Three days ago marked 11 years of marriage for us 💜 And I’ve got to say, we weren’t in a bad place to celebrate!
Because I’m feeling a little nostalgic today, here are a few pictures from our big day back in 2013.
Looking back on our first decade+ of marriage, I feel so incredibly lucky.
During the last 11 years, we’ve:
lived in 3 US states
5 different countries
taught English in South Korea
worked at a ski resort
built 3 campervans from scratch
got into hiking & backpacking (& certified in wilderness first aid)
bought a house
had a baby (+ one on the way!)
built a business together that we love
That’s just a few of the highlights. But as you know, we’ve also been through some tough stuff too.
Through it all, we have continued to grow together. While life is far from perfect, growing together is one of the most beautiful things we can ask for.
I saw this quote recently and I feel like it sums up our marriage (and I think it’s worth sharing!):
“The purpose of a relationship is NOT to “settle down”. The right person inspires you to get MORE out of life. In every sense… adventure, travel, late nights, music, art, etc. MORE life. Together.” -Case Kenny
Okay, enough of the mushy stuff and onto a recap of what we’ve gotten up to in Norway…
Norway Week 1 Recap
We have now been in Norway for 1 week, and wow, we have packed in a ton!
Here are just a few highlights of the past week:
renting kayaks in Oslo for free, in exchange for collecting litter in the water through a super cool organization called Green Kayaks. It was so fun explaining the concept to Juniper
relaxing at the dreamiest sauna right on the water, that we had reserved completely to ourselves (only $30 total, by the way!)
indulging in cinnamon rolls from a magical bakery in the woods
exploring Bergen, a city we have wanted to visit for years (and we had fantastic weather!)
having pancakes with Brunost (aka brown cheese 🤤) on a mountain top trail and then working that off at the most epic wooden playground with Juniper
camping seaside in a charming little fjord village and watching the sunset
taking a historic train ride through a valley packed with waterfalls, then mountain biking back down into the valley
touring an award-winning cidery and enjoying a pairing menu that was Norwegian-Turkish fusion (spoiler: it was fantastic!)
hiking to the toe of a glacier and touching the ice cold water
The best part is we still have 2 weeks to go on this adventure of a lifetime!
For more, you can check out some mini-vlogs and stories on our Instagram.
New on TWS
Last week, we shared that we are a bit behind (like a YEAR behind – oops!) on publishing some of our videos from our trip to Japan last fall. But they are too good not to share.
(Especially this one!)
If you like unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences, hiking the Nakasendo Trail should be near the top of your Japan bucket list.
In fact, we liked it so much that we have personally hiked this route TWO times: Once in the summer, just us. And again in the fall with a 2-year-old.
Not only is it a pretty easy and short trail, making it possible for people of many abilities and ages, but it is such a cool way to get away from the crowds and see a part of Japan's countryside that few tourists see.
On this trail, you'll hike through small villages and on a pilgrimage path that dates back to the EDO era.
This video is a short look at what this trail is like, and while I'm biased, the intro is perhaps the CUTEST thing you'll see today.(Trust me!)
