Four.

We have been married four blissful years.

 And my husband is more handsome than ever.

We had plans to get fondue, but both boys had a cold with a pretty nasty cough. So we spent our actual anniversary Christmas shopping and had dinner at a grilled cheese shop in Evanston with our two best buddies.

Matt's annual Christmas party was the next night, and my mom came to Chicago to watch the boys during the party and even overnight while we stayed downtown at a hotel. It was the first time we were away from our boys overnight at the same time. It was nice to be away. And the boys did really well without us.

These were taken at the party, the ballroom is gorgeous.

 We stayed at this really off-beat boutique hotel called the Acme Hotel. It was pretty funky. Album covers adorned the inside of the elevators, the wall in our room had a big zipper decal going up it, and every bathroom has a giant pair of lips on the mirror that are continuously lit. It wasn't "that" kind of hotel, despite what giant lips may imply.

They bring complimentary coffee right to your door in the morning at your specified time, which I thought was pretty neat.

We went out for breakfast in the morning at our favorite breakfast spot:

Orange serves up their own fresh squeezed juice of every variety and combination you can imagine, plus decadent pancakes and savory omelets.

Matt got the omelet, I got their popular "pancake flight" which changes weekly, and features four stacks of  the best-pancakes-you-will-ever-eat, all with a unifying theme. That morning the unifying element happened to be honey. Which was perfect for me.

It was the best morning date I have had in a long time, and I had the best company to share it with.

I feel as though Matt and I have gotten to know each other in all new ways this year. We have both grown and changed, and are continually evolving, learning new things about ourselves and each other. I feel very blessed to be able to say that each new thing I learn about my husband, is something that makes him all the more loveable.

I truly truly cherish that man.

He knows my heart, and accepts my weakness and imperfections with grace. He is my rock.

I am so looking forward to hitting our first big marriage milestone of five years next year, but our fourth was pretty wonderful.