Happy Birthday, Curtis!

It’s my wonderful husband’s 22nd birthday! Today is all about him. 🙂

Last year, I wrote this sweet and gushy post about how great he is and how much I love him. All of that still stands true, and I love him even more now than I did then. Every day that we have together is my new favorite day. He still makes me smile with that big cheesy grin that I had on our wedding day.

This year, I’m going to share some lists of my favorite things about him and highlights from the year. I hope you enjoy reading about Curtis and the great times we have together!

First Anniversary in Santa Barbara

Milestones of the Year
Celebrating our first wedding anniversary
Becoming puppy parents
Buying a vehicle together

What I’ve Appreciated Most About Him this Year
He’s always prepared for hikes and vacations. He knows exactly what we need, and is willing to get up way-too-early on hiking days to get ready. Also, he makes sure my bag is never too heavy. 🙂
He’s patient, considerate, and supportive of me all the time.
He loves learning new things and always has a new and interesting perspective on history, Spiritual matters, and life.
He does the dishes. 🙂

In Wupatki National Monument

Favorite Vacations from the Year
Flagstaff Trip – We went up to Flagstaff for a 4 day weekend last summer. It started as a trip to hike Mt. Humphreys, but we spontaneously decided to make it a longer vacation. We crammed as much hiking, letterboxing, and visiting attractions that weekend as we possibly could, and it ended up being  a highlight of the summer.
Havasupai Adventure – This was truly the adventure of a lifetime, and I’m so glad we got to experience it together. There were so many moments that we just looked at each other and knew that what we were about to do was insane. In the end, it all made for some great stories, so we’re thankful we stuck it out!
Weekend in Chiricahua – This was another spontaneous weekend trip we did over the summer. It ended up being a blast, and the least expensive trip we’ve ever taken! We loved the scenic drive, camping, and early morning hikes when we were the only ones on the trails.
Spring Break in Utah – This was a special trip because it was all about us, without the puppy. (We still love you Charlotte ;)) We loved getting to visit all these gorgeous national parks and do all the crazy hikes we wanted to. It was great to get a break from reality, and enjoy a long vacation, just the two of us.

Favorite Hikes of the Year
(Not including the ones on our favorite vacations. All of those would be on this list as well!) 🙂
Miller & Carr – it’s a great hike when we can visit not one, but 2 of Arizona’s 20/20 peaks in one day!
Atascosa – a beautiful short hike on the border, and made for the perfect Valentine’s day hike.
Inner Basin – our first hike in Flagstaff the weekend that we hiked Humphreys. We hiked up at dusk and the white aspen trees made it seem so much brighter than in was. Then we hiked back down in the dark, and it was thrilling!

Scariest Moments of the Year
Almost being charged at by a bighorn ram in the bottom of the Havasu Canyon
Being swarmed by Africanized Honeybees in the Catalina Mountains
Those times we spent on the side of the road with a broken down truck…it’s never fun, whether it’s over 110 degrees or under 20.
Getting chased by a skunk who was after our little dog…and having it follow us for 2 miles!

Charlotte’s Favorite things About Curtis
He’s the first one to take her out every morning
He takes care of her on hikes
Kissing him

Favorite Pictures of the Year

Kissing in Chiricahua National Monument. Photo credit: Auto Timer

Kissing at Mooney Falls. Photo Credit: Mitch

Kissing at Calf Creek Falls. Photo Credit: Auto Timer

I guess the best part about being in beautiful places is being there together. And kissing. 🙂

What we’re looking forward to this coming year…
Our last adventures in Arizona
Graduating college
Moving to a new state

Happy Birthday Curtis, I love you and can’t wait to make more memories with you! 🙂