Boxing Day and celebrating almost half a quarter of a Century

Every year we do the same thing on Boxing Day by going on a wintry drive out to Waterton.   

We do this every.Single.Year.

I'm not going to lie and say that the kids enjoy it necessarily, because for the most part, the idea of leaving their newly acquired toys for an hour or two is pretty much the worst thing I could ever ask of them.    However, once we get out there, they love it just as much as I do.    Really, I'm sure that they do!:) 

I knew it was going to be a beautiful day out there as we spotted a Golden Eagle perched on a fence post along the highway.       Jessica was so excited, that she loudly proclaimed to Grandpa that he must be our good luck "driving buddy" because every time he comes with us - we see Eagles!!

Of course, we also saw lots of deer, sheep, and a giant herd of Elk as well.    After a freezing cold week of minus 20 temperatures the animals were probably all happy for the warmer weather!   

To switch things up a little bit, (and to appease our poor children), we stopped at my favorite restaurant Vimy's for some lunch!  I loved it so much, I'm thinking that we'll have to add this in as part of our annual tradition:)

We spent the rest of that day, as well as the day after, lazing around watching movies, playing games together and enjoying the fact that we didn't have to go anywhere!!!     

We got a chance to meet up with our friends the Salmons for a bit, which is always nice.    Because John was in the middle of a bathroom painting job I'd signed him up for, and because our house reeked of paint, we opted to go tobogganing.    

These kids had endless amounts of energy and kept climbing the giant hill over and over again.   

I was happy to stay at the top and visit with Shauna!

And you know...take pictures...and important stuff like that:)

December 28th was an important day for us, as it marked our 11th wedding Anniversary!

ELEVEN!!!     That's so cool of us right?

Okay, really, I know that 11 years isn't much, but it is almost half of 25, which is a quarter of a century. 

 So really- it's like we've been married for almost half a quarter of a century!;)  

Whoa.   When put that way, it just boggles my mind.  hahaha   

In the past almost half a quarter of a century we've managed to create and hopefully not wreck four other little personalities who have helped to make the past almost half a quarter of a century so darn blissful.   

And yes- it's all been blissful, every last bit of it.   Just ask John;) 

To celebrate, we had our niece Ava babysit, and we went to see the Hobbit with John's Dad.  

Some people may think going on a date with your Father in Law is not an ideal way to spend an anniversary, but I totally disagree.   It was great fun!    Besides,  it seemed only appropriate, seeing as almost half a quarter of a century ago I attended "The Fellowship of the Rings" with John's parents and a few of his siblings just two days before I married John.   I remember pretending to love the movie, probably just in an effort to impress the future in laws.     Truthfully, I spent the whole movie wanting to gouge my eyes out with a fork!    

But here we are,  almost a half a quarter of a century later - and I pretty much like it for real now.  Especially when watching in the company of those who mean so much to me.  

 That's what marriage does to you.   It changes you for the better right?    

Happy Anniversary John!

Here's to many more almost half a quarter centuries together!!!!