80...81...82....

Summer is almost over and I really am so sad about it.  I haven't bought a single item of new school clothing, nor have I organized the school supplies or written names on anything.  I just can't do it.  I'm not ready.

Even though I've been a hideous blogger for our 87 Days of Summer Vacation, I have been taking pictures.  I have taken SO many pictures!  So many, in fact, that my Google albums want to charge me to upload any more.  While I'm deciding whether or not to fork out for extra online storage, you can still check out the remaining June and first half of July photos over on the sidebar.  Every photo has a story, of course, so let me know if you want to hear.  There are just too many to blog.

Here are a few of my favorites that haven't made it to the Google album yet:

Gordon has learned to ride his two-wheeled bike and asks at least once a day if we can go for a ride.  Tonight we did a little bit of back-to-school prep and timed ourselves riding from our house to the school.  If you don't count the few minutes of arguing over who gets to go first through the under-road tunnel, then we should be able to make it in about 20 minutes.  I think a morning bike ride will be a perfect start to a new school day, don't you?

Chris has been in Phoenix for the past three weeks and will finally get home on Friday.  I can't wait!

Lucky 13

I've always liked this picture of Chris and me.  It was taken outside the Idaho Falls, ID Temple right after we were married thirteen years ago today.  No one had a digital camera at the time, so almost all of our pictures from that day were taken by a professional photographer and almost all of them were posed.  I'm kind of jealous of today's brides with their zillions of great candid shots that they can post all over wherever, while I have just a handful of not-so-natural-looking hard-copy photos.  But that's what I like about this picture-- even though we're getting ready to pose, the looks on our faces isn't contrived at all.  We're looking at each other and I'm laughing and we look really, naturally happy.  I love it.

Every marriage has its ups and downs, and ours is certainly no different.  We definitely have those times when we're just trying to get through, sucking it up, gritting our teeth, and forcing a smile.  We both fill a lot of different roles and sometimes it can feel like we're so caught up in making things work that we forget to enjoy it. 

But then there are moments like this one, maybe when we're getting ready to go on to the next seemingly important thing, when we have a chance to look at each other, laugh, and just be happy together.  Those little moments make everything else worth it. 

Chris is good at bringing out those happy little tidbits for me, and today I feel really lucky, and grateful, to have thirteen years worth of memories with him.  Happy Anniversary, Hunst.  I love you!

PS-- I took this picture of the boys yesterday-- so cute!