8 Years and Counting...

Monday marked eight years of marriage for Brad & I. What a great eight years it has been! We've moved three times, had two pretty fantastic kids, brought home a slightly neurotic dog, made it through college, and faced many adventures together. Who would have thought that dancing with "some guy" at a stomp in high school would have turned into all of this?

In the nearly 13 years we have been together, I've forgotten what I was like before Brad. I don't really care to remember either. He is such an incredible husband and the best friend I could ever ask for. He has the uncanny ability to make he laugh through my tears and my heart feels a little lighter whenever he is near me. He's the best daddy to our two little boys who absolutely adore him. You should see our house when daddy comes home. What a welcome! He works so hard to give us the life we enjoy. We're very lucky to have him!

I love you with all of my heart Brad! If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. You were the best decision I've ever made! Happy Anniversary Baby!

For the past several years I've been either pregnant or nursing for our anniversary. As I'm neither of those this year, we decided to take off to my parents house in Bear Lake for a few days for a little R & R. We have talked about going away for months. Every time our kids would wake up early, we'd talk about sleeping in. Every meal that was a struggle, we'd talk about the hot food we would eat.
We had a great time! It was pretty foggy when we got there Thursday night and stayed that way for the majority of the weekend. Friday morning, we drove up Logan canyon to "Ski the Beav." It's not what you're probably thinking. I'm not about to start over sharing...We went to Beaver Mountain to go snowboarding. There are mildly irreverent bumper stickers all over Cache Valley advertising just how much they love...the resort. Seriously. Check it out here. Anyhow, the farther up the canyon we went, the less fog there was. By the time we reached the Beav, there wasn't a cloud above us. Over the lake sat one huge white cloud. It was pretty amazing to see! The fog

Above the cloud line.
I have not been to a ski resort since the early ninety's and have never been snowboarding at an actual resort. At nearly thirty years old, I was unsure how my old body would hold up. :) At one point, I fell forward and my snowboard, still attached to my feet mind you, hit me in the back of my head. Though slightly painful, it was really fun! All the way down the hill I could hear Brad carving in and out of the trees and going off jumps. He was a good sport to stay with me the whole day on the bunny hill when he would normally be on the expert runs. Even when I suggested he go off on his own and have some fun, he insisted on staying with his slow and consistently falling wife. We really had fun spending the day together, (even if seventy-five percent of the day was spent literally sitting in the snow.) It's not very often that we get to be so carefree and have fun like we did when we were younger.

Brad patiently waiting for me!

The pose I assumed most of the day!!

Proof I actually made it down the hill. I had to see it myself to believe it!

We spent the rest of the weekend watching movies, driving around, and going to dinner. Poor Brad had to listen to me whine about the sore muscles I didn't realize I had until then! I assure you they are there and working properly now! By Sunday morning, we woke up early and were really ready to get home to our little guys. We missed them so much! They were in good hands though. My parents were nice enough to stay with them at our house for the three nights. Their house is still under construction and they still insisted we get away. The boys had such a great time I think they forgot to miss us! Thanks Mom and Dad! And thanks for letting us crash at the farm!

Brad took Monday off from work also and we took the kids bowling. For family night we made a "wedding cake." To be honest I think a wedding cake made from Rainbow Chip Funfetti sounds pretty awesome! Every year for our anniversary we watch "the mommy daddy video" as Owen calls it. It's really the only time the wedding video gets pulled off the shelf. It's always fun to see how far we've come and how much our kids look like Brad. They could be little clones, especially Sam.

Trying out the frosting while Brad masters cake decorating 101.

Now our batteries are recharged and we're back to normal life. My muscles have recovered and am looking forward to trying my luck with snowboarding again. It was an anniversary I will remember for many to come and I'm sure it will cross our minds the next time our kids wake up at 5:30!