Ducks. In a Cemetary.

There's something that they do here in Twin Falls that I think is SUPER weird.  They feed ducks at the cemetery.  No kidding.  Grandma has been dying to take the kids, but I'm a little anti-feeding-ducks-in-a-cemetery.  

We finally went, though.  And it was hot.  And still a little weird.  But the kids had too much fun!

Our First Camping Trip

Okay, not Kris's first...but me and the kids, it was our first camping trip.  Yes, that's right...I made it 31 years without going camping.  No, that's not a mistake.  31 years.  

Girl's Camp apparently doesn't count, although for the record, I did sleep in a tent my first year.  On a cot.  With a sleeping bag.  I also cleaned my first toilet my first year at Girl's Camp.  But, I digress...

Since there was debate about whether or not I would ENJOY camping, we didn't invest any money in the trip and just borrowed some equipment from Kris's old (and flippin' awesome) bishop, Bishop Quigley.  He did great...tent, sleeping bags, mats, tarps, chairs and tables.  I think he wanted to make sure Kris had every opportunity to convince me how great camping is.:)  

We spent two nights up in the South Hills (Friday and Saturday) with Kris's family.  After Friday night, I was super glad when David & Nicki volunteered  Saturday morning to go get extra blankets and our air mattress for me and Jack.  Friday night was sort of a...well, it wasn't fun.  I laid awake shivering, with little people on all sides of me.  I kept waking them up with my shivering.  It was out of control.  The air mattress made that second night WAY more tolerable!  Like, I could probably enjoy camping if I had an air mattress.

There was a latrine bathroom (that's what Kris called it...it was an outhouse.  I may not be a camper, but I know an outhouse when I see it).  Annie was a total trooper.  After pooping in a bucket after we first got there (it was just she and I at the campsite and the bathroom was nowhere to be found), we found the bathroom.  She said, "Mom, it's a fall potty."  I asked her what she meant.  She said, "Like, I could fall in it."  And she laughed and laughed, like she had said the funniest thing ever.  It was fantastic.  The next morning we were in the bathroom together and I said, "Annie, it stinks SO bad in here," and she looked at me, took a big ole' whiff of bathroom and said, "No, it smells like fresh air."  WHO IS THIS KID?!

The kids really had a ball.  They ate dirt and ran and played and were so exhausted.  And that was awesome.  

 We roasted marshmellows and hot dogs and did some dutch oven-ing.  (P.S. I might just be the Queen of the Dutch Oven...at least in our family.)  We even did a little hiking.

It was really fun for me to get to spend time with Kris's family.  They have never really had longer than a week or two at a time to get to know me and even then I was always on my best behavior (I know, right?!).  The last couple months it has been eye-opening and frustrating and wonderful getting to find my place within this family.

Grandma's Birthday

Grandma requested cake in the park for her birthday this year.  And what kind of cake did she request?  Snickers Cake.  And it was delicious.  Crazy rich.  And delicious.

 I am really blessed with an amazing mother-in-law.  Like, sometimes I can't believe how awesome she is.  The last few months have been a little rough, but she is always pushing us and reminding us how important it is to have faith.  Karryn is one of the most faith-led women I know...she's a remarkable example to me and to her grandchildren.  I feel fortunate that my babies get to call her Grandma.

Also...THIS FACE!  Love this stinker.

I got to spend some fun time in the backyard with my kiddos this afternoon and in the midst of splashing in their little pool, Annie collapsed in my lap and let out a long sigh and said, "Mom, you are so fun."  I reminded her that she is my best friend and she said, "I know.  You're my best friend.  I love you."

Who's the luckiest Mama in America?  Me.

Into the Great Wide Open

I got two letters in the mail today.  Not bills, not Netflix, not junk mail...LETTERS!  Two of them.  Two.  In the same day.  Two letters.  Best.day.ever.

About a week and a half ago I made up my mind to quit my belly achin'.  That's right.  No more complaining for this kid about moving to Idaho, living in Idaho, what's wrong with Idaho (except the food...I'm totally still complaining about the Mexican food and probably will be as long as I live here!), my living situation, why my kids are brats...I could go on, cause seriously, I'm pretty sure that all that's been coming out of my mouth lately are complaints.  And I'm getting on my own nerves.
Giving up complaining means that I'm trying to see things with my rose-colored lenses.  That's still a little hard.  But it also means I am relying on my Heavenly Father for help ALOT more.  I'm sort of used to just relying on ME to get MYSELF out of these situations I get into.  Here's what I've learned though...


