10 Year Anniversary!

Justin and I never really make a big deal about our anniversary. We picked basically the worst time of the year to get married, right around Thanksgiving and before Christmas. So every year our money and our time are already stretched thin. We try, in our small way, to make it special. Justin gets me flowers, or we take the kids and go out to dinner, but that's usually it.

This year our anniversary fell right on Thanksgiving Day. But it actually worked out because we'd already decided earlier in the year that because of the distance we wouldn't be able to go home for Thanksgiving. Also, this year was our TENTH! Anniversary so we thought we should celebrate a little more than usual.

And so, we headed to the beach. 

This happens first thing every morning:

On Thanksgiving morning we watched a little of the Macy's parade in our hotel room and then headed to the beach. We started out with coats but ended up taking them off- the weather was beautiful!

We had some fun taking funny photos:

(look at Audrey's cute little jumps!)

Later that day we went for a hike to the Haceta Head Lighthouse and explored some caves:

There was an impromptu lesson about how the Earth rotates around the sun using pool toys: 

Later that night we had dinner at our favorite restaurant ever, Georgie's. Toward the end of our meal Justin surprised me by standing up and tapping his glass to get everyone's attention, then announcing that it was our 10 year anniversary and he'd never officially proposed when we were first married so he'd like to do so now... Then he got down on one knee and pulled out a ring!

I hadn't been wearing my ring recently since it's gotten too big so Justin snuck it out of my jewelry box and had the diamond re-set in new thicker white gold bands that were better quality than the rings we were able to afford 10 years ago. I was so surprised!

The next day was more of me walking around like a goof smiling about my proposal and ring and a little more beach time:

We stopped in Depoe Bay for some candy and whale watching and then headed home.

That night I gave Justin his Anniversary gift: 10 gifts that represented the 10 years we'd been together. I'd been coming up with ideas and gathering items for months. They included chocolate covered raisins like we had on our first date and new boots to replace his old mission boots that I supposedly threw away 9 years ago. 

It was fun, but I think that in the gift giving competition... He wins. :)