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!

2015 Memories

01.  Me | The biggest thing to happen to me this year was being a bride. (October)

02.  I Love You | The moment we were Mr. and Mrs. (October)

03.  Still Laughing | The face he makes, just for me.  (May)

04.  Winter Wonderland | (February)

05.  Birthday | 26 (February)

06.  Friends | His friends.  My friends.  The best people I know. (October)

07.  I Was Inspired | My word this year was sparkle and I was inspired to document ways I sparkled with sparklers/twinkle lights.   (January-December)

08.  Spring Fever | (April)

09.  Travel/Vacation | We did a lot of traveling this year, but the biggest trip was to France.  First time I've ever been out of the country! (July)

10.  Summer Days | (August)

11.  A Day in My Life | Continuing my 12of12 project this year.  (May)

12.  All Smiles | This face.  This pup. He has brought in so much laughter to the family.  (November)

13.  Autumn Harvest | The northeast knows how to do fall. (October)

14.  Family/Home | My family.  His family.  Our family. (October)

15.  Celebrate | I'm so thankful to have the last 5 years with him when I probably shouldn't have. (May)

16.  Let’s Do it Again | Celebrate us each and every October.  (October)

17.  I Miss You | I miss seeing my parents every day.  (October)

18.  Beautiful | Saving her life and giving her a loving home. (November)

19.  Dress Up | Surprising my dad with a train ride.  (August)

20.  Macro | We saw some fascinating plants during our honeymoon. (October)

21.  Holidays | My favorite time of the year.  (December)

22.  My Favorite | The look on his face when he first saw me and I became his wife. (October)

23.  Don’t Ever Change | Mr. Rory and his happy self.  (July)

24.  Just Because | These 2 make my heart happy. (November)

25.  Hopes and Dreams | To live 2016 to the fullest. (February)

See previous years here: 2014,  2013, 2012, 2011

Eight Years Ago....

My time hop told me that eight years ago today I was going to my senior prom.

I remember that day pretty clearly. It began slowly, a normal morning, with cereal for breakfast.  And then late morning arrived and all the festivities started to begin, slowly and then all at once.  There was the hair appointment, and having my best girlfriends come over to get dressed and put on makeup together (and dancing around my parent’s bathroom), and putting on a beautiful dress.  There was an unimaginable amount of photos taken. And then dates arrived and more friends arrived and more photos were taken.   And then the next thing we knew, we were off to dinner and a dance to celebrate the night.  We were young and living life to the fullest.

I remember that girl pretty clearly.  She was having one of her best days.  There was that excitement of having her hair done for an event.  There was nothing that separated her and her girlfriends.  She was in that in-between time where she was still a little girl finishing her last year of school and about to become a woman and spread her wings and leave the nest for college.  I know she had struggles, but the details are a little foggy.  (Probably having something to do with why she still hadn’t found her person, wasn’t that the reason we moved in the middle of her high school years anyway, so she could meet her person?)  But I also remember she was brave.  So brave.  She was ready for that adventure that loomed over her head. She knew her family would always be her core, but she was ready for the unknown and the next steps toward college and whatever else may happen.

And then college came.  And it was nothing like I would have ever predicted.  The polar opposite that the girl described above would have ever dreamed.  Yes, my first semester was probably my boldest (followed by my last semester).  I spent four and a half years in this stage of my life and it was no doubt, they hardest four years of my life.  I spend way too much time with the wrong people, the kind that scratch the surface, but don’t create long, meaningful impressions.  I found some very incredible friends that will last a lifetime, but not that group of friends you are always told you’d meet in college.  I had multiple heartaches, those from boys and those from life events.  I watched my dad get sick and my extended family fade away as I lost grandparents one by one.  Like I said, nothing I ever expected.  But looking at this photo, it is funny to see and know what all has changed and what all has stayed almost exactly the same between this group of young women.  Out of the six of us, five still remain.  In eight years we have seen one child, almost five marriages (two are currently engaged, me included), two parents diagnosed with cancer, six college graduations (from five different schools), two out of state moves… just to name a few of the most major events.  It is these girls who have stood by my side and I’m grateful.

This photo holds such sentimental feelings.  Flash forward eight years and give me about five more months and this photo will be recreated and I’m going to go through something very similar.

I am going to have that day memorized as clearly as possible.  It will probably begin very similar, with cereal for breakfast.  And then when the day really begins, I will have my hair done, get dressed and put on makeup with my best girlfriends (and maybe dance around the room too), and put on a beautiful dress.  There are going to be photos taken all day long and the next thing I’ll know I’ll be going to dinner and a dance.  But this time it will be a white dress and my date will be the most incredible person I’ve ever met and he will be all mine.  They day will be all mine and I’ll live it to the fullest.

I am going to have that woman memorized as clearly as possible.  It is going to be the best day of her life.  The day she has dreamed about since forever.  She is going to be stunning and the day will be all hers.  She is going to be in that in-between time where she is still a little girl and about to become the role that will define the rest of her life, a wife.  There will be that uncharted territory and excitement for what her life unfolds.  There will be challenges, for that I am certain.  But she is going to be strong.  So strong.

2014 Memories

01.  Me | Doing my favorite thing, taking photos. (July)

02.  I Love You | This man of mine.  I can't wait to marry him in 2015. (September)

03.  Still Laughing | I love this little family of mine. (May)

04.  Winter Wonderland | (February)

05.  Birthday | 25 (February)

06.  Friends | These girls, we've been through so much! (December)

07.  I Was Inspired | Art Journaling.  (August)

08.  Spring Fever | (May)

09.  Travel/Vacation | We got to visit some very beautiful places this summer. (July)

10.  Summer Days |  They just weren't quite long enough. (July)

11.  A Day in My Life | Another year of documenting through 12of12. (August)

12.  All Smiles | This cat of ours...he is quite entertaining.  (May)

13.  Autumn Harvest | Pumpkin Picking. (October)

14.  Family/Home | Me and my dad enjoying an evening in KC.  (June)

15.  Celebrate | (September)

16.  Let’s Do it Again | I so want to stay at Glacier National Park again....or I could really go on another family vacation. (July)

17.  I Miss You | My aunt (with pink scarf) passed away the day after Christmas after fighting brain cancer for 3 years.  (December 2013 - my last photo with her.)

18.  Beautiful | Red Rock in Nevada.  (March)

19.  Dress Up | Next year I'll have the ultimate dress up party.  (November)

20.  Macro | (July)

21.  Holidays | This year the holidays went by fast and were a little bittersweet.  (December) 

22.  My Favorite | These three people.  They are my everything.

23.  Don’t Ever Change | (May)

24.  Just Because | (October)

25.  Hopes and Dreams | Thankful for all of the 2014 moments! (July)

See previous years here:  2013, 2012, 2011