We had fun in Logan staying at my Aunt Christine's house, and we even squeezed in a trip to the penny candy store (the Island Market for those of you who know Logan) and grabbed a bag of my childhood to go. Then we were on our way up to Hailey, ID to visit my mom's other sister, Angie, and her family (it was a miracle that Nate was able to find a sub for two days of work, or else we wouldn't have been able to go). Haily is the perfect place to go to relax (you may know this if you've ever enjoyed a trip up to the ski resort in Sun Valley), especially at my Aunt's house. We lounged around, eating watermelon, riding for-wheelers, roasting marshmallows, and going for evening walks. My Aunt had a couple of extra tickets to the Allison Krauss concert, so they invited Nate and I to go with them. This concert plus the one the night before doubled the number of concerts Nate had been to, and all in one weekend. We had a lot of fun though, and I managed to read an entire chapter of O-chem (I know, boring!) as I layed on a blanket on the grass and soaked up the beautiful music. It was fun to be there with my aunt and uncle and my grandma.
Kylie (my sister) and I did have a little run in with the bugs in Haily, though. I got one in my eye when we were for-wheeling, and she got bit by one around her eye. My eyes were all red, but hers were SWOLLEN. We all stifled back laughs as our little Kylie looked like an adorable little Asian (her eyes were like slits). It was miserable for her, but we all thought she was cute and doted on her.
The next day was Sunday, and Nate and I got up early and made it to the church that was meeting an entire town away (this would've been unusual in Utah lol). There meeting was wonderful :) We got back just in time for the family feast they had prepared for breakfast, and oh that was some breakfast. I haven't eaten a breakfast like that since Christmas morning (my dad always whips up something tasty for Christmas breakfast). Nate and I were blessed to eat like royalty that weekend (or at least it seemed like that to us because we usually eat like poor college students).
Later that afternoon we headed up to Idaho Falls where my dad's parents live. I was beginning to desperately miss Idaho Falls, not having been there for a few years. It was like a dream to be there again with family I hadn't seen in years, and the same food, smells, and rooms that I has grown up in. It was even better to be there with Nate, who was visiting for the first time, and introduce him to all that I loved. He fell in love with my grandparents giant trampoline, and spent hours entertaining the kids on it.
Then came the 4th, which is probably the second best day of the entire year (after Christmas). I learned how to make Cinnamon Rolls (my grandma is a master chef and teaches me all her tricks), which Nate was excited about because they happen to be his favorite treat. We helped my grandma with a few other fixings for the family BBQ, and then relaxed until it was time to eat up. And oh did I eat :) There was jello pie, jello salad, my grandma's strawberry cake, and I can't even remember what the main course was because I was too busy enjoying all my favorite desserts. Oh, how I love good ol' Idaho. If not for the family, then for the food :)
After the food began to settle in our tummies for a bit, we walked over to the river and picked out a spot to watch the firework show. Idaho Falls has the best firework show in the west, or at least that's what they like to say. I happen to agree, though. They always have fun fireworks that I've never seen before, which is good because who wants to see the same exact fireworks every year? This year was even better, though, and I bet you can guess why. When I was little, the fourth was a time to be with all my cousins that I only got to see once a year, eat a lot of grandma's cooking, play till I was tired out, and then stare awestruck up at the fireworks as they lit the night sky. This year, it was about a lot of those same things, but it was also about being able to share these memories and experiences with my best friend in the whole world. As we watched the fireworks, Nate held me in his arms, and I couldn't help but feel eternally grateful for him. It was a wonderful experience for me, and I hope for him too.
The next day we packed up and headed back to Utah, but not before stopping by Reed's Dairy for some classic ice cream. I got my usual, pink bubble gum. Then it was back to work and back to our normal, hectic lives, but a little bit of Idaho stayed with us. It was an Independence Day to remember. We felt so grateful for our God, our family, our country, and especially for each other :)
The rest of July has been fun. Nate has enjoyed playing on the ward's Ultimate Frisbee team, which season just ended. I have been called as the Sunday School teacher in our ward, which is guaranteed to be an exciting challenge for me. I have enjoyed starting up my new nutrition blog. I even designed my own business card for it, which I am super stoked about.
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| What do you think? :) |
The summer term is almost over now, and then we'll be off to Walla Walla for Shanie's wedding. I'm so excited for her and Kyle :) Then Nate and I will be going to El Salvador for a belated honeymoon/mission reunion. It's going to be fun to meet all of Nate's mission buddies and families that he taught. We'll also get to be there for the temple dedication for the new El Salvador temple. We are so excited for our brief two week holiday before we have to jump back into school in the Fall.
Overall, Nate and I have been super blessed. Things have fallen into place for us, and the hand of the Lord has been in our lives always. I'm realizing that the story books have it all wrong. Fairy tales don't end when the princess and her prince fall in love and get married. That is when they begin. Nate and I are just at the beginning of our fairy tale, and I'm excited to see how the story plays out. Hopefully there will be lots of ninos lol :)
-Kamie and Nate
