{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!

Our Montana adventure

I took a few days away from the blog last week to go on an adventure… to Montana to celebrate Brandon’s brother’s wedding!

It was my first time to Montana and we flew in and out of Missoula, spending a few hours eating and drinking there, but the bulk of the time in Polson and Flathead Lake (about an hour drive north).

Buckle up! Next stop: Missoula!

Ready for take off! Next stop: Missoula!

In Missoula we checked out a lunchtime festival at Caras Park, ate chocolate at Posh Chocolat (one of Brandon’s favorites), visited the Boone and Crockett Museum, and took a day hike (referred to as a “bear hunt” by me) around the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area. We also dined at Plonk and had a couple of delicious desserts at Sweet Peaks ice creamery. I would HIGHLY recommend their huckleberry ice cream.

Posh Chocolat, Missoula

Hand-picked Posh Chocolat truffles

A statue outside of the Boone and Crockett Museum

A statue outside of the Boone and Crockett Museum (Yum…flag tastes good!)

Rattlesnake hike

Rattlesnake hike

Plonk, Missoula, Montana

Plonk, Missoula, Montana

We also went to Fort Missoula and had a really fun time exploring.

Climbing the tower at Fort Montana

Climbing the lookout tower at Fort Missoula

Ahoy! Looking up at the Fort Montana Lookout Tower

Ahoy! Looking up at the Fort Missoula Lookout Tower

Fort Montana

Fort Missoula

Brandon found a bench at Fort Missoula!

Brandon found a bench at Fort Missoula!

Strong-man competition

Strong-man competition

We also took a day trip to Glacier National Park, which was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We took the “Going-to-the-Sun Road” and hiked the trail at Logan Pass to the Hidden Lake overlook.

Going on a bear hunt... at Glacier National Park!

Going on a bear hunt… at Glacier National Park!

Beautiful Glacier

Beautiful Glacier

Beautiful Glacier, take 2

Beautiful Glacier, take 2

Wildflowers at Glacier

Wildflowers at Glacier

More flowers at Glacier

More flowers at Glacier

Even more flowers at Glacier

Even more flowers at Glacier

The hike at Logan Pass

The hike at Logan Pass

Going-to-the-Sun Road tunnel

Going-to-the-Sun Road tunnel

The view from above, Hidden Lake

The view from above, Hidden Lake

Hidden Lake, take 1

Hidden Lake, take 1

Hidden Lake: So spectacular!

Hidden Lake: So spectacular!

Specifically, I enjoyed all of the new friends that we made (not really, but you know…):

Mr. Chipmunk

Mr. Chipmunk

 

Mrs. Marmot

Mrs. Marmot

A mama mountain goat and her baby

Mrs. mama mountain goat and her baby

The other baby mountain goat

The other baby mountain goat

Driving to Flathead Lake was also very scenic… and tasty:

Beautiful highway shot, northwest Montana

Beautiful highway shot, northwest Montana

Smile!

Smile!

Flathead cherries = DELICIOUS (We bought both varieties!)

Flathead cherries = DELICIOUS

Sunset at Flathead Lake

Sunset at Flathead Lake

And the lake itself:

Big Sky Country indeed

Big Sky Country indeed

Clearest water I've ever seen, Flathead Lake

Clearest water I’ve ever seen, Flathead Lake

This post wouldn’t be complete without some photos from the wedding. Congrats to James and Jessica! Three cheers for many more years of happiness!

The alter

The alter

The happy couple

The happy couple

Smooches

Smooches

Hope you’re having a nice holiday week!

Farewell from Montana

Farewell from Montana