misc pictures from camping

Marlee being nice to me and smiling.

Emma was a poo all weekend because she wouldn't let me take her picture. This was one of the few times you can actually see her entire face!!

Marlee glistening in bug spray.

Mom and Dad just relaxing. That white spot in the middle is a rain drop.

Brandon getting beat up by Emma and Wyatt.

It helped that they were jumping on the air mattress too.

Wyatt was just playing in his jammies.

Caitlyn and Emma snuggling by fire on Sunday morning.

Wyatt just playing with his dino.

BFF-TJ and Boomer (aka Boomhower-Brandon's dog German Shepard/Rottweiler mix)

Wyatt getting buckled into the truck. Having difficulty getting buckled.

Emma all excited to ride in the truck

Tj just finished eating sand.

Lexy feeding TJ Marlee's leftover babyfood.


ICK!!

He actually loved it but the face cracked me up!!

Sand Dunes

So the weekend was pretty great. Saturday didnt start off as smooth as I had planned. We dont use the van that often any more so it sits for a while. My dad jumped it on Friday night so I could just drive it home. So Saturday morning I get up a little bit earlier than planned so I can take TJ to the dog park. We get into the van and the battery is dead. So I have to call my bro in law Brandon to come give us a jump. Thankfully it started up but now no time for dog park because I have to go get Lexy.

I get to Lexy's at 810. We get her loaded and then off to Caitlyn's. We get to Cait's ontime and are off to the Farmers Market in Boise. We park in a parking gargae and we are off. It is an ok market. A lot bigger than Nampa but more expensive. I did get TJ a cute bandana and some homemade dog chew toys.

So we are get done with the farmers market and head back to van (FYI the evelator in the parking gargae STANK so bad!! I mean REALLY REALLY REALLY BAD!! The worst I have ever smelt. Even the subway in New York City smelt better). But we get in the van and nearly have a heart attack because I go to start the van and it sputters!! UH OH!! Thankfully it started on the next try. We didnt have to pay for parking either because we were there for just under an hour.

Now we are going to Nicks game. What my bro in law doesn't tell us it is a exhibition game for the ENTIRE TREASURE VALLEY!! The stadium parking in full and so are all the side streets. We eventually find parking and only had to walk 5 blocks. Not bad. My bro in law told us that the game would start between 1030-1100. It didnt start til 1150. Nick got 2 tackles. I could never really follow him..I am such a bad aunt :).

As soon as his game is over we leave. I drop TJ off with my parents so he can ride in the RV. TJ was really affecting Lexy's allergies (a recent development) so instead of making her suffer, TJ got to be spoiled (Mom got the coller inbetween their seats so TJ could see out the window and would have him on her lap).

Before we leave Boise my sisters and I go to the super junk store. It is a the Idaho Youth Ranch clearance center. There are just bins full of stuff you get to dig through and the price is by the pound. It is amazing the deals you can find. I got a outdoor metal sun and a 20x24 solid wood pic frame with glass and 5 other smaller frames and some toys for Marlee for only $11. I am sure I could have found other items but we were on a time limit. So after the junk store and grabbing a bit to eat, we are on the road.

I thought there sand dunes were a lot further from Boise but it only took just over an hour to get there. It is really easy to find. So we get there an set up. So we planned on just a $20 site fee but if you have an add vehicle you have to pay an add $5.30. We also found out that if someone slept in the van, it would have to be moved to another campsite because you are only allowed 1 sleeping vehicle per campsite. Keep in mind that the only charge on the website if the $20 site fee. It doesn't say anything about additional care fee charges or restrictions on sleeping vehicles. According to the ranger, the additional car fee is on the bottom of the site reserve reciept. What a bunch of crock!!

The only downside to the camp site is there were thunderheads ALL OVER!! The bottom of our shoes are just covered in tiny pin pricks. But besides that it was a fun time. We had hobo dinners that dad cooked perfectly. After dinner we had S'mores. A storm had been developing from the late afternoon and after dinner it started to rain. We had been watching lightening and listening to thunder during dinner. Even while we were roasting S'mores we felt the rain drops. But we had a solid wall of rain for a few mintues and then it quit. After the rain, we all just sat around and talked. Marlee and Lexy went to bed early so we missed them. Emma and Wyatt spent over an hour playing with a bucket of water and making gravel soup. They weren't even talking to each other just playing so nicely.

I finally crawl into bed around 10pm. It wasn't the best slept but I survied (I will survive, hey hey!!). but i get up at 630. I hear my dad get out of bed and head out the door and then I hear Wyatt whispering to his mom. I crawl out of the motorhome and I see Dad holding Marlee. What a great thing to see first thing in the morning.

