For whatever reason the little man and I spent a chunk of yesterday afternoon looking through iPhoto. It started with him wanting to see some pictures from the 4th of July, so we did, but then we just kept going and going and going until we were looking at pictures of our dogs from eight years ago.
We used to take a LOT of pictures of our dogs, y’all.
And I’m not saying that we babied our dogs before Alex came along, but, um, look:
And in addition to loving our dogs to pieces (we still love our dogs, by the way – we just don’t obsess over them quite as much as we used to), we may have watched a little too much MTV, because, um…
OH YEAH I DID.
Not only did I go to an *NSYNC concert, but I spent an entire Saturday morning on the computer (dial-up internet, no less) trying to get the BEST. POSSIBLE. SEATS. for the concert.
I loved Justin. My friend Merritt loved Lance. And she would get VERY DEFENSIVE whenever people would imply that Lance might not be as vocally talented as the rest of the *NSYNC boys, to the point that when we would watch the live concert DVD (YEAH WE DID), she would often say things like “Do y’all SEE how hard he’s working? Do you see? He’s giving it everything he has! Everything!”
And WE WERE THIRTY.
But then everything changed.
For the better.
In a million different ways.
But you know what? Even though I wouldn’t trade my current life for anything in the world (hello? motherhood? you are awesome.), I still love looking back on that pre-young’un time of our lives. We had so much fun. We weathered some big ole (BIG! OLE!) storms, for sure, but we traveled, we went to movies, we played videogames into the wee hours of the morning (“Fusion Frenzy,” anyone?), we never missed televised SEC football games, and we didn’t think twice about spending an entire Saturday afternoon on the couch while we watched a “Real World” marathon.
Before “Real World” got all trashy and stuff, of course. Because I’m telling you, after the second New York season that puppy went downhill fast.
So what about you? Whether you’re married with kids or married without kids, what are some of your favorite early marriage memories?
And if you’re not married, what are some things you love to do as you bask in your glorious freedom?
Besides watching television shows that don’t have puppets and going out to dinner at restaurants that don’t serve chicken nuggets and sleeping as late as you please on Saturdays?
Not that I miss sleeping late, of course. But OH, the memories. Sweet, sweet memories. Precious memories of All The Sleep.
See y’all in the comments.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:46 am
First I have to say that Alex was a
July 10th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Not sure what happened there. What I wanted to say is that Alex was a beautiful baby!! Just beautiful.
As for what we did, most Saturdays we would search through the movies and find the best matinee, because we were cheap. We’d always sneak in snacks from Target or the grocery store (cheap again.) We stopped all of the sneaking when we had to be actual examples for someone else. :>)
As an aside- My husband started calling the matinee a Manatee and it has stuck ever since.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Early marriage? We liked to go hiking (which we still do, just not as often.) We would escape for a weekend away. (We don’t so much anymore.) I would go and volunteer with my husband at work. (He’s a park naturalist.) He worked for the National Park and we had a pot luck several times a month. (The CVNP loves their pot lucks!) We shared a car for a year and a half, so we spent a lot of time driving and talking.
I miss that. The driving was a lot, but we made it work. Gas was also a lot cheaper then.
We wouldn’t trade K- for anything in the world. She is our little adopted miracle, but times were different then. They are different now. We like it. I like that I sat at the car window place, played Polly Pockets with the funny rubber clothes and insanely tiny shoes with weird voices and hilarious stories. I love that my kid is my little shadow almost EVERYWHERE I go. I think it’s funny that I was all public bathroom phobic and now, I trot in with kid in tow all on a mission. I’ve toured them all in the Akron/Canton area. You know what? None of those germies chased me around in there, either.
As life has changed, this little 4 1/2 yeaer old has taught us a lot. That, my friend, is a very good thing.
July 10th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Late night movies. no baby sitters. that’s all I miss, but hey, i can watch a late night movie in my bed with kids asleep down the hall. Someday I’ll get my “freedom” back and I’m sure I’ll shed many a tear over it too.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:02 am
We played golf together once a week with two other couples. Best ball, of course. We just walked nine holes and caught up. Lots of fun.
Don’t miss golf, but kinda of miss hitting the movie theatre once a week. So, I just hit free movie with three kids to get my theatre fix! :)
July 10th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Alex is an adorable baby! I just want to love on those cheeks!