The thing is, its not like we woke up one day and said, "Hey, lets move to Idaho."  Because you know what that would mean?  That would mean we said, "Hey, let's move to Idaho and sell our house that WE BUILT and quit an EXCELLENT paying job and move away from DELICIOUS Mexican food and a good support system and just step into the great unknown."  That's really not what happened.  For the record.  What we did was say, "Something is missing, something is off in our lives, let's figure out what it is."  And apparently it was Idaho.  Idaho was missing from our lives.  Idaho and money cause we.be.broke.  All the time.  That's a complaint...I'm not perfect.:)  We prayed alot.  ALOT.  So much so that it seemed like God might've gotten tired of listening to us.  But He didn't.  He kept giving me/us the SAME answer every day...and He keeps giving me that same answer.  
I prayed.  I got an answer.  Do I complain that it wasn't the answer I wanted, or am I just grateful to know that my Heavenly Father is constantly listening and answering my prayers?  After all, I'm the one that asked the question...not Him.  I chose to follow the promptings that came after asking the questions.  Do I complain that it wasn't in my "10 year plan" to move to Idaho, or am I just grateful for my agency and that my Heavenly Father trusts me to do what HE knows is best for me?  Do I complain that I'm living with my in-laws, or am I just grateful to have family who not only loves me, but also adores my children, and supports us in all we do?  Do I complain about being broke or am I just grateful that Idaho Milk saw the awesome-ness in Kris that I see every day?
The Mexican food...well, it is what it is and I guess I will be grateful that my Mama taught me a few things.:)

Coming Home

 This is the house I grew up in.  My best friend lived around the corner, three houses down.  Spent 20 years in this house, and another 5 years living next door to it.  This house has been in my family for 4 generations.  Or is it 5?  I'm not sure.

When we told my Dad we were moving to Idaho, he took it pretty well.  Maybe too well?  I was genuinely taken aback by how well he took it.  Two weeks later, he admitted that every time he thought about it, he bawled.  I did too.  Moving is hard.  Leaving home is hard.  Leaving friends and family, comforts, jobs, places...all hard.  Its been almost 2 1/2 months and its still...hard.  All.the.time.  And super lonely.
On July 9, 2013, my Dad and sister arrived in Twin Falls.  About a week earlier, all their stuff arrived.  4 generations of...stuff.  My Dad is the bravest guy I know.  He's been through more than most and always seems to come out on top (or he's been faking it pretty good, which is also sort of awesome).  My dad didn't take too long to decide that if his only grandkids were moving to Idaho, he was moving too.  So along with some serious help, he sold his house, packed up 4 generations of stuff, and moved to Idaho.

My kiddos must be the luckiest little things ever.  They have all their grandparents living in the same town.  Two of them have taken us into their home, with all the love and support you could imagine.  And the other packed up his life and followed us, just to spend whatever time he does have left with them. 

4th of July...Our First Fireworks!

Pretty much my whole childhood I though fireworks were "bad".  RIGHT?!  Blame it on living in a state with a perpetual drought, but I really truly never wanted to light fireworks.  Ever.  The closest I ever got was Sparklers.  No joke.  Even that was sort of horrifying for me.  Even after they legalized the boring fireworks, I was in total fear of actual setting any off.  And as I'm writing this, I just keep thinking how sheltered I have been.:)
Kris is a firework nut.  Loves them.  So of course, since they're not illegal here...we bought them.  And they were delightful.  Kris had to work on 4th of July, so we tested the Sparklers out earlier in the week.  Emily threw hers on the ground.  Annie screamed in terror.  Jack ran.  They are definitely my kids.:)

 The day after the 4th of July, which would be the 5th of July, we partied in our jammies at Uncle Eric & Auntie Leah's house.  Annie did better with her Sparklers, and even Jack and Emily finally warmed up to them (after spending most of their time in somebody's lap).

 Kris & Eric sword-fighting with their Sparklers.  They're like children.:)

 This face!