It’s so odd how quickly time flies by… and all the sudden these kids who met as teenagers have known each other for FIFTEEN years, are well into their 30’s, and have been married for eight years. I thought it would be fun to look back on the past year for us, so here goes nothing!

This year, we definitely made date nights more of a priority. We are very lucky to have some family members and neighbors who are willing to help out and spend time with the kiddos while we get a little bit of alone time here and there. Above was a date extravaganza around Valentine’s Day. My sister-in-law offered to watch the kids most of the day and even put them to bed (Nora, you are my hero!) and we didn’t even know what to do with ourselves. Our date started with pedicures, then coffee, then dinner, then more coffee!

Last year for our anniversary, we spent the night in Annapolis. This year, things are looking a bit different, but we’ll make the most of it and order way too much takeout :) It’s so interesting looking back at all these pictures where we WENT places and DID things. What a novel concept. I know we’ll be so glad when it’s safe to go out and go on vacations again!

We spent a decent amount of time at Deep Creek Lake last year. I love being near water and the kids love the state park there. Ellie was a little timid the first time we went, but she really gained some confidence over the summer :)

We had some fun family adventures in our 8th year. Tamir worked with his dad to develop a rowhome community in Baltimore, we went to the pool A LOT, and explored some nearby spots that we hadn’t been to since before kids!

This year was definitely a bit chaotic, as both of our businesses grew, my role at work increased, and our 2-year old developed some very strong opinions :) We accomplished a lot and one of the most rewarding parts was seeing how Adam and Ellie’s bond has evolved. When they’re getting along, there is nothing sweeter.

I was determined to squeeze a beach trip into the summer and although it was short, it was a success! The kids loved the beach and I even swam in the ocean for the first time in years. I can’t wait to go back - hopefully this summer - and create some more memories.

Tamir really stepped up his hubby game this year, making a lot of our visions become a reality. We finally got a backsplash installed and Tamir demo’d a pantry to make me a designated workspace. Originally, it was intended for my photo editing but now I’m working from home full-time, so the timing couldn’t have been any more perfect. After 5 years of living in this house, we’re finally making it our own. He has also indulged me in my gardening and indoor plant adventures, although my ability to keep my majesty palm alive for a full year is TBD. He also carries all the things :)

Some more highlights - seeing Tamir’s project for the first time in person; edible cookie dough from Jaxon Edwin in Ellicott City; and our sister Nora’s wedding!

Another fun date night opportunity was my boss’s retirement party. The views of campus were gorgeous and we got to be adults and have real conversations over dinner!

Something that’s nice about Tamir’s work is his ability to make his schedule, more or less. He surprised me at work a few times this year and even brought Adam to visit on his 5th birthday! And yes… I have artwork my kids have done at daycare covering my walls :)

Tamir has also indulged me when it comes to yearly family photos… and this year we actually had two photo sessions. And look! A picture of us that isn’t a selfie!

Another new thing we did this year was stay overnight at the Sagamore Pendry. It was another situation where we had no idea what to do with ourselves. We got to have uninterrupted conversations, drink coffee before it was cold, and explore Baltimore a bit.

Year 8 was a good one. We have had lots of ups and downs and we are both getting gray hair to show for it, but I think I picked a good partner and we make a good team. Happy Anniversary to us! And cheers to planning for our 10 year anniversary extravaganza (a girl can dream, right?)!!

If this was at all interesting to you, head over to my anniversary post from last year!