My husband and I were just talking about this. It’s not that we did anything really exciting, but he could play video games and I could scrapbook.
We went on dates like 3 times a week and got to see movies in the actual theatre.
Plus I had a lot more shoes then too.
Now I find just as much pleasure in buying shoes for Zoe.
I totally have to give you a shout out with your love of *NSYNC. I was never a big NKOTB/New Edition/Boys II Men fan. However, I do love me some *NSYNC. I’m completely and utterly jealous that you saw them in concert.
I used to work with a girl that dated Chris Kirkpatrick. I’ve got some really sweet stories of him. Not to mention a Joey Fatone bobblehead.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Well, besides the culinary wonders of grilled cheese and Ramen (’cause that’s all we could afford, we were 18), I miss time truly ALONE with my hubby…doing nothing in particular, we were just together…just us!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:14 am
This is weird. Not you but this: This morning I was listening to my i-pod and after breaking it down with Kirk Franklin and Travis etc.. I scrolled across and found the BigBoo Cast from Sept. 07 and you were talking about N’SYNC and your friend Merritt and I laughed my head off listening to that. Plus, Melanie’s dogs fighting, pirate costumes, etc… and here is a post about that. Too funny!!
I am single again mom of an 18 and 20 year old so my life is changing. I travel a lot more than I did when they were young. Basically, freedom is good. LOL I know what you young moms are going thru but it really is the best time because eventually you will face the teenage years. hehe
Love,
Patty
July 10th, 2008 at 11:17 am
My favorite pre-kid memories are of finishing college together as we lived in a detached garage-turned typewriter repair shop-turned apartment. We had no money and he actually would hand me a twenty-dollar bill for the week’s groceries…and it covered them!
We were up late one night studying and went for a walk to stretch our legs. It was the middle of the night and it was snowing. Ours were the first footprints on campus and it was snowing so heavily that it absorbed all the sound. It was as if we had the whole town to ourselves. So many fun memories.
Now, both of our kids are in college and we celebrate 25 years this month. And it’s STILL so fun and we’re recapturing some of that wonder of the early years.
Oh yeah, and sleeping in on Saturdays is FABULOUS!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:17 am
We did pretty much the same stuff we do now. We walk the dog every night together, go out every once in a while for a cheap dinner and spend the evenings snuggled up on the couch. The kids, while they’ve changed our lives completely, did not change how much we enjoy each other’s company. Sure, we go out less. It’s really tough to shop at Lowes when they fall out of shopping carts and get concussions (loooong story). And I did take waaaay too many pictures of my dog. Still do.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:18 am
We used to eat pizza at the coffee table every Thursday night to watch Seinfeld and Friends and ER. We also used to go see the 9:00 movie…haven’t done that in 11 years!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:19 am
WHAT? You’re a brunette? Or did they just put that darling baby next to a laboring model?
I wish I could remember the way we were. However, 25 years of the way we’ve been has preempted any thoughts. However, I did enjoy seeing that picture of your dogs on the bed with covers! Oh ho, I’ve carefully put a blanket over sleeping kids, but never resting dogs.
You’re a classic. Always have been. Always will be.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:25 am
My hair got super dark when I was pregnant.It was the wildest thing. But it went back to normal after I stopped nursing. And after I got a fresh set of highlights. :-)
July 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am
We’ve been married 4 years now and no babies….. so we’re still enjoying our early married years!
Lying on the couch at night with a drink and watching a movie is by far my favorite way to spend an evening… I’m going to miss that when babies come along!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:28 am
I wouldn’t trade my kids for anything in the world. That said, I do miss the time to spend with just my husband, though we have known each other our whole lives, and can pretty much think for each other… believe it or not, I also miss flying (for work) some! The travel opportunity was great, and my husband and I could go anywhere in the world, which isn’t as easy with little ones.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Not married here — my boyfriend and I go to the drive-in at least once a week during the summer. We love to get goodies from Sonic on the way there and sit outside of the car soaking up the summer air. :)
July 10th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Oh my word, look at the cheeks on that baby!
Sorry, I can’t answer your question because I’m too busy fighting off this urge to snorgle some baby face. What a cutie!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Oh…well, our post-married/pre-baby days were all of about 10 months, but…oh, the movies! The curling up on the couch together (when we both still fit, laying down, on the same couch!). And the dates! The going out to dinner WITHOUT a high chair…And the traveling. Driving to Oregon to visit friends, just ’cause…and living out of ONE BACKPACK for the weekend!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:32 am
There are no married-without-kids-memories here. Which takes me all the way back to my 20’s, single.
