Monday, August 4, 2008

Decagenarians


We celebrated the tenth birthday of our marriage this weekend, which called for a little more elaborate plans than our usual last-second dash to a local restaurant. In case anyone out there hasn't talked to me in the past six months, you may not know just how much I have stewed over the decision of how to celebrate. It consumed me. I started planning in January - or at least planning to plan. One thing after another went wrong, and I all but gave up, but we DID get to have a vacation - just the two of us - and it was fabulous! I am now convinced that we could have just dropped our kids off and drove back to our house for a weekend alone, and it would have been just as fun, so I don't know why I stressed over it so much. Turns out we just like to be together, so anything after that is icing on the proverbial cake. We went to Denver (don't ask me why, because I don't have an answer. It was a very random choice), a mere 1 hour, 20 minute flight from SLC. I now have deep gratitude for the Powers That Be, which kept us from exploring more exotic locales (original choices included Tahiti, St. Croix, and Hawaii), as I discovered that I HATE to fly. No, I mean I really hate to fly! I don't think I will be doing it ever in this life again, as a matter of fact. Sad, as I had so many fun trips planned out in my mind (one next spring to visit Ty's grandma back South), but I keep reminding myself of all the money I'll save now that I have no desire to travel. Anyway, we saw sights, hiked hikes (okay, only one, and it was more of a leisurely stroll, but it still counts), shopped shops (holy moly, does Denver ever have great shopping! Too bad I promised myself I wouldn't shop on our vacation - remember, it was supposed to be about US, not me), sat pool-side and read books, napped naps, ordered an in-room movie (my favorite part of the whole vacation, by the way), and ATE. We decided that we could move to Denver based on the dining selection alone, and live very happily (and get very chubby)! We had some of the best food we've ever had, and a lot of it! We didn't end up doing any of the activities we had planned (due to bad weather, being tired, and a car accident that blocked our mapquest route), which turned out to be for the best. We just relaxed and had no schedule to keep. Our fancy-schmancy hotel was apparently a hot-spot for wedding-havers (never mind that there are hotel guests lounging around the pool ten feet from your extravaganza, watching as you and your hundreds of black-tie-event-going guests get drunk and make fools of yourselves), so that was kind of fun to see and be reminded of our own wedding (minus the black-tie affair, the hotel, the pool, and the drinking). I couldn't have planned it better myself (well, except that I DID plan it). It was really fun to come home, too. That's always my very favorite part of vacation - coming home. Our kids had a great time while we were gone, and actually thanked us! Saylor told me, "Sylas didn't cry while you were gone. He didn't even notice! He just called Trevor and Emily, 'Mom' and 'Dad'." That makes a mom feel good, let me tell ya. I guess I don't need to lose sleep over leaving him. Emily even weaned him of his pluggy (pacifier) while we were away! Yeah! I hope she's not planning on me returning the favor, cause I'm not that brave.


This is my favorite boy, standing in front of an arbor on the beautiful hotel grounds.


This is "our" rabbit, which we saw every time we entered or exited the hotel. There were rabbits everywhere. I think Denver is the rabbit capital of the world, but I'd have to google it to be sure. Note to hotel management: if you don't want rabbits eating all your precisely-planted vegetation, don't include ornamental cabbage in the planting scheme.

And last, here is what our garden looks like these days. We have harvested quite a few zucchini, and a handful of beets. At least three tomatoes need to be picked today, there are beans bulging, cucumbers coming, promise of at least five pumpkins, peppers popping, corn kerneling, an onslaught of onions, carrots cropping, potatoes pushing, and a cantaloupe that thinks it can (but it can't...it has tiny blossoms on it, like it thinks it's actually going to grow something even though it's only five inches big). We already have lofty plans for next year's crop. Gardening is fun!

7 comments:

Sharlee said...

I am so glad to hear that your anniversary vacation turned out so fun and relaxing. Relaxing together is all that is needed, no matter where or how. The hotel grounds look so lush and the food sounded so good. How fun! Congratulations on 10 years! We love you guys!

Priceless Heritage said...

Wow- great garden. If only I had that green thumb like you. Luckily I have a food co-op I only pay $15 for a whole laundry basket of food twice a month to satisfy my lack of gardening skills.

Happy Anniversary!! I remember your reception and how I totally surprised you :) Happy to hear you both had a great time- I need to start planning my 10 year and it's 1 1/2 away. You should move to Denver and I can come visit and we can go shopping. I've always wanted to go to Denver. I thought of moving there too once:) How fun would that be.

Amber said...

So I just wrote this lengthy comment about how I love Denver (especially the food!), how adorable that first picture is, how I think it is wonderful to enjoy your spouse so much that it doesn't matter what you do as long as you are together and how I am so happy you had a great 10th (regardless of who planned it) because if you didn't, well that would suck. So anyway, I crafted this amazingly well written and thought out comment and Claire deleted it with the push of a button. UGHH! So just know it was a great comment about your great day! ps. Remind me to tell you about the shocking thing Mark did the other day that almost made me weepy!

Jason said...

How Fun!!! That is awesome that you got to have a little get-away! I can't wait to do that some day. Our 5th is coming up in October, but I don't know if we will do anything too crazy since Isaac is still nursing and not sleeping great. I love your garden! We had such high hopes for ours this year... all these things we wanted to plant, but then we got too busy and ended up only doing zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Oh well, we will try again next year. Anyways. Im glad you guys had so much fun!

Christy said...

Happy Anniversary!Sounds like you guys had a great time! I got to see your little girl, is her name, Saylor?? for the first time on sunday! She is so pretty!! WE sang to her in primary. Such a cute girl!

Emily said...

OK, I swear I posted a Happy Anniversary commment last week, but I guess not, I think we need a new computer.

Anyway, Happy Ten Years! I can't help think of our year together at Ricks & how we had no idea what our futures would hold & now look at us, old married ladies with a bizillion kids running around! (Does it just seem like a bazillion sometimes?) You & Ty look exactly the same by the way. Glad you got to get away.

Your garden looks fabulous!

Palmer family said...

Andrea, Happy Anniversary! 10 years, wow! Ours is coming up and we need to start planning it looks like. We wanted to go on a cruise but with a new baby I doubt that will happen in our anniversary month like planned....maybe we'll go later in the year since it will still be our 10th year...right!?? :) Your garden looks awesome! Gardening IS fun. Lots of work, but fun and rewarding! We've been enjoying ours as well.