Happy First Anniversary!

Yesterday (Sunday) was our first wedding anniversary! I can’t believe it’s already been a year. Nathan said, “One great year down and 49 more to go.” I’m pretty sure he is just referring to how, making it to your 50th anniversary is a major accomplishment…I don’t think he meant that after that…we’re through.

We pretty much celebrated on Saturday night. We decided to go out to dinner and decided on Ruby River. I’ve been there before, but man! I forgot how expensive it is! We ended up getting two appetizers and sharing them…which was a great idea. We got the sampler platter and the smoked trout. It was lots of food and a great variety! And we were able to avoid busting our budget. We haven’t been out on a date to an actual restaurant in a long time. It was really nice! It was fun to reflect on the past year and the things we have experienced and accomplished, and “where” we want to be next year.

After dinner Nathan took me to Gardner Village. We had heard about this place but, we had never been there. I thought it was just an outdoor mall with some eating places and such. It was very different from what I was expecting. All of the shops are in old buildings, houses, and cabins so in that sense it IS an outdoor shopping plaza. All of the stores seem to be specialty shops. There are a few furniture shops, quite a few boutiques, a candy shop, an ice cream shop, a bakery, a bookstore and art gallery/store and a number of Christmas shops. All together I think there are at least 10 to 12 building/shops.

The shops and grounds are decorated with Christmas lights and there are random elf scenes throughout the grounds that include elves doing various things to get ready for Christmas. No animatronics but it did kind of remind me of Christmas in the Park; in downtown San Jose (I miss that!). Some of the workers throughout Gardner Village were dressed as elves. One lady had braided pig tails that stuck straight out of the sides of her head. It was cute.

After we were there awhile I became curious about the houses and buildings. I asked Nathan if they just moved a bunch of old houses and buildings to this spot and put little shops in them? I often think Nathan knows everything and in the midst of asking him something, I realize, he probably doesn’t know that, why/how would he?….and then HE DOES!!!! He told me all about it. I think he read it on the internet! He reads everything, that’s pretty much why I always THINK he knows everything and then it turns out he DOES.

This is from the Gardner Village website and this is basically what Nathan told me, but if you want the whole history here’s the link: http://www.gardnervillage.com/history.php

“Archibald Gardner was one of the original settlers of Utah in 1847, when the first wave of pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

In 1849, Archibald Gardner entered into the doctrine of plural marriage. He took two new wives: Abigail and Mary Ann Bradford. He eventually married 8 other women, for a total of 11 wives, fathered 48 children, and saw his family swell to 270 grandchildren. Archibald provided separate homes for his wives. The children were all taught to be industrious at a very young age. Farms were worked by each mother and her young children. In the 1800's, basic needs were food and clothing. The farm provided food for the family, and the Gardner's mills provided clothing, and the needed items for the homes…”

One very large store is the old saw mill. It’s huge and very cool to walk around…I think there are 3 or 4 stories! Archibald’s Restaurant is in the mill as well. We had discussed eating at Archibald’s before we decided on Ruby River but, Archibald’s was SO busy, that I was glad we had already eaten.

I failed to mention that it was all pretty busy. Saturday was their annual Moonlight Madness Sale. All the stores were going to be open until midnight and they all had coupon drawings as you walked in their shops with amazing deals. Everything is pretty expensive there so they may have been amazing deals but, still way pricey.

It was so fun! I highly recommend it. We didn’t even buy anything. Just enjoyed looking at everything!

Earlier that day we took the top of our wedding cake out of the freezer. When we returned from our anniversary date Nathan cut us each a slice of cake. It was white cake with raspberry filling and butter crème frosting. I must admit, I thought it was going to be nasty and taste like the freezer but it was DELICIOUS!!! We took the rest of it to church and fed it to our Sunday school class of 12 & 13 year olds. They loved it! And they didn’t believe us when we told them it was a year old. They are so funny!

I know they are all probably going to be very different but, I think I’m going to like anniversaries! I definitely love being married!