Those are not memories for a family-friendly blog, my friend!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:33 am
We used to go out for supper at 9:00…every night. Now, it’s frozen pizza’s and putting boys to bed :)
I still love a good TV marathon though…now it’s sponge bob.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:36 am
First, we baby our pets. Our cat Cinnamon rules the roost most days when the two of us are home alone. :)
I loved how we would go to the movies, then to dinner and then for coffee. And sit and talk and talk and talk. But then again, a lot of those talks included our dreams of what parenthood would be like.
I miss being able to catch up on the laundry. …..those were the days!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am
We don’t have any kids, so I don’t have any pre-kid memories, but we used to take a lot more spontaneous weekend trips when we were first married. We would pack a bag, jump in the car after work on a Friday and just head out wherever we felt like going. I miss it, but I’d much rather save our extra money and retire early – then we can really do some traveling!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:47 am
We spent a lot of time in our Jeep, off-roading, driving it to the beach, and singing at the top of our LUNGS in the car together. We’d also go on driving dates where we’d find a new road we’d never traveled and just drive and talk for hours. Of course that was back when gas was $1.00 a gallon! And my favorite… weekends with no time. I’d cover all the clocks in the house and we’d spend the weekend watching movies, cooking together, going for walks, etc. and not caring what time we did it. Fond memories, fo sho! But I wouldn’t trade my dear ones for anything now!
July 10th, 2008 at 11:52 am
We used to drive an hour away for dinner on a weeknight, spur of the moment. Or decide to go away for the weekend at 2 on Friday. I think the only thing I miss is spur of the moment. Now that my girls are 3 & 5, I think we’re entering into being a little more spontaneous again. I’m totally with you on Real World. I started watching from Eric, Julie, Norm, Kevin, Becky, Heather and Andre, but right around NY x 2, it got to be a little much for me. Now I just Tivo the RW/RR challenges to watch after the munchkins go to bed.
July 10th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Okay…I don’t feel NEAR so bad about my teenage ‘NKOTB’ facination! I mean,..I did go to FIVE (or was it Seven?) concerts over the years…but none since I was in high school! :)
I have three kids 7,7 and 6 and two furry babies who are 11 and almost 7. I TOTALLY get where you are coming from with the dog pics. We have a MOUNTAIN of those ourselves on the hard drive… but that all came to a screeching hault when the three sibs came into our lives two years ago.
I have fond pre-kid memories of David and I staying up one time for like three days strait when we first discovered SIMS. After the first 12 hours or so we would take turns…one would play and one would sleep on the futon next to the computer desk…we had to give the SIMS up cold turkey I’m afraid! LOL!
Traci
http://mom2threeadoptedsibs.blogspot.com/
July 10th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Oh! I LOVE Memory Lane!
In our early days, Wade was in medical school in Houston, so we would roam the Galleria FOR HOURS. HOURS. Or we would just show up at a movie theater (I mean just SHOW UP–with NO PLAN), see what was showing, and pick a movie to see. I don’t think there was a movie between 1995-1998 that we missed. And we ate Twizzlers during these movies with reckless abandon, because we were skinny, you see. And YOUNG. And in LOVE.
And we ate out CONSTANTLY. I can’t think of many restaurants in Houston we didn’t try. But we had our favorites, of course. Namely, The Cheesecake Factory. We loved it so much, in fact, that at one point we reached our limit on our credit card. “That’s impossible!” an infuriated Wade declared, and promptly called the credit card company to report that someone MUST have stolen our card. Then the customer servce rep read off the last several charges:
7/10/97 The Cheesecake Factory…$45.89
7/13/97 The Cheesecake Factory…$38.00
7/19/97 The Cheesecake Factory…$43.90
and on and on it went…after the 10th Cheesecake Factory entry, Wade stopped the poor customer service rep, assured him there was no problem after all, thanked him humbly and got off of the phone.
AAHHH, young love.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Now that Alex is the cutest, most darlin’ baby I have ever seen! Mmmm–got to get my fill of looking at folks’ baby pictures! (Today is Tabor’s 5th birthday, so I’m feeling sentimental).
