"bare" tales from the great outdoors.

If you haven't met my hubby, Mark the Shark, you wouldn't know that he can grow a beard in about two hours. Or that he somewhat resembles Tom Cruise (and he's told this daily). Or that he's one of the most helpful people out there. If I need something done, Mark's my man. Ha ha. Snort. But really. He is my main man. He's built things for me, crawled out of bed in the middle of the night to get me a drink of water, and even helped me put my shoes on when my body was too bloated with baby to move. Mark's helpful nature is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. In short, Mark would give someone in need the shirt of his back.

So...

Last night while helping me at a bridal photo shoot, Mark did just that. I wanted her to sit on the steps, but they were dirty. So Mark, being the guy that he is, took off his shirt and placed it on the steps.

hairy situation.

This is my husband, Mark:

Hairy? Yes.
Why? Simply because I cut his hair and I haven't had time to do so in the last year. So Mark got to embrace the 70's and grow out his wavy fro (as pictured above).

So, this last week I figured, why not really rock the 70's look. After a little persuasion, he was shorn like a sheep, sampsoned like Delilah would want it, de-hair-i-fied to look like this:

Oh yeah, baby! That's hotness for you.
But his serious man-ness was a little overwhelming after about 30 seconds, so we cut the rest off and now here's the new and improved Mark:

 

Which "look" do you like best?

a. 70's Fro

b. Mullet Man

c. Clean Cut Mark

I'm leaning toward Mullet Man.

Throw in a wife-beater top and a dirty old truck and he'd have some serious Mullet style.

luv, erin

to mark.

I know it's cliche it is to say, "time flies," but there isn't another phrase that can accurately describe how fast the years of our marriage have passed. It seems like just yesterday we tied the knot, moved to a cozy apartment in Springville, and started our exciting married life together. It's funny, really, to think of how poor we were back then. How we scraped by on $800 a month. How we once walked by the Springville Taco Bell together and my mouth watered something bad, but it just wasn't in our budget to buy even a taco. How could it be on $800 a month?
We were the poster children for poor married college students. Living on nothing but love.

I used to curse our stinking poorness, and pray for the day when I could go to the grocery store and buy whatever I wanted to buy.

Shari, your older sister, once told me that I'd look back one day and miss the struggle, and the small apartment, and the nights you and I walked up and down the block because that's all we could afford to do.
At the time Shari was talking to me, I thought, Yeah Right! But it's true. Even though I love our lives now, our four kiddoes, our lazy fat dog, our home and careers, I do miss those early days. And at the same time I'm so glad we've moved on. The last dozen years have been littered with trials. Ugh, more than I wish to count. Finances, loss, moving, children, worry, health...so much to remember, and I'm sure there's so much more to come. But the crazy thing is, as I sit here and try to remember all we've been through together I keep getting stuck on the "we." The trials fade from my thoughts and all I see is You.
You, by my side.
That's all that's important.
I'm grateful that you're the one that's gone through it all with me. You are an amazing husband that is my equal, or better, in every way. There isn't a day that goes by when I don't thank the Lord for blessing me you as my companion. I hope our next dozen years will be as wonderfull hard and sweet and rich as the last dozen.

Happy anniversary, Mark. luv, erin

Now, if you've read through all my sap today, and you want to see some amazing pictures of our recent trip to Key Biscayne, Florida, go check out my photo blog: www.erinsummerillphotography.com/blog

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

No fear, concerned friends and neighbors and relatives and blog stalkers--Mark has not become a member of Al Qaeda. He is not a serial killer. And as far as I know he's not planning to ditch our family for a tent in the woods and a shovel for bathroom facilities.

But it seems that everybody wants to know what the beard is all about. At first I think it grew out of sheer laziness. He didn't want to take the time to shave everyday. Mark grows hair like I eat M&Ms (or did, but that's another story). It's practically a super power. By 5:00 PM he doesn't have the "five o'clock shadow". No my friends. He has what other men consider "two day's growth."

