two-thousand miles, five states, two bunkbeds and one couch later...

Grab some popcorn and enjoy the longest post in the history of my blog!



July 25-31... I drove down with the kids alI BY MYSELF! I had to stop only a few times. The kids were so good for me. It's tradition for us to stop in Grangeville and touch the rocks. I also stopped in Midvale to let the kids play on the playset to help get their wiggles out.












At the Holdaway Reunion, we ate a lot of good food, swam in the Hansen's pool, threw Tena a surprise Baby Shower, watched movies, and had a blast! All the kids came home and all the grandkids were together for the first time in a few years. I got to see where Ryan has spent the past few months while working in Boise.

Oh yeah, we also got to spend one night at the Anniversary Inn while we were in Boise. It was so nice and quiet. A HUGE THANK YOU to the Holdaways for taking care of the kids while we got to do that! (especially you, Tiff!)

















July 31-August 4...we were in Utah! We visited Ashley and Donny's apartment, had a birthday party for me, read Breaking Dawn (and loved it), went to Seven Peaks, painted Aimee's classroom (I'll post pictures of that when I get them from my mom), played the Wii (first time, thank you very much), had loads of giggles with my cousins, and did tons of laundry.

Ryan actually got to spend THREE WHOLE DAYS WITH me and the kids! He came down to Utah with us and then had to fly back up from SLC to Boise because he had to go back to work. It was fun to spend 72 hours with him


Visited Spanish Fork, where Ryan has fond memories from his childhood. Here is 'his' mountain he remembers seeing every day.
Ryanna actually MADE everyone pancakes, she did it all. Her very first meal where she did EVERYTHING! She poured the batter, flipped them when they were done (sometimes TOO done!) and then hopped down off of her stool to serve her creations.
The house where Ryan grew up.
His family's favorite place to eat in Spanish Fork
Dawson at Seven Peaks going down his favorite slide

Ryanna hugging the Shark

August 4-7...we drove up to Rexburg to see the other side of the family. I haven't seen these sights since Ryan and I were newlyweds! We saw lots of cousins and their kids (I've never met most of them) and got to see my old college stomping grounds.

Our very first apartment as a married couple back in early 2001.
Ryan's first job in Rexburg

Ashley and Donny in front of the new goregous Rexburg Temple.
My very first apartment at Ricks College! I moved in with Summer (Carringer) in July 1999. Talk about a blast from the past! It's now a Boy's Dorm and no longer called Harmony House.

While we were in Rexburg, we also ran over to Yellowstone Park! I went as a baby and don't remember it, so I count this as my first time! We saw TWO Buffalo and a handful of elk, that's it! It wasn't a good day for wildlife, but it was a tremendous day to see the sights.

We stopped on the way up to Yellowstone at this spring and enjoyed a refreshing dip of our feet and little swig of water. It was ice cold and delicious!




Dawson liked the boiling mud pots, he giggled when they sounded like they were burping!




"I just wanted to see what it felt like!" Ewwwwwww, Uncle Donny!

Old Faithful! I've never seen it before, and now I can cross this off my list of "Things-To-See-Before-I-Die" and it was actually pretty cool. The kids really enjoyed it.








August 7...drove from Rexburg through Montana and arrived in Hayden Lake. Drove 500 miles in 10 hours. My poor kids! They did great though.

August 8-9...Hayden Lake, Idaho at Grandmother Velta and Papa's house. Ate delicious home-cooked meals and picked Raspberries from their garden. I drove home last night with the kiddies so they could be in their own beds. WHEW! I'm home now, and can't wait to unpack! What a trip it was, saw both sets of grandparents in one day, lots of cousins (and new cousins) and ate good food and made loads of wonderful memories. Thanks to all that made it happen! I wish I could have had more time in every location to visit more friends, it was a rushed vacation and I'm sorry I couldn't see all who I wanted to see!!


MILEAGE SUMMARY:
-Moscow to Boise: 332 miles
-While in Boise: 93 miles
-Boise to Highland: 381 miles
-While in Utah: 150 miles
-Highland to Rexburg: 273 miles
-While in Rexburg: 300 miles
-Rexburg to Hayden Lake: 500 miles
-While in Hayden Lake: 0 miles
-Hayden Lake to Moscow: 93 miles

TOTAL miles in 16 days: 2,122!

142 days left...

Until we go to CHINA! My parents asked us what we're doing for Christmas this year, and if it was okay that we spend it in China! Ummmm, let me think...I don't think that I'd rather be making snowforts in the usual 5 feet of snow! I'm so excited, it feels so surreal. I have to look into the vaccines and shots and other stuff associated with going to Asia! I'm going to be in Kate Spade bag HEAVEN! I'm saving all my piano money and going to be VERY materialistic this Holiday Season. What a FUN birthday surprise this was.

