Our Summer

*Sorry for the horrible picture quality. I broke my phone and lost most of my pictures, so this is all I've got!

The Instagram craze has put blogging on the back-burner for just about everyone I know, including me. However, as always I am back, trying to make a renewed effort at blogging because it is a convenient way of journaling, which I am not so good at. I will play catch-up for a few posts and then try to get back in the swing of things, posting somewhat regularly.

We had a really great summer, and I am sad to see it come to a close but also excited to get back in the swing of things with school (for Sam) and into the fall seasons and holidays.

June- The biggest thing that happened in June was that my cute brother Ben left on his mission! It was so sad and emotional to send him off. He is one of my best friends and can make me laugh harder than anyone else. I miss him!

We also both finished school up in June...my last term. Hooray! And I finished up my job at the BYU Writing Center.

July- July (and into August) was filled with lots of family and lots of traveling--it was great! We spent the fourth of July with both of our families. First, we went boating up at Deer Creek with the Lees. Then, we came home and got ready for our BBQ with the Roberts/Lisonbees. Carly and Micah had just moved back to Utah from Chicago, and it was so much fun to see them and meet Oliver. We sure love those guys! After our BBQ, we went down to Provo to get treats at Dairy Queen and watch the Stadium of Fire fireworks with the Lees. It was a great day!

A few weeks later, Sam left for a week on a service trip to help build homes on the Navajo reservation in Utah/Arizona. He had a great time and is hoping to attend this trip with the same group the next few years. (My parents' ward goes every summer through a group called "Charity Anywhere.")

I wimped out of the service trip (I have been on two before, so that is my lame excuse...) and caught a quick flight to Boise to hang out with my grandparents for a week. I flew out there on my birthday and had a great time celebrating with them. My grandparents are so much fun and two of my favorite people to spend time with. My grandpa's birthday is the day after mine, so we had a big combined birthday bash. My grandma is an amazing cook, and I always love cooking with her and learning new things. While I was there, I was reminded that Boise is one of my favorite places in the world, and one of the three places that feel like home to me (along with Virginia and Utah). On this trip, I really enjoyed running and walking around the area that my grandparents live: there are beautiful trees, nice weather, and flat terrain. During the day, I got to hang out with Kristi and Greg's cute kids, which was a lot of fun. And, of course, my grandma and I went on a fabulous shopping spree. The two of us are a dangerous combination, especially when our two favorites are next door in downtown Boise: Anthropologie for me and Chicos for Grandma. Oh, and somehow we managed to go to Cheesecake Factory twice while I was there. It was a really great trip! Can't wait to go back for Thanksgiving!

"Jordan, will you take a picture of me?"

Pictures of my beautiful running route around the neighborhood in Boise:

When Sam and I got home from our trips, we had one day to regroup, and then we were off to go to Carlsbad with his family. We flew out there together and got to stay for almost a whole week. It was so much fun and great for me to get to know everyone a little better. Nothing like a little midnight skinny dipping  in the ocean with your sisters-in-law, just kidding...maybe. ;) We had a pretty relaxed schedule the whole time we were there: wake up, go for a run, eat breakfast, hang out by the beach, eat lunch, shower, hang out and eat dinner. A few of the days we went out and did some fun things too. We drove down to Old Town San Diego and had dinner at an awesome Mexican place one night and walked around the cute shops and candy store. We also went to a fun farmer's market in downtown Carlsbad one day. Sam's dad's favorite spot was the chocolate shop, where he visited about everyday. Downtown Carlsbad really has such a charm to it, and it's really fun to walk around the shops. Sam's mom and Carly are in love with a great smoothie place that we went to a few times too. They have these great Acai bowls that reminded Sam of his mission. It was such a wonderful trip! We are so grateful to Sam's parents, Carly and Micah, and the Lisonbees for making it happen!

The Lisonbees' beautiful house we stayed in:

 Eleni was SO excited on the shuttle ride from the airport to the rental car place. So cute!

Cute little surfer girl:

August- We got home from our California trip on Friday night, headed to Walmart at 10 pm to pick up some groceries, and then hit the road Saturday morning for Atlanta, Idaho. Atlanta is such a uniquely beautiful, serene place and arguably my favorite place in the world. It was Sam's first time there this year, and he had to agree. We hope we get to keep visiting Atlanta for years to come. We have been going to this tiny town in the Sawtooth mountains with my Dad's family for over ten years. We stay in a large ranch, which is quite rustic to put things positively but just perfect for our large, loud, messy, rowdy group. There are no stores, no cell reception, and no people to be seen (unless you head out for a run on the mountain trails....then you might run into an old man sitting on his porch with scraggly hair and snaggly teeth who asks you, "What are ya'll runnin' from?"). The point is, it's completely secluded and beautiful, which makes for a very relaxing, uplifting few days. I feel like I need these couple of days each year to recharge from our technologically savvy, busy world. Couple the surroundings with fifty of my favorite people, and it really is the best. It was so fun to take Sam there for the first time and show him all my favorite things to do there: walk up to the lake, "jumping rock", swim/lounge by the pool, running on the dusty roads, watching (or in his case, playing) volleyball, and the big tree-swings. Can't wait until next year!

Sam, getting ready to jump! (with Emily)