First Comes Love...

Yesterday Kevin and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary.

Kevin and I celebrated our six year wedding anniversary this past weekend.  The actual day fell on a Sunday, so we farmed the kids off to our 12 year old neighbor girl (probably not the wisest choice we've ever made.  ha!)  and celebrated a day early in town - just the two of us. Between Westward for cocktail and oysters, and Serafina for an Italian dinner al fresco, we had a great time relaxing, talking (like actual adults!) , and just catching up with each other. These past 6 years have been so much fun, full of so much exciting change and growth, but sometimes it's hard staying connected through it all.  This year has been one of those, but having the opportunity to get away for an evening, reconnect, and start focusing on the future, brought with it much needed connection and clarity. Kevin,  Happy six year anniversary - what an adventure it has been!  Looking back over these past 6 years; the babies, the moves, and all the fun alon...

We finally got around to planting our wedding seedling this past weekend! It's not technically the same one we planted at our wedding, but my parents saved a handful of them, and when our seedling sadly went bone dry (right around our 2nd Anniversary, and coincidentally right after the birth of our first baby!) we had back-up. So we've been nurturing this little guy the past 3 years and it's been doing great!  Now that we finally have a family home, we decided it was time to plant him in the ground. I just hope we planted it with enough space to grow.  It would be pretty hilariously depressing to have to cut it down in a few years  ;) Here are some pictures of us hard at work, planting our little seedling! I thought it would be fun to take a family picture each year on our anniversary, next to our little tree. This year's self-timer image leaves some room for improvement  :)

It occurred to me on the morning of our Anniversary that this year marks half a decade of marriage for me and Kevin! I know it's not really that big of a deal, and I have no doubt I'll look back on this as juvenile, but for now it feels so real and secure. I love how busy and exciting these past 5 years have been, and I look forward to a whole new sets of adventures these next 5 years. God knows, my better half is done with the child bearing years, so I'll have to come up with a new adventure plan  :) My parents generously offered to babysit the kids overnight, so we spent the evening of our anniversary at Canlis enjoying a 7-course dinner (yes, 7!!)   We have talked about going to Canlis since our engagement, so to finally go this year was such a treat.  It's one of those special places; perfect for the most special of occasions. Kevin,  Happy Anniversary!   I love you so much and can't believe how fast 5 years have passed.  Last night...

Today marks our four year anniversary and Kevin and I are off to Leavenworth to celebrate. While nothing fancy is planned (a kid-free weekend is glamorous enough!) we are looking forward to dinner at Visconti's and lots of sleep  :) Since we will be gone tonight, we watched our wedding video last night.  It was enchanting to watch Abigail ask Kevin to dance at each song, and wave eagerly as she saw so many familiar faces on TV.   It always surprises me how fun it is to watch each year. Seeing our loved ones captured in that moment still takes my breath away.   Moreover, it was delightful to see my niece and nephew time capsuled as little 20 month and 4 year olds, practically the same age Abigail and George are now.  It makes me appreciate both the time that has passed, and the amazing memories of them at these adorable ages.   These past four years have made me a Mom, alright!  ...

Kevin's a pretty romantic guy.  Not Romeo, but far from Al Bundy. His rankings sky rocketed, however, when he came home with these for our anniversary last night: A re-creation of my wedding bouquet! You're a keeper, Kevin Lauckner! Update: we watched our wedding video with Abigail tonight.  She loved listening to her Auntie sing the processional, swinging her arms in time with the music  :)  What a sweetheart.

Three years, (almost!)   two babies, and one remarkable love later, here we are celebrating our third wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary, Lovies.   As I was putting Abigail to bed last night (the second attempt...) the sun was setting and it dawned on me that this time three years ago, we were spending an unforgettable evening with friends and family; watching the sun set over the Olympics, taking a moment to appreciate this special time, and soaking in all the love surrounding us.  The eve of our wedding! Rocking Abigail to bed with those chubby baby arms wrapped tightly around me, I thanked God for the blessings in my life- especially for you and this beautiful family we are creating. Thank you for being by my side through this ever-changing journey, loving me with all your heart each and every day, and most of all, for being the most amazing husband I could have dreamed of. I love you more each day. -Me Tonight we'll celebrate wit...

Today Kevin and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary! Last year we headed to Alderbrook for the night, but this year (especially since it falls on a Tuesday), we're celebrating with a relaxed, low key evening: dinner at Ray's Boathouse, then back home to watch our wedding video.... all the way through...  Do you find it a little awkward watching yourself on video?  I know I do! *** Kevin,  Today we celebrate us!   The last two years have been a whirlwind, to say the least!  I feel so fortunate to call you my husband, best friend, father to our children, and life partner.  Life isn't always easy (this whole "compromise" thing is interesting.. ;) but there is no one I'd rather share this journey with than you. You make me laugh when I'm taking life too seriously, help me relax and see things more simply, and despite my shortcomings, you love me deeply and with all your heart.   You are my rock, my shelter, and my light. ...

Monday morning marriage 101.  Enjoy! Lydia Netzer: 15 Ways to Stay Married for 15 Years : Today is my fifteenth wedding anniversary. I really love Dan, and I am proud of how awesome our marriage is. We certainly haven’t killed eac...

Better yet, how about two... As many of you remember, we used birds in our wedding centerpieces (quick shout out to the "kev-kev" table!) and had a bride and groom bird as our cake topper (as seen above).  Who'da thought we'd be so hip to the trend  ;) After enjoying our wedding cake on our first anniversary , Mr. and Mrs. Bird came out of frozen isolation and back into our junk drawer lives. And what was I do to with them? Put a bird on it -- of course! So this morning I took out Mr. and Mrs. Bird, attached them to our ring pillow/nest, and tied them to our Christmas tree. A perfect ornament! I'm so glad I was able to put them to good use; otherwise they may have lived many years in the depths of a junk drawer, covered in dust. So there you have it: one of many way to...(wait for it)....put a bird on it!

Can you believe it's been a year already? The seedling we planted on our wedding day, exactly one year later. When I look back, it seems so much has happened, but it also amuses me to think we've been married a year already... like seasoned vets  ;) My parents got us a room at Alderbrook as an anniversary gift, so we headed up yesterday to enjoy the evening together.  It was the perfect getaway and gave us the opportunity to relax and reflect on our first year of marriage (we also started a reflection journal that we'll update each year.  I posted the Year in Review section of it below) The spot we got married! Does this baby make me look fat?  ;) Kev relaxing  Me and the Bean relaxing We headed to Robinhood Villages for dinner and were surprised with a private table by the creek. When Kevin called to make the reservation, he'd mentioned our anniversary, so they set up a secluded table for us to enjoy; so thoughtful and s...