13 Years Ago Revisited

Normally people celebrate their wedding anniversaries, but this year Chad and I decided to celebrate our engagement anniversary as well.

See, we got engaged on August 13, 1999 which was 13 years ago!  So we decided to celebrate 13 years on the 13th by revisiting our engagement night.  We copied our exact night 13 years ago (minus the make-out in the woods after.)

First, Chad took me to Olive Garden for dinner because that is where we went on our first date.  Then we went to see the play “Oliver” up at Sundance Outdoor Theater.  Here is an old scrapbook page documenting the historical evening.

Then we went to Bridal Veil Falls where he had roses, candles, music and a blanket ready.  This is where he popped the question.

So on the same day 13 years later we again went out to Olive Garden for dinner, and then we headed up to the Sundance Outdoor Theater to watch “7 Brides for Seven Brothers”.  Here we are 13 years later…

(Chad and I are trying not to get depressed about the hair loss and weight gain and wrinkles.)

Throughout the night we discussed our 13 top life shaping experiences over the last 13 years.  We had a hard time narrowing it down, but in the end we came up with these events in chronological order:

1. Got married in the temple

2. Bought first house

3. Had Elle

4. I finally decided to be a stay-at-home mom after one year off and one year on

5. Chad called as Bishop

6. Had Crew

7. Chad took job in California

8. Had Croft

9. Cruise to Bermuda

10. Started own business

11. Had Locke

12. Trip to Disneyland with the kids (minus Locke)

13. Moved

It was a fun night to reenact and reminisce and remember.

(I love the idea of reenacting a first date or an engagement night as a way to celebrate an unexpected anniversary.  Try it!)