Independence Day

This Independence Day was beautiful and full of: a big breakfast early in the morn with our ward, hot sun, small-town-Idaho parades, floating the river, and of course, the bombs bursting in air. But it was also a little bittersweet. I celebrate Independence day because I am grateful for the brave and valiant men (and their families) that signed the Declaration of Independence, which was an act of treason, to bring about the freedoms and blessings which I now enjoy while not even realizing what went in to making them possible. And now, in the day when I live, men and women everywhere are fighting to destroy the freedoms which the most courageous men God could find on the earth at the time, gave their lives for. Let's not forget it.

God Bless America. The Land of the free, and home of the brave.

PS. If you need a good cry,  read all the versus to our National Anthem, especially the last one.
I dare you to not get emotional.


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

on Target and Fall

I am rather obsessed with Target. It's my favorite. It is, to me, what Forever 21 is to so many other female folk. And these are the things I want to go buy right now. Because I feel like fall is coming, which is a joke since yesterday was over 100 degrees. Again. But nonetheless, summer will end eventually and I will summon Fall and all of the wardrobe changes it brings with it.

 Fall is my favorite. I like summer, I do. I like boating and tanning and chilling, and reading but in the past few years I have done very little of that, *although I did manage to get out on the boat on Saturday, and boy do my arms hurt from tubing wars!  and so sometimes summer is just a few months of really hot. Always welcomed since in Idaho it's winter till May, but also always joyfully let go so that autumn in all it's glory may enter.

I mean who doesn't enjoy a good fire, cool crisp air, hot cocoa with marshmellows, runs through the leaves, boquets of newly sharpened pencils, *name that movie candy and giving thanks?

That's what I thought.

if you find yourself in eastern idaho...

via here here  here and here

I know that eastern Idaho is on everyone's destination wish list right about now. Right? Right. So when you go there or get lost there on your way to somewhere else that seems more important, take some time to see these. You wont regret it. And lets be honest, whatever brings you to eastern idaho probably wont bring you back for a long time, so just get all the good stuff in. K?

Yellowstone. duh.

Bearworld, its kind of insane.

The ice caves but only in the summer.

In the winter go cross country skiing at Hariman State Park,

and downhill skiing at Targhee.

Go to Mesa Falls and try to not jump in, then go camping there while your at it..

Since it's close, go to Jackson Hole and hike to the natural hot springs
 and celebrity watch in town

 and go to that little hole in the wall burger place....

Go mountain biking at Kelly Canyon
Take a walk along the train tracks until you run our of track.
Go cliff jumping or fishing at Ririe Reservior
Go to the sand dunes and egan lake.
Go four byin', kayak, set up a massive water slide, play water volleyball, skinny dip, (what?) you know, the norm.