By 730am, everyone is up and around. Mom starts making breakfast and Dad starts a fire. Mom made the best fresh huckleberry pancakes ever. Hasbrown, bacon, egss round out breakfast. After breakfast we all head over to the dunes to play in the sand. Lexy is still feeling icky with her allergies so after the family pics, she and dad head back to the camper to chill.

After playing in the sand, we all pack up and head home. Lexy and Marlee ride home with Jana and Wyatt. Brandon and Boomer (his dog) head home in his truck. Mom and Dad are in the RV. TJ, Emma, Caitlyn, and I are in the van. We had to jump the van again. Funny thing is that it started to rain right before we were going to leave. Dad is such a good sport because he was out in the rain connecting the jumper cables. I collapse into a chair around 3pm.

Overall it was a great weekend. Cant wait for the three day weekend coming up!! Planning on finishing my spice cabinet and deep cleaning my house.

can i survive?

So today at work was killer. We screwed up, customers screwed up, and people were just screwey. I just kept repeating to myself that it will pass "and I will surivive I WILL SURVIVE HEY HEY!" (God bless Gloria Gaynor!!) So I did survive but when I sit down I tilt to the left because I got my butt chewed out. But looking forward to the weekend. After work, I did a brief stint as babysitter and then sat myself down at the sink and cleaned huckleberries. I only got 3/4 of the bucket done but considering the bucket was 2 gallons, that aint bad.



Tonight my sisters and I were at my parents house (some came for dinner and others can to pick up their kids...it is like a train station, one will roll in as the other will roll out). We finally got tomorrow organized. Caitlyn, Lexy, and I and their kids will be in the van. Mom and Dad will be in the RV and Jana and Wyatt will be taking their own car. I will just drive my parents van home tonight so I can just pick everyone up in the morning and save myself a few minutes sleep (speaking of I should be headed home now but I am addictted to this!). Chris (Lexy's hubbie) has to work so he wont be coming (bummer I know). Brandon will be coming and will have the option to ride with us in the van (estrogen city) or cruise with my parents. Thankfully everyone knows what food they need to bring and the weather conditions.



hopefully we survive tomorrow morning. Just with trying to coordinate getting everyone in the van and getting the farmers market and than leaving the farmers market in time to get to the game will be a little tight. But "i have confidence in confidence alone!! Besides which you see I have confidence in me!" (yes this is an obscure reference to the sound of music..dont believe me check out the lyrics here.) I am going to go drive home to bed now so expect pictures on Monday!!!

picture of huckleberries belongs to All Things Italian

Here in America

You place your hand on His Bible, when you swear to tell the Truth

His name is on our greatest Monuments, and all our money too,

And when we Pledge allegiance, there's no doubt where we stand,

Tere is no separation, we're one Nation under Him.

Chorus:

In God We Still Trust

Here in America

He's the one we turn to every time

The goin' gets rough

He is the source of all our Strength

The One who watches over us

Here in America

In God We Still Trust

Now there are those among us, who want to push Him out,

And erase His name from everything, this country's all about,

From the Schoolhouse to the Courthouse, they're Silencing His Word,

Now it's time for all Believers, to make our Voices heard.

In God We Still Trust,

Here in America

He's the one we turn to every time

The goin' gets rough

He is the source of all our Strength

The One who watches over us

Here in America

In God We Still Trust

Here in America

Here in America

Here in America,

In God We Still Trust

Here in America,

In God We Still Trust

Here in America

I love this song by Diamond Rio. I just heard it for the first time this summer but according to the internet, it has been around since 2005!! I believe it is such an accurate description. My mom has a bumper sticker that says "Dear God, Why do allow violence is schools? Signed Student/Dear Student, I am not allowed in schools. Signed God" People want to know why he allows bad things to happen but don't acknowledge Hm for all the blessings. They account their good fortune to their own doing and do not recognize it as God's work. I know I am guilty of this too. It has just been something at the forefront of my thoughts lately. I just heard the song on my mp3 player so I thought I would share.

WEEKEND PLANS!!!

So weekend is here and we have some plans. After my nephews football game tomorrow, we are going to "camping" at the Bruneau Sand Dunes. We are only staying one night but it still somewhere other than home!! Good times are sure to be had!! I will finally be able to check out the Boise Farmers Market. We are headed there before my nephews football game the the BSU stadium and after the game we are on the road!!

Summer is ending

So I was out at my parents house tonight and the sun was so amazing. I was thinking that the summer is winding down and I hear a humming bird behind me. I ran in for the camera this is what I saw tonight.

Love love LOVE this one!!

And this isn't half bad if I say so myself.

Something caught in a spider web.
Loved the light here.

This is what sparked me thinking that summer is over. Harvest is coming.

They look like flying fairies.

Have no idea what these are called but think they are so pretty.

Loved the colors here.

