Sammamish Summer Week Four, July 26-August 1

Even though we had four whole weeks in Washington, I still wanted to stay a little longer when the time came to leave. It is good to get back home, but always hard to trade the lake and all the green for the suffocating summer humidity of Texas. Lake life truly is the best life!!

We had several really nice evenings and would carry our dinner down to the beach house to eat by the lake. After cleaning up, we would go out for a paddle or a quick spin on the wave runner.

More fun on the blue mat

Grandmari made something yummy and share the beaters with these two

I remember this paddleboard session was actually not very good! The wind kicked up while we were quite a ways from the dock and it was a fight to get back. I was so tired!

The blackberries starting getting ripe just before we had to leave

Scones are always a special treat. I love cinnamon, but Sophie is a Nutella girl all the way

On our 14th anniversary my dad took us go karting. Dave beat me in the first race, but I won the second. Nothing like a little competition to keep the spark alive!

Hiking the bus trail with Grandmari

We took a wrong turn at one point and got lost for awhile, but eventually found our way back to the trail without search and rescue coming for us :)

The kids all posed by their age number trail marker, except for Davey who for some reason wanted to stand by #3 even though he is four. 

My best friend Heather was able to meet up with me on the dock for a few hours one afternoon. It was so kid to catch up and my kids had fun playing with her two youngest. 

Davey wanted Top Ramen for lunch while we were eating down at the lake and Dave made it happen

These two got tossed off the tube after crossing a big wake! I thought they would be traumatized, but they actually came up smiling.

Our brave boy Charlie will only get in a tube if it's on dry land

Surfing with daddy! Sophie is an old pro, but this was Davey's first time. He wasn't the biggest fan, but I am so proud of him for trying something new.

We did the lake on repeat and it still never got old

I was able to waterski in the morning with my dad a few times. I’m always a little worried after each baby that I will not be able to do it anymore, but I got up on my first try just like riding a bike.

Hanging with Grandmari on our last night

Saying our goodbyes. Luckily we get to come back at Christmas!

The flight home was direct and non-eventful. These kids are traveling pros and I'm so glad we're able to go on so many adventures together. 

Video: Highlights from our Summer 2020 Sammamish Trip

10 Years

We celebrated our 10 year anniversary while we were in Texas. Has it really been that long already?! I feel like we really haven't changed that much, and yet I know we have. We in our thirties now. And parents! And almost not students! And right now we're on the edge of an unknown future as Dave starts to apply for teaching positions all across the country. This time next year we really could be living anywhere, and that is the place where we'll start to put down deeper roots and raise our family... After 10 years of a pretty transitory life style, the permanence is exciting, but also a little scary, and I know that there is no one I'd rather do it with than Dave. He is the best husband and father and I'm looking forward to whatever lies in store for us.

Our Engagement Picture

One of my favorite photos from our wedding day

We hardly ever get out on dates, so it was so nice to have Dave's parents and sister offer to watch the kids for us so we could enjoy some time to ourselves. We celebrated conservatively, since we're going on our 7th consecutive year of student life, but had a great time and packed as many dates as possible into one night. We started with the new Star Trek movie, then we had dinner at Outback, followed by glow mini golf, and then a snow cone treat, and finally we ended with the new Jason Bourne movie. So fun!

I won at mini golf!

These tasted as good as they looked

10 Years of Us

- 2 amazing kids -

- 5 beta fish and 1 plant (it died) -

- 8 years of school - 

 - 3 (almost 4) degrees - 

- 7 employers - 

- 5 addresses and wards -

- 3 cars, including 6 years as a 1 car family - 

- About 45 trips & vacations -

- 1,800 loads of laundry - 

-  3,650 dinners - 

-  No major illnesses or injuries! -

Six Years

Another year's gone by, and just like all the rest, it was a good one! Last year we took an anniversary trip to Snowbird, and had so much fun that we decided to come back again.  Since our actual anniversary was on a Sunday, we spent the night in eating good food and watching the Olympics. On Monday, the first day of our 7th year of marriage, we took a hike in the beautiful mountains of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

We rode the tram to the top of Hidden Peak (the little tower and hut on the left), and then hiked all the way along the ridge and down into the valley.

Dave at the end of the ridge

After hiking down off the ridge into the valley, we followed a trail back up to the mountain to the top a chairlift. It turned out to be a pretty intense  hike for us out of shape people, so we really enjoyed riding the chairlift back down to the bottom. Phew! Our legs will be burning tomorrow.

Yay for six years - we're looking forward to many more!

Snowbird in the Summer!

We had never done anything "special" for our anniversary before, not even go out to dinner (unless you count the time we ate at a Korean restaurant with a family of 4 visiting from Beijing). This year we decided to try something a little more exciting and made a quick two-day trip up to Snowbird, our favorite ski resort. This was our first time at Snowbird in the summer and we had a wonderful time!!

The place we stayed at had a shuffleboard court - Dave smoked me the first couple times, but I was winning 2 out of every 3 games by the end!

Our room came with two tram tickets so we rode to the top of Hidden Peak (11,000 ft) for some great views

From Hidden Peak we hiked to the top of Mt. Baldy. Last time I did this hike was in the snow, wearing ski boots, carrying skis. This time it was a lot easier, although the way back down wasn't nearly as fun.

Dave at the top, looking back at the trail we just hiked

We also rode the Alpine Slide - it isn't as long as the one at Park City, but was still a good ride!

 

If you're looking for a fun getaway, I would highly recommend this! The mountains are beautiful at this time of year, and it was nice to escape the heat of the valley for just a few days.We got a unit with a kitchen and were able to save a ton of money by making our own meals. I wish we could have stayed another day or two so we could spend more time at the pool, do more hiking, or maybe try some of the resort's other fun activities.  Now that we've done this, if we are still in Utah next summer, I'm pretty sure this is where we'll be on July 29th!

Five Years

Today we are celebrating five years of marriage. Five wonderful happy years. Life right now is perfect. Day to day things aren't always perfect, but I can't think of anything I'd want to change (except adding some kids to the picture). We are best friends, always challenging each other to be better and go farther, and more in love every day. We've made so many memories together, and I am so looking forward to our future together!

Looking back at July 29th, 2006 - It was difficult to sort through 1000+ photos of the day to choose just a few favorites, but I did my best:

The happy, newly married couple

Our family and friends

Dave with his boys

It was a gorgeous, picture perfect day

The "mother-son" dance - I had to throw this one in because it makes me smile every time I look through our pictures

 

"And for always, forever, Beyond here and onto eternity
For always and ever, You'll be a part of me

And for always, forever, A thousand tomorrows may cross the sky
And for always and always, We will go on beyond goodbye"

 

** The lyrics are from the song "For Always" that Dave sang at our wedding dinner