Our number one priority

When you have three children, like us, it might be easy to forget about the relationship with your spouse. You're so focused on raising these kids and keep them more or less alive that your offspring becomes the number one priority.  

Many couples forget about nurturing the bond with each other.

When our kids were really little, I often freaked out because it felt like Steve and I were only roommates, co-existing merely to organize playdates, figure out who will take the trash out, or who has to deal with the babies when they scream in the middle of the night.

During our 16 years of raising kids so far, we figured out that we better make our relationship a priority as well.  We are lucky to have Steve's parents: they LIVE for their grandkids and are eager to take care of them for a week while Steve and I go away. (Thank you, Donna and John!!!!!)

So last week, Steve and I went to Sedona, Arizona, where we biked, hiked, ate our hearts out, and re-connected as a couple.

Have you ever been to Sedona, the land of red rocks and energy vortexes?  We were here before twice when we took road trips as a family.  

I's a special place for outdoor enthusiasts, especially when you're used to lush Pacific Northwest landscapes.  In Arizona, there are desert plants and animals, different rocks and soil, and amazing sunshine.

Except as soon as Steve and I got there, a winter storm moved through.  We spent our first day hiking in the rain, which was incredibly awesome, because nobody was on the trail.

I'm still feeling pretty high from our trip.  

It's hard to describe the beauty with words, so I'm just going to let the pictures talk for themselves.

Sigh... You know what I mean? Gorgeous, right?

We got to visit with our friends from Flagstaff as well, so that was an incredible treat.

And the great thing about travelling is coming home, realizing how much you miss your kids, and then getting re-absorbed into the whirlwind of family life again.

The kids had a wonderful time with their grandparents.  

Let me show you some pictures of the time before we left: Thanksgiving with Donna and John, knitting with Gramma, and our family dressed up for our friend's Sweet 16 party.

How was your Thanksgiving?

Also, I'd love to hear from you what you do to keep your relationship with your significant other alive and well.  Go ahead and share in the comments!