Solar Eclipse - Idaho

Last weekend, we escaped to Idaho. This was Roo's first time leaving Utah. On our way to the McBride's we stopped in Twin Falls to see Randy's old boss Ross and for lunch. Randy was very happy to indulge in Taco Johns. We reached Randy's parents by early evening, and were treated to a delicious dinner. Saturday, Randy, Cindy, and I went riding. I hadn't ridden a horse in over a year. The horses were well behaved and we had a good ride in the arena and down the canal road. When we got back, Roo came out a rode with me across the barnyard. That afternoon, Cindy and I went through pictures that Grandma Grace had sent of Cindy's childhood. Roo looks just like Cindy, but with brown hair instead of blonde.


The following day, we went to church (Miss Roo was fussy 2 out of 3 hours) and had a relaxing afternoon. Cindy's cousin and husband as well as Bob's brother and family came over for dinner. Both families had travelled to Idaho to watch the solar eclipse. This was the first time Randy met his uncle and family (besides when he was an infant).

Monday, we drove about 16 miles north on a dirt road to get about 1.5 minutes of totality. We took lunch and a canopy (thankfully). Watching the beginning, middle, and end of the eclipse was an awesome experience. As totality approached the air become cooler and it got darker. It did not get a as dark as I expected. When totality hit, the sun/moon combo was breathtaking! So much bright white light swirling around. Randy took his camera and hopefully some of the photos turned out.


Traffic had been predicted to be horrendous and it was if you were coming back from the Idaho Falls area, thankfully we came from Boise so traffic wasn't bad. Roo on the other hand was not happy and I had to keep crawling to the back seat to sit by her.

It was wonderful to get a break from our every day. A big thank you to my parents for watching Mitch and thanks to Melissa for caring for Winter.

Weber County Fair

A few weekends ago, we spent a very hot August afternoon at the Weber County Fair with Jake, Amanda, and Olivia. We pushed the strollers through the different barns to see the animals. Roo slept through all of it. We then stuffed ourselves with fair food- I had an amazing chicken gyro and Randy had a sandwich that was combination of pizza and grilled cheese. We then walked around the rest of the exhibits. Roo had woken up by this time and decided she did NOT want to be in the stroller any more, she wanted to see what was going on. We rounded off the evening with Dole Whip! I was in heaven. I am excited to share the different animals with Roo next year and maybe we could go to the demolition derby or the rodeo.

Pickin' Peaches

Yesterday was one of those days that was magical in its ordinariness. We spent the day working in yard, planning for the week, grocery shopping, and planning lessons. It felt so good to just be together as a family, especially watching Randy interact with Roo. She is learning and growing at a mind blowing rate. She is constantly rolling around (she is determined to become mobile as soon as possible), loves to stand, and watch everything that's going on. 

One new thing we did was pick peaches. We accepted an invitation to harvest the peaches at the LDS Peach Orchard. Randy carried the bag and I carried Roo in her pack and we spent an hour among the peaches. I was amazed at how many thousands of peaches there were. Thankfully Roo slept most of the time, but she did wake up and wanted to sample the trees. The day was very hot and I tried to keep Roo and I in shade as much as possible. This weekend was beautiful reminder that family is meant to be the center of life.

Raquel's Birthday and Our Anniversary

Randy was able to take off work this year for my birthday and as it fell on a Monday, I also had the day off. The four of us (which included Mitch) went on a short hike that morning. I got a hair cut (ten inches!). The post postpartum hair loss was getting beyond ridiculous. I cleaned the house a bit and did some laundry. We went out to eat for both lunch and dinner.

Friday was our six year wedding anniversary and we both took the day off. Randy bought me flowers and we had a big breakfast. That afternoon we went shopping and ended up buying stuff only for Roo. Randy picked out a cute dress for her,  we selected more books, (This little girl is going to love reading), and did a Costco run for diapers and formula. That evening, my dad watched Roo so we could go out to eat.

We went to the Melting Pot, some place neither of us had been before. When Randy made the reservation, he splurged and added roses and sparkling cider to our table.  It was a fun experience during which we enjoyed four courses- cheese, salad, entree, and chocolate. The chocolate was our favorite part. We choose a milk chocolate melted with caramel and candied pecans. So much yum! Randy has already looked up a copy cat recipe for use to enjoy at home.

Thank you Randy for a wonderful six years. I enjoyed being able to spend all 12 months of this last year with you. Here's to many more years full and rich with happiness.