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9/15/2013

Party and Rexburg

Last Saturday night we had a big shindig at our house with a bunch of people from Jared's work and their significant others. We had about 15 people over and it was so much fun. I didn't know most of them, but it was so fun meeting everyone and getting to know new people.
We did a cookout and ate outside (in our newly FENCED backyard!!!) on our new patio furniture, then we played minute to win it games (Thanks Vanessa! We played mostly the same ones we played over Christmas!), and then sat around and visited as the sun went down.
This is the first time we have really had a party like this, and it was so fun! We will do another one soon!
 
This week I finished my second crochet blanket, I made this as a "happy going to college" gift to my sister. I love this one way more than my first one, and it went SO much faster!
Also this week I put some more blonde in my life.
Thursday I left work a little early and headed over to Rexburg to meet my parents and Nicole and to help her get settled at school. I helped her unpack that night, then we went back to Idaho Falls, where we were all staying.
Friday we went to Wal mart for school/apartment supplies and groceries for her, and then I helped her get her ID Card and she was off to her "get connected group" and to take BYUI by storm.
This was the first time I've been back to Rexburg since we moved away last April, but when I saw the temple all lit up from the highway, I may or may not have teared up a little. Boise is definitely our home, but BYUI gave me my sweetheart, so a piece of my heart will always be there.
We went out to dinner all together Friday night, and said our goodbyes, and mom, dad, and I headed back to the hotel, and left Saturday morning.
It was a quick trip, and I wished I could have stayed longer, but I'm so happy Nicole is off to a good start and I know she will love it there.
Plus I had to get home and get ready for this.
I won tickets to a live stream of tonight's breaking bad downtown at the Egyptian theater, hosted by Aaron Paul, who plays Jesse Pinkman. We Cannot WAIT!!!

9/07/2013

Weekend in Kennewick

About a month ago, our friends Kailey and Jeff were over and we were talking about Labor Day weekend, and how we should go on a trip together! After talking and trying to plan a few different things, I stumbled upon this awesome hotel called the Clover Island Inn, in Kennewick Washington, just 4 1/2 hours away from us. I booked it, and hoped for the best, as none of us had been there before. The hotel is on "Clover Island", this little arm of land that juts into the columbia river, it is so cool!
We all left Friday right after work, and got up there about 9:30.
Saturday, we got up and drove 5 minutes to Pasco, where there was a big open air farmer's market. It was fun, but really it was about a 10th of the size of the Saturday Market in Boise. Pasco was like a "little Mexico" and had so many shops and stores, all in Spanish. Jared was loving it. We went into this Mexican bakery, and the style was just like in Mexico, Jared said, just cleaner. They had so many pastries and sweets, you just took a tray, and went up and down the aisles picking what you want, and at the end you pay for it and they bag it for you. Every thing was just 50 cents a piece!

We headed back to the hotel, and found out they had cruiser bikes to take out for free, so we all hopped on a bike to explore Kennewick. They had a really cute downtown area, we went into this really cool antique shop. Then we ate lunch at a hole in the wall diner called "O'Henry's", which was so stinking delicious, I still want to go back!
That afternoon we went down to hang out at the pool and enjoy the gorgeous view of the Columbia River, and I took a wonderful nap, which I never get to do.
Saturday night we drove to the third city in the Tri cities area, Richland. In a huge park they were having the "Tumbleweed music festival" all weekend, where a very eclectic huge group of musicians play all weekend long and there are booths set up, and it's all along the Columbia river. 
The evening was gorgeous and we sat down to listen to some French and Greek music, ate some overpriced Thai food for dinner, and ended the day with some ice cream.
Sunday we woke up and went back down to the pool to play some Settler's of Catan (our recent favorite game!) Then we headed back to Richland to kayak the river!
I wish I would have remembered my waterproof camera. We were out for two hours, and we had a blast. The kayak company gave everyone these water guns and we would paddle up to Jeff and Kailey and do "drive by" shootings. We kayaked all the way up and around a huge bridge, and it was really a perfect day.
Sunday night we ate dinner, and went on another bike ride right at sunset. The weather was perfect, and such a relief from scorching Boise. We all talked, and laughed, and felt completely relaxed.
Monday we got up, packed up, and headed home. We had such a wonderful time with our great friends and were rested enough to get back to work.
Thanks for the great weekend guys!