Favorite memories in early marriage–we were in college and hosted tons of creative get-togethers with our friends at our home–some that included Texas A&M scavenger hunts and going to Target after hours with our friend, Trace, who worked there. I think back on some of our crazy and I do miss being like that–now that I’m the responsible mom and all :)
Deep down I just know that crazy and carefree person is still there, buried under her laundry. Mmm-hmm.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
So sorry…I have to add one more thing. We would also go to Fuddruckers on Saturdays for lunch because we knew it’d be filled with kids, and we loved kid-watching and wondering together what it’d be like one day when we became parents. I still remember the little dance that I swear EVERY kid would do at the cookie counter–Wade dubbed it “the cookie jig,” and now we tease our kids when we see them doing it.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
We were together for 4 years before we had our 1st. We were boring! LOL We went to the mall every weekend and out with friends once in a great while. But mostly, we spent the weekends with our parents.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
We use to go to Hawaii for vacation. We’d pinch pennies and save up money for the trips any way we could. I remember we ate a lot of hot dogs and mac & cheese. You know there’s still a lot of hot dogs and mac & cheese in the house, but now that’s because they’re two of the few foods my son will actually eat. I miss Hawaii, but I’d take a day in the pool in the back yard with my son over a day at the beach in Hawaii anytime.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
First of all, I think I’m becoming addicted to your blog! :P
Oh … I miss watching DVD seasons of 24 all night long b/c it was so good we had to see “just one more” episode. I miss deciding on a Friday night that we needed to go out of town, so we went. I miss sleeping every Sunday after church and then driving to 7-11 for huge cokes and ho-ho’s. I miss just always being together, always focused on eachother.
But I LOVE the sounds of “good morning mama” in the morning. And I love the 4 of us sitting together as a family. And I LOVE this season of life!
July 10th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
OK, I’ll go there because you ladies are skeered to. I ain’t skeered…and I have a trucker hat that says it to prove it (Seriously. Someone in Alabama gave it to me. Seriously.)
Before kids, we had sex when we wanted to, where we wanted to and without locking a door. Sometimes this happened WHEN THE SUN WAS UP. And sometimes it happened MORE THAN ONCE in the same week. No lie. And sometimes this happened on the Lord’s Day, after church, a time now spent playing Candyland or Bingo and doing laundry or visiting The Home Depot – but never naked.
We also slept. Sometimes we slept past 8AM. Uh huh. It’s true. Once, I recall this vividly, we woke up at the crack of noon. It was a Saturday and we did not have the flu or even the slightest bit of a fever. That has not happened in seven years. Instead, what happens now is my youngest walks into our bedroom at dawn thirty and says “I want chock-it meewik and waffas,” which of course translates to “I want chocolate milk and waffles.” And the day begins.
But I like these days. Takes more planning and doors must be locked and my body is begging me for more than six hours of sleep sometimes but kids have shown me how selfish I am and forced me to get over it and live for someone besides me. And for that I – and my own mamma – are very grateful.
And I always thought Lance was dead weight.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
First of all, I too enjoyed “Real World”, and it is so disgusting now. Remember Julie and that guy (do tell if you know his name; it’s driving me crazy)getting in each other’s faces & screaming?? I always wished Julie and Eric would get married.
Anyway… before kids, we had some BFFs that we would hang out with every single weekend, having dinner and then going to one of our homes for card games. We still hang out with them and occasionally get the cards out… now our kids are old enought to want to learn and play, too. Fun times.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Being a newly-wed is one time of my life I am SO looking forward to, for all the reasons you mentioned. :) Just spending some time with the one I love. Once I find him, that is. ;)
I love just getting in the car and driving to a store for no reason, wandering aimlessly because I have nowhere to be. I love eating meals at random times because I don’t have to worry about when someone else is hungry. Things like that. Simple. :)
July 10th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Our favorite early marriage, B.C. (Before Children) activity was to wake up on Saturday, get the New York Times and some bagels and go back to bed. We would read the paper, exchanging sections and spreading the whole guts of the paper across the sheets and covers until we read the whole thing.
We have recently brought back the paper and bagel ritual (now on Sunday mornings since we go to the contemporary service at church in the evening) and included our kiddos. Our girls are young (4 and almost 2), so we eat at the kitchen table and they make jokes and look at picture books while we steal a glance at a paragraph or two in between clean-ups and more milk please requests. It’s great!