Any tips from any fellow international travelers?

bring on the presents

I'm how old? 27...that number always sounded so far away...and yet here I am. I've faced it and it's not that bad! My birthday was last Friday and since then, I've been surrounded by family, made lots of new fond memories and got some awesome gifts for my birthday!

I got to party at Seven Peaks (pictures to come at a later post), my cousins made me some yummy birthday pancakes, I got Breaking Dawn book and a sunburn, a Santoku Knife, a new recipe book holder, an ABBA CD, and more! I am so lucky, it's been the best birthday yet! I want to turn 27 again.

two years over!

My internet is slower than molasses in winter and we HATE clearwire! I'm so excited that we're just about done with our two-year-contract. It wasn't so bad when we first got it, it was actually very fast, but for the last year it's so incredibly slow and there's NOTHING WE COULD HAVE DONE ABOUT IT! Everyone I know has had issues with their company and their customer service stinks. I'm so sorry to anyone that we have referred over to their company. All I can say is, I'm glad to be DONE! I can think of more ways to spend my $50 per month!

We're looking into some options how to get internet, so please keep checking my fabulous blog often. These days it may be harder for me to post...but keep checking! My birthday is this this week and I'm going to post about cake!

done done done

I'm so proud of myself! I am DONE with Christmas this year! Since I'm going to see Ryan's family and my family before summer's end, I am going to save on shipping!! We have Ryan's second-to-oldest brother's family and all of their presents are wrapped and ready for them to take home!

Now, for my kids and husband...that's another story. I'll start their gift-purchasing in December. Any ideas for stocking stuffers? I'm done! Hooray!

gravity? what gravity?

I love Step Up (thanks to my sisters that got me into Channing Tatum's sweet moves) and the incredibly talented dancers that twist, turn and move like there's no such thing as gravity! I had a free rental from my video store, so I ran over and snagged Step Up 2 and watched it last night.

BAD PART: Only ONE scene with Channing Tatum and he wasn't even that good! His acting HAS improved, but he was only on-screen for like 5 minutes in the very beginning. (sorry for the oxymoron, but he didn't do anything that was too impressive.) First movie is MUCH better with him in it. Still it was fun to watch.

GOOD PART: Minimal swearing, AWESOME dancing. I've never seen such contortion and fluid dancing before.


Aimee and Ash, you guys would like it; even if our boy Chan wasn't in it.

fallin' in and out of love with my

That's right. My machine and I have a love/hate relationship. But now that I have come to understand it, I have struck...

SUCCESS!! This is my first attempt at making those popular and fun little blankies. I got out my precious little Janome machine and put in a movie and by the time the movie was over, this is what I did! PLEASE don't look too closely, as I'm NOT a good seamstress by any means. I was just thrilled that I can do something! I made some ribbon longer than others, so it wouldn't be so boring and predictable.

Most of the ribbon I got at the DOLLAR STORE! (Otherwise I bought it at Walmart or JoAnns) Other taggie blankies that I've seen done have the big, thick ribbon around the edges. I went out on a limb and did it differently. I thought that different sizes and textures could help with fine motor skills. Plus, I just wanted to see if it would work. Ryanna told me tonight that her baby doll, Sally, needed one also. I'm going to make Ryanna help me do it, she loves to sew.

I'm so excited about it too, I'm giving it as a baby gift to Ryan's brother's darling wife. (Shhhhhh! Don't tell!) They're having a baby girl, and what miracle baby she is. Can't wait to meet her!

blueberries and nursery

I bought 2 pounds of delicious blueberries at WinCo the other night, or at LEAST I SUPPOSE that they were delicious! I put them away in the fridge and when I turned to walk away and finish putting the rest of the groceries away, I hear this soft plip plip plip and slowly opened the fridge door. The blueberries were ALL OVER THE PLACE! The rolled under the fridge, scattered all over the different levels of the fridge, into the lining of the door. Places that I didn't know that blueberries could get into, they did! It doesn't look like it was a mess, but it was! It look me at least 30 minutes to clean them up. Even then, whenever I open the fridge now, I still get a couple scattered on the floor! Dumb blueberries.

This picture doesn't do the mess justice!! They're EVERYWHERE!



Now onto something that is bittersweet for me...we're done with Nursery! We've been in there for a year, and it's time for someone else to have a turn. I'm going to miss it, those kids are so precious and the teachers I served with are such kindred spirits. I don't know if I'll remember how to sit still during Relief Society! I'm so grateful that I was able to serve and get to know and love those sweet little souls!