Idaho and the Sawtooth Relay

Jared and I got back from Idaho on Wednesday and can I just say right now that it was the BEST VACATION EVER!!! Jared and I flew out of Phoenix on Thursday, June 12th and got into Boise around midnight. Friday we packed the family van and drove 4 hours up to Stanley, Idaho to participate in the Sawtooth relay. The relay was on Saturday, June 14th. I didn't run because I am having a baby but Jared ran as well as my parents, siblings, cousins, and my sister's in-laws. It was such a cool experience. 

The relay is 62 miles and there are 6 runners to a team. Each person on the team runs twice--about five to six miles each time.  We had two teams running. Both teams finished in just over 10 hours. It was an incredible race! 

The best part of the relay to me was that we were camping in the mountains. It was so nice to replace the usual big city, lots of traffic, and the desert scene with pine trees, crystal clear lakes, cool weather and fresh air! I could actually see the stars at night...lots of them!

 

After the relay was over on Saturday we went to church on Sunday in this tiny cabin near the base of the Sawtooth Mountains. I felt like a pioneer going to church in a log cabin like that. 

A lot of the family that had come out for the relay had to head back to various destinations on Sunday so that was sad. Both of my sisters had to be back in Rexburg. So Sunday morning after church we all went our own ways.  My mom, dad, brother Keith, Jared and I drove back to Nampa and went to family home evening with the Banner Family that night. It was great to see my grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles again. Everyone was excited to see us but I think the best part was showing everyone my growing belly. Monday morning Mom, Dad, Keith, Jared and I drove up to Ketchum, Idaho. It is a little resort town about an hour and a half from Boise. When we got to camp  we put up the tent and then went to a play at Starlight Mountain Theater "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". It was an awesome show.  We ending the evening with a dip in a natural hot spring right by the campsite. The next day, Tuesday, June 17th, was one of Jared's favorites. We went golfing at a golf club right in the middle of the woods. My favorite part by far was the awesome golf carts we rented. I could have driven around the whole time on the golf cart while the boys were golfing.

 The rest of the day up in the mountains we played Cities and Knights....it is the best board game in the world...except it really wasn't the best game in the world that night because I totally lost! After the game we packed up camp and drove back to Nampa. Wednesday morning my family drove us to the airport and far too soon we were back in Arizona. I don't know how those trips always go so fast but they do! It was such a wonderful vacation. Our next trip to Idaho isn't scheduled until December so I am going to have to miss my homeland for another six months. 

It's a boy! (More pictures to come...)

The Food Storage Project

Jared and I have wanted to get some food storage in our home ever since we have been married. The problem is that we have been living in small one bedroom apartments and can hardly fit as it is. We have talked about getting a storage unit but we didn't want to spend the extra money every month.  Jared is off for the summer so he decided to take on the challenge of fitting food storage into our one bedroom apartment. His solution was to build a frame for our bed that would raise it 3 and 1/2 feet from the floor allowing lots of space for storage. That sounds like a great idea except that a little pregnant lady would have a very difficult time getting into bed. Jared solved that problem too and built a step ladder so that I can get into bed. What a sweet husband.

 After the bed frame and ladder were built Jared went to work on designing shelves that would hold cans and rotate cans. He did a wonderful job making the shelves too. I never knew it but I married quite the builder. Jared is very good at seeing an idea in his mind and then drawing it up and building it with few if any miscalculations. He is incredible!!! 

I wanted to feel that I had contributed to the food storage project so I was put in charge of sewing a bed skirt that would cover up all of our storage so that our room would look like a bedroom and not a grocery store. I think we were pretty successful and now we are sleeping over 3+ months of food storage!!! We are very excited and we still have some room to spare for more!

Jared Turns 30!

Happy Birthday Jared! It's the big three zero. I never know what to get for Jared when it come to gifts and for this birthday I knew it had to be something good. In the end I decided to buy Jared tickets to see the Arizona Diamondbacks play. Jared loves baseball and he loves live baseball games even more. That ended up being his main present. Aside from the game tickets I got him a few little things and made him go on a scavenger hunt to find them. I bought a cake for him too...my mom would be ashamed :). I grew up in a family where my mom is an amazing cake decorator and all of my birthday cakes looked like they came out of a magazine. Poor Jared...I will have to work on my cake decorating skills for next year!

Overall I hope it was a fun Birthday for Jared. I want Jared to know how much I love him. I am so thankful to have him in my life. He does so much for me and makes life beautiful. Happy Birthday my love! You are so wonderful!