{Gone Pinning} Fruit and flower anniversary gifts

Brandon and I are celebrating our FOURTH wedding anniversary in a little less than a month and with Baby Michael due just a mere 10 days before our anniversary, I’m a little early with this post, since I’d like to have Brandon’s gifts on lock down by the time the kid arrives!

We like to buy one another “traditional” anniversary gifts, as dictated by… Hallmark.

Check out our first (paper) anniversary gift ideas, second (cotton), and third (leather). (Pinterest became popular after our first anniversary, so I don’t have any ideas to share beyond what we did for one another: I made Brandon a book of coupons {I don’t think he’s redeemed any yet} and he gave me a photo album to capture our future memories together that I am sorry to say I haven’t used yet either. I’ll put it on my ‘to do’ list on my baby vacation!)

The fourth anniversary is the “fruit and flower” anniversary, so we’re using that to guide our gift giving. I typically turn to the internet for my gift-giving ideas and this anniversary is no exception. Here are some of the items that fit the bill:

Oh! Chocolate dipping class

We did this chocolate class when we had just started dating and it was a blast! We dipped everything and consequently ate everything too! Chocolate comes from a tree in tropical regions, so I’ve classified it as a fruit. Makes sense, right?

We've already taken the Oh! Chocolate dipping class, but it was so great, we'd do it again! Chocolate comes from trees, so it counts as a fruit or a flower, right?

Oh! Chocolate dipping glass

Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC

I’ve been to Victoria twice while Brandon has yet to visit– a first for us! (Brandon is much more the traveler of our couple.) A jaunt north on the Clipper would be a blast. Butchart Gardens looks pretty spectacular and it might be fun to try out a completely new place for both of us. We’d just have to get little Michael a passport!

A trip north, to Butchart Gardens, perhaps?

A trip north, to Butchart Gardens, perhaps?

Bloedel Reserve, Bainbridge Island

We’ve already been here too, and it was great. We actually went to Bainbridge Island for our first anniversary. It was also the first time Brandon received a student discount on admission to the Reserve. Clearly it was quite memorable. We would highly recommend that you pay the nominal fee (especially if you’re a student!) and walk through the beautiful grounds. It would also be great for a stroll with a wee babe!

The Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island

The Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island

Pike Place Market
We often cruise to the Market and could again for our anniversary. We could grab some mini-doughnuts, pose with the pig, and pretend (but for real) that we were there four years before doing the exact same thing!

Flowers from the Pike Place Market

Flowers from the Pike Place Market

Edible Arrangements 

What about fruit as flowers? The best of both worlds! This could be an option for Brandon, as long as it’s covered in chocolate!

Edible Arrangements

Edible Arrangements

Wine items

Wine comes from grapes and grapes are fruit, so I think we just hit the jackpot! Any sort of wine accessory could work. Maybe these wine glass screen hats for those blasted fruit flies? Or some new glasses, specific to the varietals that we drink most often? Maybe those wine glass picnic stands? I’d have to start going to more concerts and picnics. ‘Course, I could just get this instead…

Fancy wine glasses!? YES, please!

Fancy wine glasses!? YES, please!

Or, maybe I’ll deviate from the list and get something even more creative! (Hint, hint!) You’ll just have to check back in late September to find out what we gifted one another!

Celebrating our third anniversary

Brandon and I celebrated our third anniversary last night at Salty’s, the restaurant where we had our wedding reception three years ago today. We like to go back to Salty’s each year to celebrate: anniversary number one: all-you-can-eat brunch and number two: a romantic dinner.

We also like to take photos with our year numbers, in their traditional gift themes:

Year one: Paper! (We have a better photo somewhere, but haven’t been able to locate it)

Celebrating our paper anniversary

Celebrating our paper anniversary

Year two: Cotton

My cotton #2 for our second anniversary dinner

My cotton #2 for our second anniversary dinner

Year three: Leather (We finally got a tripod, so we could take photos of ourselves! We also took the “3” to Montana and took photos at the wedding photobooth and with the wedding photographer.)

Leather anniversary at Salty's

Leather anniversary at Salty’s

Photo check in the rain. We got married right in that very spot!

Photo check in the rain. We got married right in that very spot!

So windy! Enjoying the elements on our third anniversary

So windy! Enjoying the elements on our third anniversary

Cheers to three years together!

Cheers to three years together!

Salty’s was doing something fun last night: a fall equinox luau, so we were able to enjoy the following:

Salty's Luau Feast

Salty’s Luau Feast

Kalua Pork Slider
hawaiian sweet roll, chipotle pepper-spiked slaw

Chile-Rubbed Mahi
tropical fruit salsa

Prawn and Portuguese Sausage Kebobs
sweet peppers, maui onions, passion fruit glaze

Corn on the Cob
tossed in chili lime-infused butter

Pea Salad
bacon, jicama, snap peas

Asian Chicken Cabbage Salad
grilled chicken, red and green cabbage, hearts of palm tossed in a soy-ginger dressing

Assorted Fruit Tartlets
passion fruit, coconut crème, lemon

Tonight we made Smitten Kitchen’s chicken marsala and it was delectable. (Brandon even asked why we didn’t have chicken marsala every night!) We paired it with the 2010 Robert Ramsay Par La Mer. Cheers to three years and wine Wednesday!

Third anniversary dinner: chicken marsala

Third anniversary dinner: chicken marsala

I’m sure you’re wondering about gifts… I bought Brandon some suede slippers and he bought me a blue leather case for the new Kindle I’ll be getting for my birthday. (EEEE!)

Salty's Luau

Salty’s Luau