Lucky Thirteen

This week Beau and I celebrated our thirteenth anniversary.  Thirteen years.  To a lot of people, the number 13 isn't viewed as a lucky one.  But it's been pretty good to us.  I was on the 13th of August after all, and sweet Mila arrived on the 13th of January.  And this year, the year that will probably go down as one of the unluckiest, we left for Jamaica on Friday the 13th, smack dab in the middle of a pandemic.  But we said yes, embraced the adventure, and went all in together.  A lot like we've been doing for the past 13 years.  

I love being married to Beau.  He's funny, he's charming, he's smart, and he's confident and comfortable just as he is.  Unless he's in a mall shopping for clothes. ;)  He also has this unique way of adding excitement to our life while also grounding it at the very same time.  Every day is an adventure, whether we're traveling to Jamaica in the middle of a pandemic, or getting cooped up inside for the three months that followed.  He and these kids we made together are just the best thing that's ever happened to me. Thirteen years of the very best of adventures.  

And Happy 39th!  He's getting old but proving he's more agile than ever.  

We celebrated our anniversary night together, first strolling through a quiet campus and then dinner on the Montage rooftop.  And pictures.  Always a few!

And a few good things to add from our first week of official summer (even though it sort of feels like it's time to go back to school!)...

900. Fresh peonies that bloom around our wedding every year.  They smell amazing, look so beautiful in vases, and will always remind me of clipping half the town's bushes before our wedding.   

901. It was Mila's idea to throw a sweet little graduation ceremony for Payton since she didn't get to walk at commencement this year.  So while I was enjoying book club with the girls one night, Beau and Mila got to work and threw together a pretty great party.  They made a banner, a graduation cap, and found Pomp and Circumstance on her bluetooth microphone.  She played emcee for the event and we all read her speeches.  We love this girl and are so excited for the adventure she is just starting. 

902. A few last day of school pictures.  We loved the Mystery Science experiments and Cruz had a lot to say about our epic neighborhood nerf war.  Parents won!

903. A rainbow of fresh summery foods - rhubarb oatmeal bake for breakfast, homemade ranch for all the veggies, and a cinnamon swirl bread from Magnolia that was unbelievably good.

904. We have decided that the best way to reenter life post-COVID is being active and enjoying the great outdoors.  We had so much fun taking on the kids for a neighborhood nerf war and then celebrated Kari's 35th with a 22-mile bike ride from our houses to Verve.  Then we ended the night with a little jam session on the back deck.  We had a blast and can't wait to spend a lot more time on our bikes this summer.

905. Our first summer bucket list item of summer - a makeshift summer reading challenge with weekly incentives to follow.  And one great big stack of books from the library thanks to curb-side pickup.  

Welcome, summer.  We're glad you're here.