springdellgirl

Monday, May 06, 2013

18 Years

Yesterday was our 18th Anniversary!! So crazy. 18 years has done good things for us. We have really hit a good stride together... I know there will be times when we won't be so in sync...so it is fun to celebrate that we are right now.

We had a great day!! We celebrated in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. It was nearly 80 degrees, sunny, and absolutely beautiful. We love the Coeur d' Alene Resort. It is gorgeous and fun and feels like a real get-away even if it isn't that far from home. It is also special to us because that is where Tyler proposed to me all those years ago. Since we live here it doesn't seem that extravagant to have been proposed to there but when Tyler proposed only my grandparents lived up here and we came up here on vacation for a big family lake reunion with all the aunts, uncles and cousins. Tyler had planned it all out and had the ring with him. He flashed it to a few of my family members before he gave it to me and he also got to experience the joy of asking for permission to marry me. Ha ha. A lot of people weighed in on that including my uncles. Everyone (including me) knew that he was going to propose sometime on this trip but no one knew WHEN!! Every time we would go for a boat ride, or a walk we would be met with all these excited faces...only to let them down.

Finally one night Tyler and I went into Coeur d' Alene and hung out. We went to the resort, ate shaved ice, and walked all over town. We walked out onto the boardwalk on a hot July evening just as the sun was starting to set. Tyler had me sit on this little table that overlooked the water and he finally got down on one knee and proposed!! It was really sweet and romantic. All the people on the board walk started clapping and cheering. So fun. Then we jumped in the car and headed back to our lake to celebrate with the whole family. Perfection.

Here I am in the exact location of the proposal. I really wanted Tyler to re-enact it but sadly once was apparently enough for him. I am actually surprised that he proposed in such a public place. He is a very private person and hates being the center of attention. He probably would have much preferred to do it privately. How sweet that he knew that I DO LIKE being the center of attention and would enjoy a big production and did it any way. What a great guy!!

We started our day off by eating a delicious brunch and then bumming around town. I can't tell you how pretty the water was... I wanted to dive right in. Everyone was putting their boats in. Summer is finally arriving...

Well hello Clive... do you travel much on business? (A la Modern Family)

Me prior to stuffing my fat face!! It was delish. I think I had the best Coconut Cake of my entire life and, in case you didn't know it, I am something of a coconut cake connoisseur. Tyler and I have a whole system down of how to work brunch and we worked it good. My personal favorite stop was the crepe making station and all the seafood. Tyler was all over the omlet station and the huge pan of bacon. Such good food!! It reminded me of going to brunch at the Excelsor Hotel in Provo as kids. Boy! That crepe chef earned his money when the McClellan kids came to brunch (which unfortunately for him was quite often.) We had that poor man working overtime. Sadly not much has changed. Good thing we walked off most of it...hopefully.

I was laughing telling Tyler about a summer my friend, Tiffany, came up to visit and we spent an evening trolling for boys and walking around and around this very board walk bemoaning what jerks guys were and when were we ever going to meet some decent guys. I want to say that it was the next summer we met our husbands-to-be. Lucky boys!!