One Year Anniversary Trip : Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands and Arches are very close together so we mixed it up and some days saw both, depending on our schedule and what we felt like seeing/doing.  

After Page, we drove another 4ish house north to Moab.  On the way there, we stopped in the southeastern side of Canyonlands to split up the drive a little.  This park is split into 3 sections that aren't connected.  This section is called Needles.  Our main reason for coming was to see Newspaper Rock.  And then we ended up doing a small hike.

Two days later we went into the northern section called Island in the Sky.  We had a big day hiking the day before and wanted to take is somewhat easy.  So we saw Mesa Arch and did a trail (I think we did Grand View Point Overlook).

Happy one year of being married to this guy! 

One Year Anniversary Trip : Page, Arizona

We decided to take a trip for our one year wedding anniversary.  One of the things I want to try to do is take a trip as a family every year and since it's just the two of us right now, well, it was kind of like a second honeymoon.  We decided to go to Utah and see the Mighty Five.  It was a decision we made not too long after we got back from our honeymoon so it was a long time coming.  And after the events of this year, it was so needed.  

We flew into Las Vegas since it's only 2.5 hours away from one of the parks we were visiting.  We decided to make the long trek at the beginning and passed that park and went to Page, AZ.

Let me tell you, that flight sure put a damper on the beginning of the trip.  We flew Spirit for the first time and their non-stop flight times for Vegas weren't ideal.  We were supposed to leave at 6:20 in the morning and get to Vegas at 7:20 their time.  Then drive to Page, check into hotel, grab something to eat, and then go on a tour.  (This was one of the things I was most looking forward to on the trip!)  Instead, we got to the airport around 5 and found out our flight was delayed for 2 hours!!!  So we sat....and counted all the drunk college kids arrive one by one.  (We got up to about 22 (I started to lose count), each one of them already drunk.)  By the time we got to Vegas and got into our rental car, we knew we wouldn't make the tour, and would be cutting it close for the evening tour.  I called to see if we could catch a later one the next day, but they were all booked.  And since it was less than 24 hours, I only got half my money back.

So, Page, AZ, it looks like we will be seeing you again when we visit the Grand Canyon one day.  But it's ok, I'm not too upset to see you again.

These photos are all taken at Horseshoe Bend.  There was a little trek to get there, but the view was incredible.  I could have stayed up there for hours.  I remember at one point telling D I was sorry for taking so many photos and he said, 'It's ok.  You're happy."

 
The 'other view'.  See all those people?  That is your first contact with the bend and it is also where everyone fights to get their best photo.  And that drop off? It is legit and steep.

There were people camped out down at the water and we had a moment of jealousy.  How would you like to have a bonfire at Horseshoe Bend on any given Friday night, just for fun?! I would!

.one.

October tenth will forever be my favorite day. 

My beautiful mother helped me get ready and dressed and made sure I (and the day) looked perfect.

My strong father walked me down the aisle, the only one who truly knew just how nervous I was (not to get married, but to have so many people stare at me).

My handsome husband waiting for me, gleaming, and holding back some tears.

My three favorite people in the world on the best day ever.

I was told over and over again how my first year of marriage would be the most difficult.  This comment has always made me mad.  Life has been so difficult this past year, and it has nothing to do with being married to D, or learning how to co-habitat with him – that was the easiest part.  Sure, there is a little ebb and flow that takes place, just like it does with anyone else you live with.  Our first year was difficult because we had to do something that most don’t have to deal with in their first year of marriage or at the age of 27.  And on top of this one big obvious one, life threw a few more handfuls of rocks at us.  But this man.  I am so proud of him.  The man he was and the man he grew into this year.  I am so lucky he picked me to go through life with – the beautiful, the bad, and the ugly.  There is no one else I would want to do this with.  Thank you for being my love.  Happy first Anniversary. 

^^Honeymooning in Maine in October 2015.

^^ Finishing up our fur baby family and adopted May in November 2015.

^^ Celebrating our first Christmas as a married couple in December 2015.

^^ Loving on him on his 27th birthday in January 2016.

^^ Enjoying the small moments in February 2016.

^^ Getting some much needed air in Mary 2016.

^^ Being my rock in April 2016.

^^ Living life with him in May 2016.

^^Adventuring in June 2016.

 ^^ Having a much needed few days away from reality and responsibility in July 2016.

^^ Dreaming of our future in August 2016.

^^ Humoring me through a sunflower field in September 2016.

Yes!

Week Thirty Eight

September 16, 2014

This past week Dakota and I traveled to Glaveston, Texas for a family vacation with his parents, sisters, and their families.  I had two things I wanted to do on this trip, watch the sunrise on the beach and see the Point Bolivar Lighthouse.

We arrived to Texas on Monday night and we discussed what we should do for the week.  When we checked the weather (all week long before) it said it would rain the entire trip.  Such a bummer...  Since we weren't sure what the weather would be like, Dakota and I decided to try the sunrise on Tuesday morning.  That way, if it was raining, we could catch it later in the week.

Tuesday came bright and early.  I was grumpy because I wasn't ready to get up and the weather said that rain would hit in any minute.  But Dakota still convinced me to get out of bed and hope that when we got to the beach, the clouds wouldn't be covering up the sky.

We walked across the street and down to the beach.  And since this was on my 101 list I had to get a photo of us with the sunrise.

I took one photo and loved it, but knew I wanted something a little more romantic.  Dakota is not a PDA person so I asked him to humor me and take a photo of us kissing.  He agreed, but knew he probably would because we were the only people on the beach.

I checked the photo on my camera, loved it, and wanted to get another one, just in case.  I asked him to get closer and he said ok, but make sure my feet are still in the photo.  I said, don't worry, they are. I set the timer, clicked the shutter, ran over the Dakota....

...and he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him.

Of course, I said yes as he slid the ring on my finger and I shook with excitement.

I checked my camera and found this amazing photo.  (I just took my own proposal photo and didn't even know it was happening!)  We sent it to my parents and closest friends and we walked a little longer on the beach.

This was the last photo I got of the sunrise.  The bugs were horrible and I got eaten alive.  We also wanted to get back home before the rain began.

We got to the house and showed Dakota's family the photo I got to tell them the news that we are engaged.  (All of them knew Dakota was going to ask this week.)

After the excitement wore off a little (who am I kidding, I'm still excited and shocked!), Dakota's sister noticed this rainbow in the back yard.  I got engaged and God gave me a rainbow and rainbows are very significant to my family.  I think he is very happy!

We are planning for a wedding in October 2015.
More photos from our trip coming soon.