Good thing I take pictures, turns out August was pretty amazing. How could I forget Noah went to EFY-Idaho and had to wear pants the entire time. Oh, the humanity! Even with Paul there, the homesickness was a little rough, but he made it through. I am proud of him for sticking it out even when he wanted me to come pick him up. Ultimately he had a good time, strengthened his testimony and met some new friends.
The names of a few ladies he met.
While Noah was away at BYU-I, we enjoyed a week with cousins. What is better than a week with cousins, how about a week in the same house with cousins? Scott & Lacey were in the process of building next door to my parents and were living with them while we were there. It was awesome!
Scott & Lacey had their camper trailer parked in the backyard. Zack and Haylee quickly turned it into a store, complete with a drive through window, and offered all kinds of snacks, drinks and even spa services. If some treat went missing from the kitchen we knew where to find it. They are two little buds who always have a project going on.
We didn't have any big plans while we were there, so I was able to do some things I haven't done in YEARS! Fencing is not technically a part of my history. But driving tractor is. I may not remember what happened last August, but the countless hours I spent behind the wheel of a John Deere are still with me. Logan & Brandon were babies during my farming years so it was a little shocking for them to see me in a tractor & actually be competent at it. Dad actually thought Logan would need to show me how. Well, I showed them!
Zack and Haylee rode with me long enough for Zack to experience the joys of having your head bang against the window numerous times and the pain of getting elbowed by a mom who isn't paying attention to your location when she is backing up. No one said it's comfortable or safe being a passenger in a tractor. Seriously, no one has EVER said that.
We built a fence and I added gate hanging & barb wire rolling to my skill set. Someday, it may come in handy. I had a great time working with my Dad, brothers & Lacey. Aunt Gail & Uncle Bruce stopped by for awhile too.
After rediscovering my farming roots, Dad thought I may want to rediscover my cowgirl roots. Surprisingly I was game. It's no secret that I have a healthy fear of horses and don't ride often ever. The week before, Lacey & Dad rode up Hurricane Pass. They were talking about what a hard ride it is (Lacey's horse lost her footing and slid down the hill on her rump). It occurred to me that I actually did that ride in a Biology class while at Ricks. And I lived. More importantly, I didn't even get bucked off. Why all this backstory? Because that's the thinking that led to me to standing in the barn, getting my ride ready to head up to the mountain.
Actually Brandon & Dad got the horses ready. I was making sure there weren't any mice around and second guessing my choices. Lacey recommended I ride Sage (the same horse she rode, that fell down). I don't know why Dad was letting me choose and it didn't help that Brandon and Logan both said it was an "interesting choice." I guess it shows how much I trust Lacey. Aunt Gail was at least supportive of my decision. Dad has forest land near Kelly Canyon/Heise area that he leases to run cattle on during the summer. We refer to it as the "lease" or the mountain. It's beautiful.
The purpose of this particular trip was to fix fence and look for a lost cow or two. I have no idea where we were, except that at one point some of it looked familiar as a camping spot a few years ago.
The terrain is pretty rough and I quickly realized that I was going to be sore. I also learned that horses are oblivious when they bang your legs into trees. Chaps aren't just for looking cool either, my jeans would have been shredded and my legs a bloody mess if I wasn't wearing them. My dad will call you out when you use the saddle horn for support or balance. Spurs aren't as scary to use as I thought they might be (it doesn't immediately make a horse want to buck you off), and I don't like to trot--holy cow it hurts! With all the tree branches, hats are hard to keep on your head and sunglasses are for keeping your eyes from being poked out. I also learned that when my horse starts to freak out because her back legs are caught in-between two branches it doesn't mean I am going to fall off or die even though it feels like either was a possibility. Also, I get cell reception where no one else does.
We rode for nine miles or so up and down various hills. I was glad it was the horse doing all the strenuous work. There were some pretty good climbs. Dad fixed some fence, we never found the cows, but I had a great time.
Even though I was ridiculously sore for days after. Thankfully, Zack and Haylee were in the inexpensive massage business.
Kelli & Whitney were both having babies. I missed Whitney's baby shower but was able to help with Kelli's. I dyed bow-tie pasta blue and green. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would be if the bow-tie pasta didn't match the color scheme? I joke, I do appreciate a well thought out themed party. I think it all turned out pretty cute.
I took all the kids and showed them just a small bit of what makes Jackson one of my favorite places on earth. First a little Mt. High Pizza Pie. Loved that place when I lived there. So yummy.
Then to Jenny's Lake. I was all for a hike over to the falls, but I had some reluctant hikers.
Instead we just wandered around the lake. It's so beautiful.
Then we spent WAY too much time in the store trying to find souvenirs. I almost bought this shirt, but didn't because that would mean that someone would actually wear this shirt....
Not to be too over dramatic or anything, but I LOVE the Tetons. This place brings peace to my heart.
We made a expensive stop at the Yippie-I-O Candy Co (I am a sucker for food places that have rhyming names.)
One quick photo under an antler arch and we had to head back to Rexburg. I never plan enough time!
Our final Rexburg adventure involved a place in Rigby called Squealers. You can see it from the freeway on the way to Rexburg. I never thought much about it, but it was a fun place to go.
All that entertainment in Rigby, Idaho. Who knew? We'll most likely be begged to go there again.
One last photo from Rexburg to document this cousin relationship. Macy kind of has Noah wrapped around her finger.
Just kidding, this is the last photo from our time in Idaho. I figured there is no safer place to learn to drive than the farm so Noah got a few lessons. He is fourteen and I was nervous. I think I was probably 10 when my dad had me start driving. He needed the help. Desperate times/desperate measures. I can't imagine letting Zack drive a car or even a tractor-- especially a tractor--but that was how we did it back in the day.
And so, after a fun week in Idaho we had to get back to Matt & Vegas. We really had the best time.
Before school this year I took each one to lunch at the place of their choice.
Zack is a 4th grader.
Ben is in 6th grade/middle school.
Noah is a freshman at the high school. Excuse the side by side instagram shot. He would die if I took a picture of him at his school. He also started early morning (6:55-could be worse) seminary.
We went to BurGR for Emily's birthday. It's a Gordon Ramsey restaurant where the waiters wear Gordon Ramsey jeans and they baste the burgers with some fancy form of butter. Yum and also kind of yulk. The burgers are good, but the parmesan truffle fries are delicious.
On our way to BurGR, we passed this. All of Zack's wildest dreams just came true.