In short, Mark is one hairy dude.

So as the days passed, and Mark's hair grew and grew, he decided to use his super power for the good of mankind (well, for the good of Xango's employees, and the kick they'd get out of a Xango inspired beard cut). On the 5th of May Mark shaved his burliness down to two X's criss-crossing his face. And in return he won the Xango annual mustache contest. 

So hot, right?

Believe me, it didn't last long. But Mark is uberly pleased that he won the contest. And I have to admit, the gift basket from Bath and Body Works smells pretty dang good! 

I'm so Vain

I really think it's funny when I take a picture of someone, and later that someone responds by telling me how vain they feel about the picture. I take this to mean the picture was so freaking awesome that they can't stop looking at it . . . well, I really haven't had that problem myself - looking at myself in pictures.
See, to be honest, I don't like pictures of myself. I try not to step in front of the camera unless one of the models I had scheduled for a shoot is a no show. Then of course I have to be the model. And those poor students.
I'm the worst in front of the camera. I blink a lot, I have my one perfected pose (which screams UNNATURAL), and I have a lot of distracting moles. So shooting me can be difficult.

Today Mark (hubby photog in training) shot me sitting on a park bench with my sweet Ruby. It may be that Ruby brings out the best in me, or I have finally disowned my one perfected pose, but I tend to think Mark's picking up photography like a pro. I love this shot so much.

Like other people I've shot, I now feel vain because I can't stop looking at myself.

Mark.

He's braved my Photo 101 workshop, shadowed me on a couple shoots, and read Understanding Exposure. (If you're at all interested in photography, this is the book you should read. It rocks.)

I just have to take a time out and say, WOWZA! Mark, my sweet-patient-kind-hubby, is rocking my photography world. He's picking it up quicker than I ever did. And . . . sniff, sniff . . . it makes me so dang proud.

Over the ten years we've been married, Mark has never ceased to amaze me. Um, like the time he said, "Hey, since I just got laid off, you wanna move to Hawaii?" ...Uh SURE! (You're freaking awesome Sweetie). Or, like the time he said, "Lets buy this ghetto druggie house and rock it suburban style." ...Ok, I'm game! (So maybe those weren't his exact words, but you get the picture. He's so good at going with the flow and learning new things.)

The newest interest: Photography.
And not just because I'm his wife and stapled to his side for Eternity, but because I like to think I'm somewhat of a photographer, and since I teach classes, I have to say he's doing a bang up job.

Way to go Mark. Here's some of your shots I loved.

Student a la Mark

Have I mentioned a million times yet that I'll be shooting a wedding in New Zealand in October? Please, let me get on the bull-horn one more time. I am ecstatic over it. What I realized the other day is, a wedding is better shot with two photographers and not one. Considering that, and the upcoming wedding, I came to the conclusion that Mark must be trained. So Mark attended my photography 101 crash course last night. I think it was a whirlwind experience for all who attended. The class did great and here are a few of Mark's shots.

Way to go Mark!

NINE

1. I was coerced into going on a date with you by your pestering brother and my "oh just be nice and go out with him" Mom. I went, felt shocked that I had so much fun, and felt bad for not wanting to go in the first place.

2. You walked me to the door and said something funny as you walked away. I burst out a giggle, and at the same time (blushing) actually PASSED GAS! I was convinced you heard because you turned back and said, "What did you say?" Then you didn't call the next day. I felt mortified. (By the way, this memory still makes me giggle)

3. On our third "hanging out" I took you to my secret special places, all the places that I think are pretty cool that most people don't even notice. I was surprised when you told me that you had some too, and even more surprised when you took me to all of them that night.

4. Your face turned bright red, as we sat on the side of a mountain having escaped the ward summer party, when you leaned in and I asked, "Are you trying to kiss me?" Shocked that I would ask that, you were indignant and then refused to carry through with the deed.

