January 27th

It is Bart’s birthday today. He turned 37. I was reading another blog where the woman tried to come up with a picture for every year she and her husband were together. It was funny to watch the changes of hairstyle, clothing, shape of glasses, etc. as it went on through their relationship. (They started in jr. high)

Not dating but having fun in Thailand. I am on the left. Bart is in the middle.

It got me to wondering if I could actually FIND a picture of Bart and I during every year that we have been together. Then I had to admit that I could probably find A picture of us every year but would I allow it to be presented for the public eye. Lucky for me, I am the mom and the mom gets the wonderful job of staying behind the camera for the most part. However, it is more than that in my case. Never in all my years have I been photogenic. I can count the pictures that I truly like of myself on all my bodily digits. My youngest son on the other hand was born making love to the camera. He is so photogenic he looks better on film than in real life.
Anyways, back to the birthday boy. We have been married for 13 years and I have to admit that there have been quite a few boulders and sharp rocks in our trail. Especially in the beginning but things have smoothed out quite nicely and mostly I feel gratitude and wonder that I married this man. I am very much of the mind that you really can never tell who you are marrying. (Unless you marry about 40.) There is always that mid life crisis, the having children changes, the decades that must be lived and days determined by which way the wind blows. Looking back, I acknowledge the changes and the growth that he has made. (It is easier to see his growth than mine.) And I may not agree with all of them but the core part of Bart is something I want to be associated with. I do look forward to the day when it is just us two again and we can enjoy each other more….if I ever get him off a snowmobile.

1993


















1994
















1995 This was just 5 days after Chase was born. Impressive, huh?

1996


















A very distorted scanned picture at Wheeler Farm in 1997.








I know that I have a picture for 1998 but it isn’t here while I am doing this post so I will go on without it. This is 1999. We didn’t make Chase start snowboarding until he was 4. And he turned out to be pretty good at it.




I am going to scream. I do not have the Disneyland picture for 2000. Some of you will think that I am purposely leaving it out because of what I look like in it, however, it was the end of the day and I was secretly pregnant with Cooper. Obviously then this is 2001. Ryan’s baptism. Probably the best picture out of the whole bunch. Of all three of us!









SLC Olympics 2002. USA TODAY and Clyde Benton, my deceased boss was very good to me with the tickets. We went to speed skating, men’s figure skating and closing ceremonies. And look at the good friends that we made along the way!










2003: Every year we go to the zoo on Thanksgiving. It was a tradition that started in Maryland and has continued through to Salt Lake City. My in laws have ventured out and all Solomon children show up if they are here in the valley. Very important note: Chase purposely crossed his eyes. As he tries to do this in all family pictures starting in 2003 I need to make this clear now before you see other pictures.







2004: Good thing we make it to the zoo, huh?

2005 is a “self portrait” in the back of our house on a lazy Sunday afternoon watching our kids play on the Slip and Slide.










2006 at temple square.

Happy Birthday Bart! And many more to come! And I make a promise that in another 10 years I will have more pictures of you and I for the next birthday picturama. I love you!!