always on the trail....
we celebrated 11 years on our Washington trip (HERE)
we celebrated 11 years on our Washington trip (HERE)
pssssstttt.....
......I have a secret.
Want to know what will make your marriage
healthier
stronger
and waaaaaaay more fun....
Shared hobbies.
It sounds so simple, right?
I am constantly surprised at how many couples I meet that don't share many of the same interests.
Long long ago when Robby and I were first married, we really didn't enjoy alot of the same hobbies.
Actually......we were so young and consumed with school and work that we didn't have too many of our own individual hobbies either.
Neither of us had a very sure sense of self, or things that we just LOVED to do.
We kept busy, babies came, and while we enjoyed "hanging out" together and have always been best of friends.....we didn't do much more than that.
Then a few years ago I started running trails.
He started mountain biking.
Trails became our "thing".
We talked about trails all the time--we ran and rode in all the same places.
The kids got old enough and we could get out hiking more, and we started venturing out often as a family.
Planning day excursions, camp outs, and week long road trips.
But everything always centered around trails.
"Let's try out this one--the kids will love it."
"If we are already driving this way--let's take a detour through here and check out this trail."
Last year he finally convinced me that I needed a bike.
(see my first mountain biking experience HERE)
I don't know why it took me so long to try it out--I was hooked my very first time.
I love hitting the trail together--it makes for quite the date.
(if you like to end your date exhausted and covered in mud).
Monday he was off of work--
--the kids were in school, the sun was shining bright--so we loaded up the car and headed for the trail.
(look at this weather! in November!)
I can't tell you how much I love it when we can get out on the trail together.
He cheers me on as I climb up the hills.
(....as I think the worst words about him as I'm struggling to climb......sorry babe...it was harrrrd.)
We celebrate when I finally make it to the top, and then zoom down through the bare trees.
Twenty-one miles under our belts and we head for fajitas (and extra chips and salsa.)
Our perfect date.
No matter WHAT it is you enjoy doing, I think it's so important to find something you enjoy doing TOGETHER. I am so thankful to be married to my best friend (aaawwwwweeeeeee. cheese), and for all the fun times we have together.
I want to know--what hobbies do you share with your spouse?
10 comments:
Well.. I don't have a spouse.. but I have a boyfriend who enjoys hiking (it's my favorite). :)
Beautiful photos [per usual]! Especially the first one. Total framer. :) I seriously cannot agree more with your marriage secret! One of our favorite things to do together is ski/snowboard and road bike together. We used to do a lot of bouldering, which I loved because we would cheer and help each other figure out the bouldering problems. We definitely have our own hobbies too but having a lot of shared hobbies really helps us stay connected. You would think one of our shared hobbies is renovating old houses, but I think this is a "hobby" that we have both come to hate, haha. At least we're in it together. :)
What a great date! And ending with fajitas and chips and salsa? Perfect! My boyfriend is an avid hunter and I knew nothing about it when we started dating. I never thought it would be something I would be interested in doing but the first hunting season we were together I gave it a try and now on my third year I am loving it more than ever. It has helped me to understand his passion for it and trying something new has been really fun for me. Being in the peaceful woods in such beautiful fall weather makes for some really great dates.
This makes me smile so big, and reminds me of our mountain biking days together before our babes came along. Can't wait to get back to it! Shared hobbies are THE BEST!
Yes, yes, and yes. I love shared hobbies! My boyfriend and I do a lot of the same hobbies together, mtn bike, hiking, backpacking, fly fishing...list goes on. But we don't trail run together...because he'd kick my butt. It's fun enjoying the outdoors with people we love, and also in solitude.
My partner is a tattoo artist and I'm a painter so we quite enjoy (when there is time) teaching each other what we specialize in. I'm not the best pencil sketch artist, whereas he is amazing and is happy to show me tricks and things to try and improve my skills. One day I want him to teach me how to tattoo as well. And vice versa- he doesn't paint with acrylic or watercolour and is keen to learn from me :)
We go picking! I love old things and mu husband use to think I was a hoarder. Then he started going to thrift shops with me- he now has started a collection of vintage books and records! I love finding stuff for our home together that is unique and it is a fun way for us to spend time together.
good advice! looks like fun times to be had.
so fun! my husband and i like to work on our jeep together.. well, he likes to do the fixing, and i like to stand there, watch him, talk, and be his tool-belt. and then we of course love to take the jeep out on trails and see beautiful places that most people don't get to see. we always grow so close together during those times. :)
We spend most of our dates outdoors… usually cycling, mtn biking, or skiing. But when the weather and the moon perfectly align, we do this http://mgwallins.blogspot.com/2009/11/mountain-green-moonlight-snowshoe-dates.html
Now our kids are old enough that we can tuck them in and head for the hills. It helps that we live really close to "the hills."
I highly recommend this. It makes the best group date. Just make sure you pay close attention to the "moon rise" time or it may be very dark. :)
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