9.13.2011

seven years

 Kevin and I have been marrried for seven years now. If you are not yet married, I highly recommend getting married in September. I understand it isn't the most convenient month of the year for a wedding, but you'll be thanking yourselves every year on your anniversary. I swear, it is always beautiful on September 10th. Always. This year it was my turn to plan it, and we had such a fun time. Marlee and Luke stayed the night so we could leave early in the morning to go yardsaling. Not romantic, but we have a great time whenever we get the chance to go together. It's a throwback to our earliest days when we furnished our first apartment by yardsaling with our wedding cash=)


We then went up to Salt Lake to the farmers market at pioneer park. It's totally hipsterish and not really the sort of thing we'd normally do, but we had such a fun time. We bought a big bag of peaches, some ethnic food, a few tomatoes and sat under a tree and ate it all. We took our time. It seems we never take our time anymore. Even when we go out, I feel a sense of urgency to get back, or make the most of the time away and it's always a little stressful. Marlee and Luke and Mikelle were all babysitting, and we had a big chunk of hours to spend without a lot on our list of things to do. It was so great.

After seeing all we wanted to at the farmers market, we went to a nearby park and played big boggle at a picnic table in the shade. It felt like heaven outside and there was a perfect tree situated right behind Kevin, making the whole scene almost too idyllic. He won almost every time, but that's alright. He usually does. Every now and then I blow him out of the water with huge words. He's more consistent, finding more little words every time. It keeps things pretty even, but still interesting. We're a good match, Kev and I.

On Sunday we had some time and so we took the boys back up to the park we'd gone to in Salt Lake. It's actually memory grove, a Utah veteran's memorial. We stay in our church clothes on Sunday as a reminder of the sabbath day. It (sortof) helps the boys not be (so) rough and tumble. There were only a few other kids at the park, and although my boys looked handsome and behaved pretty well, we weren't well received. If looks could talk I think we'd have heard a lot of "this is Salt Lake, we have dogs here, kids just aren't the thing anymore, you poor, unenlightened little mom. Do you realize what you are doing to the planet by having all of those!" Now I know I sound like I was reading into things too much, but I'm not particularly observant or self conscious in general, we just do our thing. But we were getting some serious looks. Head shaking and raised eyebrows without the hint of a smile. Oh, salt lake residents. You don't know what you're missing!











We can't imagine a better way to spend 7 years.

 but that's just us.

9 comments:

  1. That's too bad about the park. I know we only have four and they are spaced fairly evenly apart and we get the same looks. I think it's kind of ridiculous. I'm glad you didn't let it get to you. Your boys are very cute and very well behaved. I've seen people with one or two kids that behave horribly, those are the people that should be getting "the looks". Congratulations on 7 years of marriage. Hope the next 7 are just as good.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Anniversary!! How could anyone give those sweet boys and you awesome parents the look! You just ignore them! You have such a beautiful family!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Anniversary! Forget the people in the park. I know you will :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dear Natalie, I love your guts! Thanks for getting married, and having an awesome marriage, and a beautiful family, because I really love reading about them :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Anniversary!!! I think that is the first picture I have seen from your wedding - beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh that picture of your FIVE all sitting on the couch together...it does something to me!! and I'm not even the mom, or a relative. What a capture, what a life! You are SO BLESSED, even if some don't get it.

    Happy Anniversary!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy Anniversary! What a beautiful bride you made:) I simply loved this post...so true! I am jealous of that group photo of the boys...ahhhh!!! Love it:) I had to laugh at the undies on the head. My boys do that ALL THE TIME!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh Natalie, I just love you. I know I haven't talked to your in years, but you hold a special place in my heart and I love hearing about your happy life. I can tell you are an incredible mother and wife. So glad you had a wonderful anniversary! And you are so right, they just don't know what they are missing out on! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Well, I'm completely unbiased but I think those are the cutest boys on earth. My favorite picture is the one of you and Adam. Wow--all those beautiful eyes! Don't give this world and its attitudes a second glance. You have it all.

    ReplyDelete

what do you think?