41 Awesome Things I have gotten to expereince due to marrying an Outdoor Guy
About ten years ago James and I were at a neighbors party sitting around the kitchen meeting everyone. I remember listening to what everyone did for a living and most were lawyers, accountants and few that were in sales. When they asked what we did for a moment I was almost feeling a little embarrassed. Here were these people a few years older then me with these big adult jobs where they had to wear business suits to work everyday. And then here I am wearing my Patagonia fleece and Chaco sandals with a major in Therapeutic Recreation. James and I said that we were currently working with adults that were blind taking them rock climbing, backpacking and building their confidence through outdoor sports. I don’t know what I was expecting everyone to say but what they said was that’s awesome tell us more…..
From that moment I began to realize what we do for a living is a little different and people think its pretty amazing.
For the past 7 years I have mostly made the transition to Stay At Home Mom of three awesome little boys. But I’m married to a man that will always work in the outdoor field and is 100 percent in love with being in that line of work.
He gets to spend a lot of time outdoors taking people on adventures that they will never forget. For him its often just another day on the job. For others its a life changing experience.
So TOP 41 reasons it awesome to be married to an outdoor guy! (and especially a guide) These are not in a specific order!
1. People always think my husbands job is cool. They ask questions and seem interested.
2. He gets to often workout during the workday which means more family time.
3. Our family can often travel with him and visit some pretty amazing places.
4. He loves his line of work and is often happy to go to work.
5. We meet all sorts of people, from all walks of life. Some even become friends for life.
6. If there is a place we really want to visit we can always scout it out and call it a work trip.
7. We can create future trips for places we love to go with Wyoming always being a favorite.
8. Often we rack up airline miles and hotel miles getting to travel even more.
9. Trying out new gear and products.
10. Taking our kids and their friends climbing at a young age.
11. Spending time as a family outside.
12. Getting creative with cooking without always having a kitchen.
13. Kids get to grow up traveling.
14. Learning how to sleep anywhere…RV, car, hotel, lodge, on snow, in a tent, or on top of a van rack when the wild pigs came running in to camp.
15. Realizing you need a climbing wall in the backyard for the kids and having extra holds from work so it quickly gets built.
16. Spending endless amounts of time around a campfire.
17. Guiding is sexy.
18. Having learned how to perfect a smore.
19. Creating amazing smores.
20. Chocolate chip cookies, chocolate syrup and marshmallow smores.
21. Banana boats.
22. Lots of campfire foods and experiments.
23. Being able to go to the bathroom anywhere.
24. Watching sunrises and sunsets.
25. Spotting moose, bears, elks, big horn sheep and more.
26. Learning how to fish.
27. Driving in the middle of nowhere to pick up backpackers.
28. Learning airports so well from picking up campers you know where the best food is and the workers know you.
29. Sitting under the stars contemplating life.
30. Trying every mosquito spray that has ever been produced. (This is by far my favorite for Colorado mosquitoes)
31. Spluring to take the ferry over Jenny Lake to make it home from an early morning climb in time to enjoy happy hour with friends instead of hiking around the lake. Sometimes time is money!
32. Being able to fill three carts from Costco in less then 1 hour with 2 small children. Outdoor people sure can eat.
33. Laughing in a tent.
34. Enjoying the first sip of coffee after a cold night of sleeping on the snow when your guide husband sees nothing wrong with that. (who needs a tent bottom)
35. Camping with your guide husband who travels light. Maybe too light.
36. Being able to justify wearing expensive outdoor clothes and actually using them for what they were made for.
37. Endless hours of sitting in tents talking about life killing time while the storms pass.
38. Your kids thinking a normal childhood is summers playing in the mountains.
39. Husband never turning you down when you ask if he wants to go on a trip.
40. Him understanding when you show up with a kayak for your kid instead of the cash he gave you for groceries.
41. Getting to spend a lifetime with a person that is always ready for an adventure with you!
Practicing on the Strider bike with mother