Celebrating 10 Years!

Tom and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary this weekend - whoooooohoo!  I'm very happy to be at the 10 year mark and I'm really happy knowing we will make it to 20, 30, 40 and maybe even 50 (if I can live to be 95 which would be a wonderful thing)!  We went to Monterey for the weekend with the kids. Things were a little different then our last trip up there... 

Tom asked me to marry him in Carmel on Valentine's Day 10 years ago.  I remember the drive through Big Sur with the top down on my convertible, listening to love songs on the CDs Tom had made for me.  He had flowers in the trunk and a ring in his pocket waiting for the right moment.  He asked me at dinner that night at Clint Eastwood's restaurant called The Mission Inn.  It was a romantic trip that marked our commitment to spend the rest of our lives with each other.  And then there was this trip 10 years later...

We are now in a big Suburban with three kids in the back.  We decide to take Highway 1 up to show the kids the beautiful drive through Big Sur.  Once you take the turnoff, it is two hours of very windy roads. Chloe gets sick moaning she is going to throw up all the way up and is holding a cup under her chin. Sophie is crying hysterically because she is scared and she has to go potty and there is no bathroom in sight.  I am yelling at Tom for driving faster then I was comfortable with along two lane roads that had a mountain on one side and a cliff falling to the ocean on the other (and we were VERY HIGH up!).  Thane is yelling at the girls to be quiet.  I think about how much times have changed during the past 10 years (for the better, but different none the less). I got to think about it even more the two nights I snuggled with two little girls who were scared to sleep alone in a hotel, while Tom slept in the bed next to us...

BUT, with all that said, we had the most wonderful time together and were able to celebrate our start as a family 10 years ago. I loved showing my kids my favorite city Carmel and driving down 17 mile drive with them.  We took them to the Monterey Bay Aquarium which we all loved and Thane and I took tons of pictures.  To keep things looking up, we took the 5 freeway route home.  While it was much less of a picturesque drive, the five hours certainly beat the 9 it took to get there.  And on the way home, I thought about how much I love my family and how glad I am that we were all able to celebrate our love together.  I feel lucky, happy and blessed.  

Here are some of our favorite photos from the aquarium (some taken by Thane who is turning into quite the photographer!).  All of these were taken with my 50mm 1.4 lens, which was super helpful in the low light.

Comments

[Lisa VanderVeen]

These pics are AMAZING! Go Thane! So glad you had fun. I laughed at your descriptions, both of driving that scary road which we drove in November (I was yelling at Shakil to slow down, too) and sleeping w/ your girls in the hotel. So funny and I can so relate :) Happy anniversary darlin'!

[Denine]

Congrats on 10 years, Suzy...and here's hoping for many more! Gorgeous pictures, my friend!

[Angelia]

Happy 10 year anni, Suzy!! Rich and I are celebrating 20 this weekend :)

[annie]

Congratulations!! I was laughing at your story, that is just so true to life. My hubby and I did that drive in the rain and boulders were falling on the road. I was yelling at him to slow down the whole drive too (he was driving like 5 miles per hour)...it took us forever. Your photos are amazing!! Sounds like a great trip overall. I am able to attend either of your SOLD OUT classes........any chance you can do a 3rd toward the end of the summer? Congrats on that as well!

[Leah]

Happy Anniversary!
Those pictures are great!!

[Linda]

What fabulous photos - tell Thane he is quite the photographer! And congratulations to you and Tom. Happy Anniversary!!

[Janette]

Congratulations on 10 happy years! May the Lord bless you with many more long and happy years!!!

Suzy those photos are simply amazing!

P.S. I got your email today and sent you one back. I hope you get it! Thanks for thinking of me. You are a sweet, dear friend! Hugs to you!

[Janette]

Congratulations on 10 happy years! May the Lord bless you with many more long and happy years!!!

Suzy those photos are simply amazing!

P.S. I got your email today and sent you one back. I hope you get it! Thanks for thinking of me. You are a sweet, dear friend! Hugs to you!

[Kristi Smith]

I am glad you had a good weekend once you made it through the drive. lol I imagine that was pretty stressful. ;)

GREAT photos!!! Looks like Thane is taking after his mom.

Miss you too.

[Shelley Haganman]

Congratulations on your anniversary! LOVE the photos from the aquarium! We are headed out to on our two week vacation and will be spending some time in San Diego! I can't wait! I love California! Shelley

[liesbeth]

Congratulations on your anniversary Suzy! That is a good milestone!
The pictures are gorgeous! Wow - all my aquarium pictures are... let's say... yuck. Do you mind me asking - did you use a tripod?

[Shannon Brouwer]

Gorgeous pictures Suzy!
I loved your story about how much has changed in 10 years :) Congrats!

[Andrea]

Happy anniversary! My husband and I went to SanFran on our honeymoon 9 years ago and took a side trip to Monterey ... I LOVED that aquarium! But of course, my pictures are horrid. Yours are gorgeous! Nate and I always laugh when we look at where we are NOW as opposed to where we were 9 years ago. Isn't it funny how much life changes for the better?

[scrappysue]

happy anniversary! that's some camera and photos. we loved the aquarium too. have fun scrapping with those MAMBI products!

[Kelly]

HOLY WOW! Those pictures are fantastic! Congratulations on 10 years! So happy for you!

[Nina Heckerthorne]

Those photos rock!! I aspire to be a photographer like that some day. Oh yeah, congrats and happy anniversary.