party in franklin, idaho

Huff Family Reunion! We partied in the OLDEST TOWN IN IDAHO a couple weekends ago and it was a blast.  Getting there was a challenge...but that's another post for another day! The HUFF family is my mother-in-law's mother's family.  So Ryan's grandmother's family.  I think.  I get confused easily.

Jail and Franklin City Hall.  It was actually used until only FOUR YEARS AGO! (according to my sources...aka a website where I got this info) It's teeny tiny. 

Ruins of the first sawmill in Idaho.

The Doney House. I believe that it was actually BUILT by Ryan's great great grandparents.  Seriously COOL. It's among one of the oldest homes in Idaho!!!

We had such a long trip the day before trying to get to Logan and then got up extra early to make it to Franklin and my diet coke was wearing off...can you tell?

This is the FIRST ZCMI! So cool, although I doubt they would have had much of a clearance section.  It was really neat. Built in 1860 and closed in 1900.  I would have LOVED to see it in action. (notice Jayme with her party cup...she took that thing everywhere that day) ha

The RELIC HALL.  This was one of my favorite parts of the day.  It had all sorts of treasures inside.  From hats to bullets to a full size wagon used back in the day, it was there.  Pictures of Ryan's ancestors up on the wall and a piano...it was awesome. Built in 1937 and very well kept up.

Max and Dawson playing games.

MarLeah getting ready for the raffle.  I have to hand it to her, she's one amazing woman!!! She planned, gathered, shopped, prepared and got ready for this raffle for over THREE YEARS.  She had 200 items and see all those bags behind her? Those all had raffle tickets in them and she did such a great job.  WAY to go, MarLeah!!!

More family arrive.

Gaylan helping with the fishing game, which the kids all LOVED!!!!

Dawson got a kick out of the frisbee game.

Kayleigh helping with the raffle.

Carter being Carter.

Andrew playing

Carter loves his olives!

Parachuting with the cousins

Ryanna and Morynn facepainting.  We all had something sort of masterpiece on our cheeks from the artists from the facepainting!

Carter didn't want his face painted!

Hi Aunt Pam!

Sisters Pam and MarLeah

Carter loved this drinking fountain! He was constantly in it.

By the end we were all slowing down, I had to put this picture on the blog...look how wilty we all are! Look at me in the background--I have this dazed look on my face and I'm not even sure where I'm going! It was such a success but so tiring.  And I didn't even help that much.

After we won our loot from the raffle, we made the long journey back to Boise...and it was LONG! But it was so fun to be apart of the Family Reunion.

Summer Happening:

We played out at Heritage Park in Eagle, right down the street from Ryan's work.  It was FUN!!! The kids loved the water.

gasp...gasp...a new post!

The other day one of my friends came up to me and said,

"It's been Carter's BIRTHDAY for a LONG TIME on your blog!"

and I said, "Yeah, I know!"

and she said, "Well you need to update it once in a while, I mean, he's cute and all but...!"

and I said, "I should, shouldn't I?"

and she said, "Yes, you should!"

So here I am. Updating. (gasp!) 

It's been a very long summer.  Long and HOT! And I don't know WHO my husband thinks he is by taking HIS LAPTOP and our ONLY WORKING computer to work with him sometimes when I actually feel like updating the blog.  Then when he gets home I'd rather be with him and not on the computer.

Plus we broke the "world's boringest people by never traveling anywhere" record by actually going places and seeing people this summer.  Whew.  It's been a dizzy one.

I've been all over the state, celebrated Ryan's and my own birthdays, seen all sorts of special people (both related and not), Ryan went on a 10-day trip drove 4500 miles across the US rendering him completely exhausted until now. 

So, thank you, my dear FANS (both of you...) for showing interest in my dull life and for asking about my life since apparently I'm still stuck in June.  You are wonderful.

Pictures coming soon.  And if I can talk my sister into it...cool FONTS for my blog!

P.S. It's no longer Carter's birthday.

happy birthday carter

Three years ago today...a tiny precious spirit was born into our family. Our family was complete. My arms were aching no longer. 

How could something so small and precious turn into THIS?! Nothing in this world could have prepared me for the BLESSINGS in store...

Carter is ALL BOY.  Loving Dirt.  Farts. Bodily functions of any kind.  Oh boy.  How am I to survive this child?

He's blue.  He was NOT having a very good day. 

He was REALLY BLUE.

Both of his hands were BLUE...

My sink was blue, my cup was blue, my contacts were blue, my toothbrush was blue, everything in a foot-radius was BLUE!

After we got it all off his hands, the sparkles remained.  For a few days at least...that's what he gets for being BLUE! And that is all I can show for my BRAND NEW BOTTLE of nail polish.  Boy, did my bathroom stink.  We were all high for a couple days. Silly kid!

Just a couple things about him on his 3rd birthday:

-loves tractors, cars and Star Wars

-still getting used to Nursery

-TERRIFIED of ants (he got eaten alive in an ant hill)

-PETRIFIED of jets and fireworks (for being "all boy" he's sure a scaredy cat!)

-loves sound effects

-can burp best out of all three kids (and darn proud of it!)

Happy Birthday to my sweet precious baby boy! You are truly the light of my life, the cringe in my face and the wrinkles in my eyes. I love you with every piece of my heart. Happy Birthday Dear One!

graduation and a reminder of sorts

Dawson graduated from Preschool a couple weeks ago.  His little ceremony was in DeMeyer Park right behind Grammie and Grandad's house, which was pretty cool.  All the kids had Diplomas and Graduation Caps.  Dawson felt so special! He's going to miss Preschool, but can't
                                               WAIT for KINDERGARTEN!

P.S. Ryanna came home from school yesterday.  HER LAST DAY OF SCHOOL and threw her report card at me...and it finally dawned on me.  I have a THIRD-GRADER.  And a KINDERGARTENER AND a PRESCHOOLER! Ahhhhhhh. Life is GOOD.

what a boy

Carter was supposed to be taking his nap and I went into his room to check on him and I found:

-His mattress pushed up against the door (I had to move it for the picture)

-The toys on the board/frame of his bed

-His clothes that were originally ON his body were now on the floor

-Carter fast asleep on the BOARD of his bed

That's can't POSSIBLY be comfortable!

this kid, I tell you what!

Conversation at dinner table tonight:

 

Ryanna: "Mom, Dad...During college, I'm going to move to another state.  Like Arkansas.  And I'll meet a boy there and marry him.  Then I'll move back to Idaho."

Me: "Why are you going to do that?!"

Ryanna: "Because, there's the law in Idaho against marrying a boy before you're 25, remember?"

Me: "Oh yeah, I remember." (me giggling...I TOLD HER last week that she couldn't get married until she was 25...and she actually BELIEVED ME!)

We all had a good laugh.

And then she asked me, in all seriousness, which states didn't have the law.  She wanted to be sure to pick a good college in one of those states.  What a silly girl!