Newport Beach Family Photographer | 10 Most Asked Questions About My Marriage
Photo by Katie Lamb
Some of the questions I get the most often are not about photography at all. They’re about mom life, marriage, business growth, cooking and style. That last one is laughable to me but I guess I have perfected the art of getting ready without getting ready.
Today I am answering the top 10 questions you guys have been asking about our marriage. No marriage is perfect and ours is no different but we are loving and honest and happy and that’s all that matters.
How long have you been married? We’re right in the middle of our SEVEN year itch and not feeling itchy at all. If anything we’re actually better than ever right now. Maybe it’s quarantine or the fact that life is crazy and we need each other but we’re happier now than ever before.
Where did you meet? We met in VEGAS in the summer of 2009 at a club (Excess, if you must know) at 12am, most assuredly intoxicated. After that trip, we didn’t see each other again for a year and a half when he drove to Arizona. We went to a Cardinals game and the zoo and we were hooked on each other.
You both seem chill, who’s the disciplinarian? We both are. We are actually pretty strict with our kids. Our thought process is that if we are strict with them when they are young then we won’t have to be as much when they’re older. Nixon is 10 and he’s a really good kid. Who knows though, we’ll see how it goes with the other kids as they get older. You never know if you’re doing it right until they’re old and in therapy anyways.
How do you stay connected after 3 kids? We do date nights every Saturday and switch off who plans it. It’s not anything big and right now they’re all at home dates but it still counts. Just brings the focus back to each other at least once a week so we can talk and catch up. We also do an app called Lasting. It initiates questions and discussions with each other. It’s about $100 a year but cheaper than marriage counseling.
What does Brad do? He’s gone a lot. He is an ocean lifeguard for the County of Orange beaches. In the summer, he is gone a lot. 12 hour days, in the sun all day and totally toast when he comes home. In the off season he works less though to make up for it. He is 1 of 4 permanent guards that work year around and his job is a dream come true for him and a lot of other people.
Do you travel with the kids? We love to travel and always will. Last year we went to the Bahamas and Yellowstone with the kids (8,3, and 8 months at the time), while it was so fun. Flights with young kids are not fun and we won’t be doing anymore East coast trips until Poppy is at least 5. We love to camp as family and do that a lot as well as take one big trip a year!
Any more babies for you guys? NO NO NO! Poppy is the final chapter our baby book and we are thrilled to be moving on. We need some much needed freedom that comes when your kids get older!
Who cooks and how to eat so healthy? Laurel cooks veggies and sides and if we’re making meat (more on that in a sec) Brad will handle that. We eat vegetarian 6 nights a week, the kids don’t even notice. Laurel is vegetarian all the time but Brad and the kids eat meat when we go out to eat or on special occasions. If someone asks for meat, by no means will I decline them but they just don’t notice we eat a shit ton of veggies because thats all they’ve ever known.
How do you stay so active with 3 little kids? Just do it. Don’t overthink it. You’ll be tired, they’ll be tired but kids can do a lot more than we give them credit for. Push them, don’t let them give up and carry their bike after 10 minutes, make them ride longer. Maybe thats mean but we push our kids to do their best and only give up if you absolutely can’t go on. In turn our kids are beasts!
What do you do for fun? Anything outside, anything active, anything with food or anything by the water. We’re pretty easy if any of those are covered!
XO- Laurel