3 Years

I have been married to the most amazing, hilarious man for three years now and I can't believe it. Three years? Where did it go? What did we do to make it go by so fast? Oh that's right, we had too much fun. We might cut back on that here in year three...

One of my students once asked "what do you guys talk about?" under the assumption that after a while, we would run out of things to say to each other. It really amazes me all the things I continue to learn about my husband the more time we spend together. Sure, there were the obvious quirks and the heavy learning that came with the first year: these lessons prove to be more subtle, but no less profound. It speaks to the depth of people, the truths about them that intimacy can bring about. Each of us has so much to tell, and yet there is so much we keep secret.

I feel blessed and honored to share a home, my thoughts, and my life with this man. Happy Anniversary! Here's some photos from our wedding:

Credit: All photos taken by photographer Matt McClellan, who you can find at http://mcclellanphotography.com/

Fun fact: Mr. Kopf and I have been trying to follow the traditional marriage gifts. First year was the paper anniversary, so we bought each other books. That's pretty easy, right?

Second anniversary was cotton. Was I supposed to buy him a tshirt or some underwear? We bought a doormat because we needed one for our patio and I'm sure there's cotton in it somewhere.

Third anniversary is leather. There are really so many things I could get him... but most of them he already has. A wallet, a belt, (one of my coworkers suggested a man bag but I don't think that's Mr. K's style). So we're "cheating" again and just going with a kind of cow theme--we're having steaks for dinner.

So it really is true that we've been "trying" to follow that traditional route. I don't know that we could afford to do the modern one. Third year is glass or crystal? I think this is betting on a modern couple that got some careers first and waited until they were older to get married. We are too young for fancy crystal.

The Great Summer To-Do List

Because bucket lists are too intimidating. I feel like a bucket list would just not work out for me. I would think to myself “whatever, I have my whole life to get that stuff done” and it would never happen. Though if I did have a bucket list, the only thing that I can think of that would be on it is to one day work at a ranch for a season.

1. Read Books 

1a. Design Sponge at Home: Grace Bonney.

I look at Design*Sponge daily and am a little obsessed with Ms. Bonney's sense of style and writing. I love that she has a sneak peek of her own home in it. I actually just snagged this from the library yesterday and already I went out and bought a pegboard for my kitchen pots and pans. Oops.

Slightly ashamed that while holding an English degree, the first book that I pick for my Summer reading list is largely composed of pictures.

1b. A Clash of Kings: George R.R. Martin

I finished A Game of Thrones shortly after Spring Break. I could not put it down, which I didn't anticipate, having never read fantasy aside from The Narnia series. I'm not a fan of the sexual explicity in the show—a lot of times I feel that it's pointless—but Martin uses it in not a heavy-handed way that builds up some characters for me, and makes me hate others. He's a masterful writer.

1c. The Western Canon: Harold Bloom

English professors know about Harold Bloom, professor at Yale, all around fancy person, and the canon is a controversial and morphing topic that I'd like to know more about. I assume it has a lot to do with the subjectivity/objectivity debate in art and I'm all about that mess.

I think this one balances out the picture book nicely.

Past Summer reading lists have been ridiculously overambitious. We'll stick with three right now and add on if we need to. I'm always open to suggestions!

2. Be Active

2a. (free!) Movies at the Park

2b. Make my own clothes

2c. Host some Crafternoons: Some of the high school girls I taught are interested in sewing some stuff with me! I think it would be neat to have them over and craft together.

2d. Art Lessons with my Nieces: Because I have some really awesome nieces.

3. Follow Tradition

3a. Pool time/attempt to tan/fail as tradition dictates

3b. blueberry picking

3c. float trip

3d. catch a lightning bug

3e. visit family

So there you have it! I have a list. One that is practical enough to be doable, and I'm optimistic enough that it will actually get done. Here's to a happy season.

Living in the Summer

Who am I? I am a list person. There is nothing I love more than a good to-do list. I have them on my phone, on the internet (rememberthemilk.com is great), on a running word document on my computer, on countless notepads and sticky notes around my house. I think I make a new to-do list every day. It invigorates me to check something off. I am less intimidated by my tasks when they're set before me on paper.

Who am I? I'm a full-time high school teacher. I just wrapped up my first year and currently have a running to-do list of things to change for next year. Discipline policies, late-work policies, activities, games (yes, definitely more games), different ways to accomplish tasks and assignments.

My daily lists used to be filled with items to grade...

But they don't now... because it's SUMMER.

Source: Uploaded by user via Lauren on Pinterest

I can't believe I'm lucky enough to have my dream job. Believe me, I am so grateful for the opportunity to exercise my passion in teaching kids every day, but it really doesn't hurt that I happen to be in a position where I have a paid 2.5 month vacation once a year.

Source: tumblr.com via Lauren on Pinterest

So what is next for a to-do list, accomplishment-driven, over-acheiver, crazy person? I think it's pretty obvious.

The reading list is not enough for my plans this summer. I have a comprehensive summer to-do list and it's pretty packed.

I remember watching an episode of Arthur on PBS in my younger years where Arthur found a similar list on his bedroom floor with a week of summer to go and realized that he hadn't done anything he'd planned on doing. It's a reflection a lot of us have, I think. I had this block of time set aside for this special task: now where did that time go?

Not this time. Sorry Arthur, but that's not going to be the case with Mrs. Kopf. I will learn from your mistake and embrace the summer and the list that comes with it!

Hence, the blog: to keep me on track and accountable to my list. I'm still finalizing all my plans, and I'll be happy to share the progress in my next post, then hopefully share the results of my adventures on this blog.

Source: kikareichert.com.br via Lauren on Pinterest

Who am I? An obsessive sewing crafter. So plan to see a lot of that this summer. At least from me. I hope you make your own summer to-do lists, even without a lot of time off! This season is special to me not only for the freedom it typically represents, but because it is also the time for blueberries, farmers' markets, movies in the park, walks by the river, lightning bugs, and lemonade. Enjoy yourself and soak up as much sunshine as possible. That's number one.