Idaho

This might just be the longest post ever in the history of posts.

At the end of August Ryan had a motorcycle trip planned with his buddies. Realizing that I was going to be needing to get work off to watch the boys I also realized, I wanted out of town as well. We decided that since Ryan was going to be meeting his friends in Idaho, that we would go up early and we could spend a few days together before he left. We also knew that it was time to see Ryan's Mom who we haven't seen in a year now.

So we headed out and for the first two nights we stayed at a swimming hotel. That's what Paxton calls it, he loves to go swimming when we get a hotel. I don't know why I didn't get pictures while we swam, but we swam and just hung out in Kuna for 2 days with no agenda. We love it there. It is beautiful and there is so much land. For days before we left I dreamt about the trip and how beautiful it would be. If you will notice, in every picture the sky equals half of the picture!

So we headed up without any problems.

Paxton would yell from the back seat for us to look and would be making faces like this:

to make us laugh.

Gauge is also a good kid on drives. The hard part with him is when he is out on his feet

We usually make jokes about people who trailer their bikes. This time however, there was no way I was going to drive up behind Ryan all the way to Idaho. I don't think Ryan minded this picture in the rear view anyway...although it trips me out just a little bit... While we hung out in Kuna we went down town and had breakfast at a diner. Then we hit the park that is right down town in FULL Shade. The boys had a great time! Some beautiful pictures of plain old Idaho! I really couldn't get enough We went and visited Ryan's father who is buried in the Kuna Cemetery. We were also happy to finally pay respects to Ryan's uncle Richard who passed last December. Finally, we saw Dan and Sarah!

When we got to their house the boys were so tired! Sarah spoiled us and had toys for the boys to play with. She made us dinner and helped watch the boys so that Ryan and I could relax...she is so wonderful! The next morning (third day?) we went to Round Valley where Ryan's mom lives. They live in their own little heaven. The beauty at their home matches that of Montana and Grandma and Grandpa have it all to themselves. Although, like Montana, they work hard out there and the winters are hard too.

The boys were so happy to see Grandma and Grandpa Kerlee Grandma was finishing some chores after we arrived so the boys and I took off for a hike. Grandma sits on 54 acres and owns the mountain behind them. That's where we headed. As Paxton put it, "to the wood's mom" Our hike didn't actually go very long. Gauge started making me carry him so we headed back and pulled out the hammock.

Ryan took us out to see the horses. They are down to only 3 Gauge always takes off once we put him on the ground. Whatever direction you point him, he hits the ground running. When we were on this lane he went down to almost the end and when he realized I wasn't running after him (for once) he came back. I think he was a little upset with me This picture is just to give you a taste of how relaxing and beautiful it is up in Round Valley. This is what you see sitting on the porch. We sat there for a few hours talking to Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa got out the binoculars and let Paxton use them. They also looked through the telescope together. They took us to their new tool shop and storage rooms that are in the barn. They played with the boys and ran around with them.Literally, Grandma is running with Paxton! She almost won too...

After we visited Grandma and Grandpa we headed back down to Dan and Sarah's. We were really excited because all of the guys were getting into town for the trip and JP was bringing Christi and the family with him.

When everyone got there the guys hung out at their bikes for half the night catching up
The boys also got reacquainted inside and played with the toys that Sarah had gotten them

Paxton has been working on hit fitness lately, he thought he'd show everyone a thing or two...

One of Paxton's favorite things this trip was playing with Dan and Sarah's three dogs. Sarah would let them out and he had a blast! He could have played with them all night.Paxton and Calvin became quick pals. Pax asked where Calvin was every time he wasn't with us.The next day the guys left on their trip and the girls all hung out. We went to a large park in Meridian where we met up with Tanya and her kids who were coming through town too. It was nice being able to hang out with Christi and Tanya, it doesn't happen...well ever! I appreciated them letting us kick it with them.

The next pictures are ones that my talented Sister in law Sarah took the next two mornings while the boys hung out at the house.

Every one of these pictures just blows me away. You are so talented Sarah! Thank you for taking these. Sorry to post so many, I just couldn't choose one.

On top of Sarah letting us stay at her house, letting us hang out for a couple of days while the guys were gone, buying my children toys, making us dinners and everything else...she called her Dad who is a real farmer and she took us all out to his farm where he was harvesting mint.

MINT! It smelled SO GOOD.

Farmer Steve took the boys for a ride on the tractor with him, he let myself and Gauge ride too. Paxton kept telling everyone when we got home that he drove a tractor.Gauge hanging out while the boys were driving tractors

After Farmer Steve took Paxton and Calvin out in the tractor he let me take Gauge. The ride put Gauge right to sleep. When we finished riding, Paxton and Calvin were ready for a second run.Don't these two look like their Dad's?

After the tractor rides Steve took us to the still where they took the mint oil off of the mint leaves. He showed us how it was done and made a bottle of pure oil for Christi. He said that the current batch they were working on was going to Colgate...way cool!

The still was really loud so they let Paxton wear headphones

After the still, farmer Steve took the boys out and let us all pick Potatoes from the ground. He seriously took hours of his day to show us how things work and what goes on, on a farm
A real Idaho Potatoe, right from the groundAfter picking potatoes and a beautiful scenic drive where Steve showed us some of the most beautiful views out there, he took us back to his farm where the combine was.

Then he took Calvin and Paxton on a ride inside of it.This is how big it was, Gauge fit into the tire, entirelyAfter the farm Steve treated us to food at the nearest market. Then we headed back to Kuna to meet with Ryan's sister Athlyn for a little ward party.
They had a bounce house, snow cones, cotton candy and dinner tooI couldn't get Paxton to eat his cotton candy. He is really curious and serious about his health lately. He asks me if everything is either healthy or a treat. "Mom, is an apple healthy or a treat" "Mom, is a kit-kat healthy or a treat" (He keeps asking about the kitkat, I think that secretly he hopes I will change the answer one of these times). Paxton somehow already knew that cotton candy was a treat and he wouldn't eat it because treats don't make you healthy and strong which is what he wants to be.

I didn't have the heart to tell him that the snow cone was a treat too!When we got home that night the boys crashed almost right away. Sarah caught this picture of Paxton.

This is where my favorite part cameSarah and I then had the night to ourselves. We turned on a movie and talked the rest of the night. It was so nice for me to finally be able to just talk and hang out. She is such a special friend to me and I love her so much.

Thank you for all you did for us Sarah. We love you!!