbled the new plan on the board. I chuckled to myself thinking that if my family and friends saw me doing this they would want to know what planet they had been abducted to.  First year lesson, embrace change, and embrace the flashes of brilliance that come with it.

I'm actually kinda loving my photo bomber in this pic... and check out those awesome dry erase hands! 

Lesson two, assuming. To quote a student when “assume” was a spelling word – “just remember it has a naughty word in it”. That naughty word is just how you can look when you partake in this activity. As a first year teacher I polished up what I thought was a neat and tidy little lesson on fairy tales only to be handed a crushing blow during the first ten minutes of first period.  The board read “what is your favorite fairy tale and why?” The answers I received were varied to say the least: Ronnie from Jersey Shore, Stewie from Family Guy, and Tom and Jerry were among the most popular.  Clearly I assumed they knew what a fairy tale was. Clearly I assumed incorrectly. Clearly I made a naughty word out of myself. 

Please excuse the MESS in my room... we are in the middle of cleaning out journals, binders and lockers... AKA STUFF EVERY WHERE 

 Teacher friends, we sat around a table, wine glasses scattered about (because that is what English teachers do...right?) laughing and talking about “our kids”. No, none of us have birthed any children of our own but this August we got our first “our kids”. We understood the stories of “that kid” and the exhausted nights planning, and the paper work... OH the paper work. We are all in the same boat. I found sanity in that boat; I found solace and company that will listen understand, but not bombard with advice, simply because they have none themselves. Lesson 3, find your “teacher friends”.

It's been a wild ride. A ride I wouldn't give up for the world. I started with 109 6th graders and ended up with 109 writers. I started having a basic idea of what I was doing to finally having a clear thought out plan, well most of the time. I learned incredible lessons and worked with amazing people. Learned to be flexible, not to assume and to surround myself with positive, encouraging teachers who I can laugh, cry and share my crazy teacher stories with. 

Foodie Love

"Tell me what your favorite thing we do together?" I asked as we sat in the swing where we officially started our relationship.

Reese paused for a moment. Normally the answer to these types of questions is "I don't know" and that is ok. Tonight twoish years later sitting on the swing where I exclaimed "Talking is stupid we are either dating or were NOT". He answered my question.

"Going to the grocery store and cooking, you don't rush me."

I laughed what a wonderful Reese answer.

Really this is my favorite thing too.

Food is our "thing".

We have brunch

Italian Flat omelet with sausage, mozzarella, marina and basil.

We eat snacks like this

Olive Bread with Balsamic oil and Vinegar dip

We Semi home made dinners like this...

Bacon wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Spinach and Orzo salad, truffled risotto cake 

and enjoy sweet surprises like beer "named after me"

ahhh I love my partner is foodie crime!

( I look strange BUT Reese never smiles for pictures so I can forget how I look and focus on how cute he look when he SMILES!)

HIgh Five for Friday No. 18

 Yeah so this week. 

There are a few things that I do know about this week... 

1. I'm still alive

2. My life really is sweetly complicated... but more on that later. 

So with out further adu I am linking up with Lauren @ From my Grey Desk for High Five For Friday. 

one. 

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I ended up giving into the Kate Spade sample sale and this pretty little thing is headed to me so so soon. 

Happy "I survived my first year of teaching" to meeeee!!!

andddd ps for those of you who saw my instagram post this is the yellow one just in this sweet coral/tangerine color that I couldn't resist! 

two. 

Speaking of surviving teaching I also survived my first field trip! Although I'm not sure "Survived" is the right term because I am pretty sure I had just as much fun as the kids did. 

You can read more about the field trip here! 

three. 

Last Friday I got to see my man play soccer for the first time. He played in high school and apparently was pretty good. 

Isn't he just too cute. I mean I know i'm partcial but seriously :) 

four.

Wore my hair like this and might actually conquer my fear of doing a tutorial... whattttt??

five. 

I AM GOING TO THE DAVE MATTHEW'S CONCERT today. 

No further explanation needed. 

Let the excitement ensue!! 

Field Trip in Numbers

There are few scarier things to a teacher than a field trip. 

Taking middle schoolers out of their natural habitat is kind of like letting lions roam free in the zoo. 

I am here to tell you that yes, indeed we did let the lions out of their cage and I survived, and I may have even had some (read A LOT) of fun myself. 

Really, in the end, field trips are a numbers game... so here are the numbers from our trip...

3 School Bus 

95 12 year olds 

6 Games of Lazer Tag 

3 GoKart Races 

1 bad wreck later... How smart was I to let a 12 year old drive!?

4 Tokens and 1 game of Ski Ball 

5 go arounds on the bumper cars 

1,000 tickets 

 1 REALLY really REALLY good time 

and 1 VERY tired teacher!

From my Kitchen with Love: Cucumber Salad

Spring has SPRUNG and so have spring flavors! 

I have a slight obsession with cucumbers. 

One of my favorite spring/summer treats is cucumber salad.

I wanted to make some for a side dish.

So I started experimenting.

It takes some time in the fridge to make but it is WAY worth it. 

Crisp Cucumber Salad 

1 large cucumber sliced 

1/2 red onion sliced

3 TBS salt

1/2 c of sugar 

1/2 c of white vinegar 

2 TBS Cilantro chopped 

1/2 tbs cracked black pepper

In a bowl coat sliced cucumbers and onions in salt.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. 

After 2 hours rinse off the salt and return veggies to the bowl. 

In a separate bowl combine sugar and vinegar.

Pour vinegar/sugar mixture over the veggies. Toss in cilantro and pepper. 

Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Where my Heart is

I am not a movie watcher, I prefer T.V. shows, but there are some movies that just have my heart.

Certain movies I can quote line by line because I have worn out the VHS ...err I mean DVD.

One of those movies is "Where the Heart is"

I don't know if it is the part where she gives birth in Wal Mart or the fact that her best friends children are named after deserts but there is just something about that movie that I just absolutely love.

Last week I took some senior pictures for sweet Katelyn, while we were shooting her mom took some pictures of us working. As I looked at these pictures I started wondering where my photography passion started. Obviously my grandmother (read more about that here), but then it dawned on me! In the movie

"Where the Heart is" Natalie Portman's character wins a photography award for a photo she takes of her daughter after a tornado devastates their town.

That moment, that photo, is burned into my brain as the first time I connected emotion to photography. That image of Natalie Portman's little girl reaching for an American Flag a top a pile of debris truly showed me where my heart is, photography.

Go check out sweet Katleyn's senior pictures HERE

mama.

Dear Mom, 

Thank you for always being there.

Thank you for loving me. 

Thank you for pushing me when I thought I couldn't go any further. 

Thank you for making me eat my veggies.

Thank you for being an amazing example of faith and grace,

 and Thank you for always reading my blog :)

Happy Mothers Day! 

Love MEGAN Cady 

(your welcome for using "The name I got out of a trashy novel!")