4th of July!

I love this holiday. It's in the summer, low key, but fun! I always try to go on hikes or something because usually the weather is lovely. We went up to Elk Creek Falls which is just 50 miles outside of Moscow. We've never ventured out east that far so it was fun to get a new look. Pretty as always. There are 3 hikes to each fall: upper, middle, and lower. They were all so pretty! I'm going to remember next time to bring our swimsuits as in the upper falls you can swim by the falls. We saw people jumping off the side into the pool of water. I don't think many people know about this place because for being a holiday, it was pretty quiet. I love where we live and the beauty that we are surrounded by. I'm so grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in this great land.

First, the sunset on our walk Sunday night. 

This is not really in order but this is from the firework show in Pullman. We were thinking we were going farthest back to see the show from the distance but we ended being in the first couple of rows. Reminded me of the time of watching fireworks on the lawn in D.C. (you know, the ones that they show on TV). Well, we were so close that our bodies were shaking inside. Julia was almost 3 and she turned her back to the fireworks and plugged her ears the whole time and then exclaimed on the subway home that she loved the firework show! haha

Yes we found this and add to take a shoe pic. They carved it just days earlier. Providence.

Lower falls.

Matchy matchy in our youth conference shirts.

Upper falls.

View near the middle falls.

The middle falls is to our right, a little hard to see.

About to head out.

So beautiful.

Doutre4th

We had great fun being with the Doutre's for the 4th of July! We went to Timpanogos Cave, out to The Wild Zucchini Grill (which I will try to replicate their wraps one of these days-amazing!), went to the movie "Inside Out", read in Cami's Brazilian hammock, went to the Riverton day, watched fireworks with Dani and Nic's family, and just relaxed. We had a great time! We got to take Cami's boyfriend, Sean, and so it was fun to get to know him better.

Here's just an overload of pics:)

Look how happy he looks! Just like a kid.

I got hooked onto this book while I was there.

Austin took this pic and I was trying to be serious but yeah did not happen.

Favorite part of 4th of July was watching fireworks with this handsome man!

Ryan and I would try and see all the colors that were coming out of the fireworks. :)

Isn't he so cute?!

I loved that someone captured this. Made my day.

Okay here is our attempt for a cute 4th of July pic when it's super late at night at the park and the flash is on and they're standing a couple of feet away from us...

It looks like I'm happily sleeping.

Austin doesn't quite have it yet.

Austin still doesn't manage to open his eyes yet.

Yeah we decided to step back a little bit. We almost go it but it looks like we're half dead. Cool.

Yep still not there and I believe Cami is photobombing us from the back. No winners on any of them but we sure got a good laugh.

Took this on the playground slide looking over the Salt Lake valley.

Ah, the life: Jesus sandals and hammocks. And that maxi skirt. All such a perfect combination!

Highlights of July

I'm trying to do a recap of July real quick. I'm realizing how unexciting pictures can be unless you have super duper cute kids in them...we'll work on that one. :)

Breakdown: July 4th! I love this holiday. It's an excuse to get outside, eat endless food, and just enjoy the day with no work. We woke up and made waffles, went to the 4th of  July parade on Main street (luckily we were at the end because we got there almost an hour late but we didn't a miss a thing!). I have to mention that at the parade Austin's kid side really came out. He was just about as excited to get candy as the little kids were. He even ran down a man with otter pops just to get some. Not to mention that he wore his junior firefighter sticker on his shirt all day. :)

 How others were celebrating:

That weekend we went down to Utah for Brigham's baby blessing. We stayed with Dani and Nic and got to see chunky Ryan. Pure solid kid. We had so much fun talking with them and played a great game of Aquire. It was great to spend time with Bree as well who was staying with the Davis'. We're so glad that the Doutre's are moving to Utah in 9 days! We're glad to have more family close by!

The following weekend we went back down to Utah, this time staying with Alice-Anne and her family while we were on a little "tour" for Austin's choir "From the Heart". He has loved his experience with this choir. They perform a musical fireside every Sunday throughout the semester. The first one is always the best but it was really great to be there at all of the performances. They did such a great job! We went to the Salt Lake Veteran's home. It was incredibly moving to see them all sing the national anthem with us. They have such great love for our country and you could really feel that from them. That afternoon we went a "Gresham Manor" type place for the elderly and they were just fun to watch as some of them were smiling the whole way through the performance. Nic and Dani were so great to come and support and then we got to go to Cafe Rio to induct Austin into Utah living. We ate it up by the "This is the place" monument which was something I'd never been to before. I'm so glad we took the chance to do that.

We headed back to the Johns just in time to crash a reception with them (but really who wouldn't if Cold Stone was being provided). My favorite part about that was the ride there where they were commenting about the Michael Buble song called "Feeling Good". At the beginning of the song it says, "birds flying high, you know how I feel". They laugh and say "but we DON'T know how you feel!"
Another great part of the evening was when we got home, they were trying to get the kids to put on their pajamas so Austin told Spencer that they would have a race to see who could do it the fastest. Austin got it done quick but decided to give Spencer more time (he really was brushing his teeth, etc. as well) and then we hear him tell A-A when he comes down "I won because that MAN said we were having a race". Haha! we laughed so hard.


The busiest part of July was check-outs! My first real one as manager and I didn't die. Woot woot! Just another 5 more to go...

But the best part about Spring semester is the 7 week break afterwards and I have LOVED it. No tenants and hardly any students. I'm reading more books than I have in months and I get to catch up on the cleaning, baking, decorating(ok still don't know how to do that one) that I've been wanting to do since we moved here. Austin and I have already filled our days with lots of running, swimming, taking walks, watching movies, going to the temple and eating really good ice cream with amazing toppings from friends who were getting rid of left over food. It was so nice to see my fridge go from empty to full without shopping:)

Just to throw it out there: Sara Bareilles' CD came out: The Blessed Unrest. I have been listening to it non stop since I got it. 

Random tidbit: Marjorie, one of my childhood best friends got engaged this month! She's getting married August 24th in the Portland Temple! (Marj don't you feel so famous that you made it onto the blog;)

And I can't forget another random tidbit that almost a year ago I was getting ready to head off to Chicago for an incredible experience doing a 10 day camp for inner city girls. I was thinking about them recently and just how much they touched my life. I've never been able to love so much in such a short amount of time.