July 10th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I loved being able to read a book without interruptions. I miss those days when I’m caught up in a books and the kiddos want something from me…like food.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
I miss driving around all afternoon on a Sunday afternoon. Not only because we were kid-free but because gas was A DOLLAR A GALLON. I cannot even fathom…
July 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Before we had kids we shared everything that we did and were always together. I wouldn’t trade our lives now for anything, but I do miss that alone time. I didn’t realize how much until recently when the kids spent a weekend with Grandma. We sat up that first night until 1 am just talking. We actually had an adult conversation without any interruptions. I miss those days, but I’m sure that I will miss these even more when the kids are grown.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
*NSYNC!! I loved them! JC was my favorite. I barely remember what I was doing before the kids but there was a lot of drinking and partying going on
July 10th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I have to agree with you on the Real World comment. First season was the best… remember country boy Jon? Can you believe they are going into their 20th season? I am SO old!
July 10th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
First of all, Shaun is cracking me up.
Secondly, I sometimes miss the quiet. I also miss going into my closet and finding my shoes exactly the way I left them as opposed to being strewn all over the floor.
But I wouldn’t trade it.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Oh, I loved this post. I can remember being so frightened right before we had our little girl about our lives completely changing. We would go to our city’s AAA baseball team’s games, spend Sunday afternoons at the movies, go out to dinner in family UNfriendly restaurants.
Somehow, even though I look back at those times with fond memories, nothing about those times seem to matter because our baby wasn’t in our lives yet. She’s changed our world in only the best possible ways.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Cards! I miss cards, too. We would stay up half the night playing canasta or spades with friends.
And Shaw-awn, I laughed out loud when I read your comment. I wanted to call you but you never turn on your phone. It’s a handy feature, the power button.
Now I’m thinking of having t-shirts made that say “Shaw-awn ain’t skeered.” HOTCAKES. They’d sell like HOTCAKES.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
What in the name of queso is that on your forehead when you are cuddling with your newborn?
Let’s see … before kids we were only married for a minute, so I would say the best part was that we could pick up and go somewhere without thinking about someone else’s potty habits.
July 10th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Love the pictures! it’s so amazing how alex still looks so much like that, and so much like you.
ah, yes, all the sleeping. and all the tv watching. i never had to worry about kids being i the room. now i hesitate to watch anything because of the outrageous commercials!
i used to go fishing! fishing with 3 kids makes me a tad nervous now.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I miss being able to go out on a moment’s notice. I miss the hippie town we used to live in where we could walk to the farmer’s market every Wednesday, there were great bars, and restaurants, a giant street fair every year. And the sleep, though that’s getting better as my son gets older.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:39 pm
I would brag about how good I was at tennis in high school and he would ask me to prove it. So, I’d take him to the courts and try to impress with a few ace serves, but he was cross-court yawning. Yea, we don’t play anymore. Now we’re contending for who can pitch the ball to the kids faster. Oh, the fierce competition! I would also cook him dinners that took hours to prepare, but now he cooks for the family. Wow, how life has changed!
July 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Shaun, thanks for that – too funny.
And your boy, beautiful baby.
Pre-kids, 9 years ago. I can almost recall traveling, and lots of sleeping, and socializing with adults – frequently, with no interuptions, oh yeah, and completing thoughts.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Immediately after our daughter was born, I missed not being able to go to sleep at the same time as my husband (because, you know, we had rotating shifts, which meant that one person had to be getting some sleep while the other was up with our beautiful, screaming child!). I thought the day would never come where we would climb (or collapse) into bed at the same time. But, I’m excited to report that those early days went by quickly.
Also, I definitely miss going to the movies (we used to be one of those couples who had seen the latest and greatest flicks, but, alas, those are days of yore). I miss being able to just jump in the car and run to Target or the grocery store without having to think through every possible scenario relating to our daughter (do I need to pack one bottle or two? do I need to pack snacks and/or baby food? is it cold outside – will she need a blanket or a jacket?). I miss travelling with a lighter load (for our recent trip to visit family over the 4th, I don’t think our Ford Escape could have held one more item). And I miss just hanging out with our friends and not having to leave early to get the little one in bed.
July 10th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I love this post! My favorite, and I am not afraid to say it, is laying around nekkid in bed watching movies. Good times:)