Major bummer!!

So I am annoyed with the weather right now. We had planned as a family to go boating on Sunday. The weather was supposed to be low 90's. I spoke to my mom this am and she told me the forecast is no mid 70's. But I am keeping my fingers cross that everything works out so we can go the Bruneau Sand Dunes and camp Saturday night and play Sunday.

Jense Ackles is #2

So have LOVE LOVE LOVE the show Supernatural. My favorite charachter is Sam who is played by Jensen Ackles. Jensen totally floats my boat. He and Hugh Jackman are tied for my affections. So being bored at work I am constantly on EW.com. Well, EW had a hotties contest and who came in number 2? Jensen Ackles (Poor Hugh was like #19). Below is the link to the results. but YIPPEE!! There are smart people in this world after all!!

Hotties '09: YOUR Top 25 - EW.com

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Piazza Di Vino

So there was a mini sister nightout on Saturday. Unfortunately Lexy and Stacey coudln't come. We headed to downtown to our friends work at Piazza Di Vino. It is a wine bar with great food and a good patio. No wine for me thanks. But I just liked spending time with my sisters. It was such a fun night!! (Left to Right me, Caitlyn, and Jana).

so proud of myself...

On Saturday, TJ and I were up and getting ready to go the the dog park before I ran errands. I pull out of the complex and my car is driving funny and I am hearing this strange noise. I roll down the window and notice it is coming from my car. I pull over and open my door. My driver side rear tire was flat!!! So I flip a U'ey and go park. I tie TJ to the front door so he can watch and play in the grass and debate if I should call Dad or a bro in law. I than think I have seen it done a couple of times so I figure I should try it by myself and if I cant do it I can call someone. So I get started. It only took me 30 minutes start to finish (probably would have been quicker but I had to take pictures). I than drove on the doughnut to Walmart for a patch!! I am now shopping for tires and proud that I am asking the right questions (who many miles, does it come with flat repair, etc?). I forgot to get the tire size but I will have that on my next call. I am determined now to learn how to change my oil and drive a trailer. I guess there is a benefit to being single!!

more in depth...

So just to give a quick background...

I am the 2nd youngest of five daughters. I am the aunt of 4 nephews (Austin 15, Tyler 11, Nick, 9, & Wyatt 3) and 3 nieces (Kaylee 13, Emma 2, and Marlee 1). I am also the proud mom of TJ, shih tzu. He is appx 1 1/2 years old. I adopted him from the pound as a gift to myself for my 25th birthday. I have lived in Idaho my whole life. We moved from Boise to Nampa when I was 8 years. I graduated from Kuna High in 2002. I have been working full time ever since. I have been working for Saia Motor Freight for the past 3 years. I am in customer service and also train new employees.

I have been living in Nampa for about a year now (moved to Boise after high school). I LOVE my home. It is a fourplex about a mile from the freeway. It has 2 bedroom and 2 full baths. My master bedroom is upstairs and has a walk in closet. My bedroom is the only thing upstairs. Everything else is downstairs. I have converted the 2nd bedroom to a pantry and craftroom. I have a gas fireplace and central A/C. This is the first house I have lived in that has had central A/C and not just window units. I love the washer and dryer and again, first house (beisdes parents) that have had a washer and dryer!! There is also a dishwasher and yet again, first house (besides parents) that has had a this. Plus there is covered parking. It is also great because I am only 6 miles away from my parents and with in 3 miles I can visit 3 of my sisters. So visiting the youngest nieces and nephew are really easy. It is also great because we are really close to the dog park so TJ and I go nearly everyday.

I spend most of spare time hanging out with family. I really enjoy going to the farmer market or any outdoor fair. I love to camp and ride ATV. As a family we also enjoy boating at Lucky Peak. I enjoy to read and am currently working on the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I enjoyed Twilight. I enjoy crafting and taking pictures.

I enjoy wathcing movies of all kinds. Favorite actor is Hugh Jackman. I thank Heaven for TIVO because I can watch my shows quickly. My fav tv shows are Supernatural, Deadliest Catch, Chuck, Project Runway, Top Chef, 10 Things I Hate About You, and any BSU or Seahawk game. My favorite musicians are Josh Groban, Michael Buble, Gary Allan, Breaking Ben. I love going to concerts and last count was 26 total. I have seen Gary Allan and Blue County both twice. It was a dream come true to see Josh Groban last year. What an amazing concert!!

I love to travel. I blame this on my parents and all the family vacations we took. I have been to all states west of the Mississippi River. I have been to Germany (with high school class). With friends I have been to New York City and Portland. Going to visit friend in October in Seattle. I am really excited for that trip.

so i decided to try...

so i decided to try this. not much to say right now. just sitting at work on break and trying to waste time.