5. I was so sad, annoyed, confused, bewildered and in a huff that you would get cold feet so many times...so many that we would break up 5 times! But so in love, that I would jump back on board as soon as you came to your senses.

6. When we walked in the park and found a lost and very wet golden Labrador, I knew you loved me when you let me put the dog in the cab of your pristine Red Chevy Truck.

7. You took me to the singles dance even though we had broken up. I staked my claim by hugging and kissing all over you ALL night long. You pretend to be put off, but I know you loved how much I loved you!

8. You said goodnight on the doorstep, and then as I would turn to leave, you would ask if I wanted to take a walk. We walked and talked and you would take me home again, just to ask if I would not go in yet and walk some more.

9. I once drew a dreamy sketch of what I would want my wedding ring to look like, I thought it had been thrown away, but months later you surprised me when you knelt down on one knee and presented me with a small white box. I opened the box to find, not a ring, but the drawing I had crumpled up, and tossed out. In a quiet, trembling voice, you asked me to marry you as you pulled the ring, replicated from the picture, out of your pocket. It was everything that I wanted...just as you still are today. HAPPY 9TH ANNIVERSARY!

The Hunter, the Hunted and the Hunt!

Two years ago, after an unfortunate layoff, Mark and I unanimously decided to give away our dog, sell our home, purge all our belongings and move 3000 miles away to a far away island in the middle of the pacific ocean. There we took shelter and created a new life for ourselves as Mark hunted an education in Manoa (UH). Daily Mark would travel across the rugged island landscape to the far off land of Manoa to perform educational feats of analytical studies and written synopses. Traveling sometimes up to three hours a day, being exhausted by his travels and studies, Mark was fervent in his pursuit to conquer the beast known best as MBA. MBA was reclusive and often taunted him with unimaginable leaps. But matching the beast step for step and never falling short to rise to meet the beast in the eye, Mark grew stronger. Daily he stalked the beast and as the beast grew weary, Mark narrowed in on the beast's lair. Then early on a clear sunny Sunday in the days of mid August, Mark walked with an air of accomplishment and capture as he approached MBA, and seized him as one would claim a deserved treasure. Victory was his and open for all who had internet connection or a ticket to Hawaii to behold. After 2 years in the land of Laie on an island in the middle of the ocean, Mark seized the victorious beast known as MBA!!!
After the graduation we walked out to the baseball stadium and loaded Mark up with Leis!
The boys were so excited to see their daddy graduate! Mark was the last in line for the Masters students to recieve his MBA so it gave extra time for our family and friends to yell for an extra long time. If you were watching via internet, you would have heard us yell "FREEDOM" and a slew of other cheerful taunts!
Here are the Summerill Men! One has recieved his MBA, three more to go...hehehe (or some other degree).
Henry, Klai, and Rykell were excellent cheerleaders for Daddy, and Uncle Mark! We are soooooo proud of Mark. The first of 13 kids in his family to graduate from University, and to return to school having 2 and then 3 children, Mark is really a great example to our little family. Now that this feat has been accomplished, we will be moving back to the motherland for Mark to continue his career as an investment/insurance broker at Regal Securities in Utah County. If you live out that way and you want to hang out, we will be there as of August 20!

Study, Work, Eat, Sleep alittle...Study

I am pleased to announce that the MBA excursion that we have taken to Hawaii is now coming to a close...well maybe. Yes, Mark will be graduating on Sunday August 12th at the Stan Sherriff Center at University of Hawaii. This post is premature because any readers of this blog who are interested in coming, you are welcome to come that week and celebrate with us. As for leaving the island right after he graduates, that idea has changed from 90 percent sure to 68 percent sure. I will be updating my blog on this matter in the near future.

Mark finished up his last semester of classes the end of April. He now is working on a final internship and a local business consultation project. So, since he has finished classes, I thought I would get one last picture of him studying hard!