Summer Lovin'

 

This summer has been a busy, hard working one..
 

Blake and I have both been working full time [[& sometimes more]]
 & Blake has been studying a lot for his Optometry Admittance Test he takes in September..

And even though we have been working hard and sometimes I wish we had more time to play I often wonder if we are going to look back and miss this time in our lives.

We have been looking hard at different schools and places we want to move, at cars, and houses, and talking about families and planning our life together.
 

& Time has just been flying by..

 

I'm so lucky to have found this boy.. he is so good to me.

& I have to say during this stage of my life I have definitely learned more about the importance of communication, compromise, and putting others needs before your own than ever before.

 

I love being a wife..

 

 It's something I think that can be really fulfilling when you have found the person that is your best friend, and that you can let down all of your barriers with.

Someone who will love you unconditionally and that you can love with no reservations.

 

Because no one is perfect.. no relationship is perfect..

I think more than anything love is about both of you being quick to say your sorry and being quick to forgive.

Real lasting love/marriage I think is based on friendship.
Having that relationship with someone that will last beyond the infatuation and passionate emotions.

It's having someone who can be your best friend, who you can laugh with, and share you secrets and your dreams..

 

 & I hope that every stage in life can be this rewarding.

Love real selfless love to those around you..
 [regardless of who is the recipient of this love]
Brings real joy.

I hope everyone has been enjoying/enjoyed there last little bit of summer..

I sure love you all..
Thank you for the happiness you've brought to my life.

 

I Love This Land, God Bless the USA.

So I probably should blog about the Fourth of July now that July is over right? Because that would make sense..

:)

I am really struggling with this keeping up thing..

 

 

So Fourth of July has always seemed to be one of Blake's most favorite holidays and this year I really got to see why.
 

My cute inlaws sure know how to throw a Fourth of July PARTY.




One of Blake's cousins lives on the road the parade is on every year and so they so sweetly invited us along with all of their extended family over for breakfast!

[You can kind of see the breakfast table all the way over on the left side of the picture]

 

They absolutely spoiled us, it was delicious.
And okay.. seriously how stinkin cute is their house..
All of it couldn't have been anymore perfect they were the best hosts and it was such a fun way to start out our morning.

& The parade was just one big festive event.

I will say Idaho Falls always seems to surprise me with the number of people that live here and celebrate these things! It was huge.

 

[Blake's cousin Annie was cheerleading in the parade and her niece and nephews sure didn't want her to leave, it was the sweetest thing.. and from her face you can tell that she sure thougth so too..haha]

I took a lot of pictures of the parade and didn't want to post them ALL but this one I couldn't resist.

I don't think I've ever seen a camel in a parade before, especially a star tatooed one.
 Haha my morning was made.

 

 

 

Then after the parade & after we ran to my inlaws house and hurried and made food for this big family picnic that was happening.

I got to go on my very first TANDEM BIKE RIDE!

Please note how Blake's feet are OFF of the pedals.. I think that is pretty much how our life goes.

[With me exclaiming "Blake seriously we are going to tip over, feet on the pedals!" and him just being happy & having fun]
 

Haha I'm glad he helps me enjoy life.. but I was actually a little nervous a couple times during this little rendevous.

 

 

I don't know if you've ever riden a tandem bike but although it is way fun, it is pretty weird.

Especially in the back when you absolutely can not steer, I am grateful I went with someone I trust because it's hard not being able to control your bike!
 

Another word of wisdom.. don't ride a bike of any sort in a dress, it puts a damper on how adventurous you are willing to get..

 

& This picture I absolutely love I don't know how/why it turned out this way but I thought the colors were cool enough I wanted to share it.
 

Also, as you can see.. Blake has lead us onto the GRASS..
and I just had absolutely no say in the matter, the roads just weren't exciting enough for him.

 

Then we had this big delicious absolutely homemade picnic.

 

There was homemade rootbear and french fries and donuts.. mm.. and okay okay.. there was chicken.. that I have to admit wasn't exactly homemade.. but man it was good.

I think I gained 10 lbs before noon!

 

 

& Blake got to shoot off his little fireworks stash that he has been saving since I don't know, 

before we were even married..

It's times like these that I definitely get to see the little boy in him.

It was seriously SO cute he was so dang excited.

 

& Then my little Bingham family went with us to a
Chukars baseball game!

I hadn't ever been before but this is the Idaho Falls Semi Pro team..
& I sure love watching baseball so I was way excited.

The game was really fun.
This part of the day I have to admit did make me a little homesick..

Farmington, my home town, is huge on baseball. Every summer they have the Connie Mack World Series and teams from all over come to compeat and it's something that has always really felt like summer to me. It's fun to go and see/catch up with seriously the whole town & I'm sad I'm missing it this year.

 

But I will say the Chukars game felt very festive and I was grateful we got to spend part of our Fourth of July here.

 

Thanks Sweetheart.

And THEN I got to see my very first fireworks show in Idaho believe it or not!

Seriously since I have moved here like  4 1/2 years ago every one has been telling me it's the best fireworks show on the west side of the Mississippi..
& I was a little skeptical,
I figured it was good,
But really that good?

& Guys, I think they might have been that good.

 

I don't feel like these pictures do them justice.

 

They were definitely the biggest/longest fireworks that I've seen that's for sure.

It was like a finale for literally a solid 30 minutes straight and they were set to amazing music &

They were the kind of fireworks that boomed so loud it just shook your heart.

 

& More importantly than the days festivities..
[although they were more than I could have expected or asked for]
I have to say that I. Love. America.

I am always so grateful to have been blessed enough to be born here and to be free, and through out all that is happening I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else.
We are one lucky group of people.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.
My home sweet home.

A Beautiful White Perfect Wedding.

So one of my very dearest oldest.. best friends

[& my very biggest blessings] tied the knot..

June 7th 2013.

 

& Luckily her new husband is one of the kindest most loving people, & I know he is going to love and take care of her.

 

[In the words of my mom at our wedding..

It would be harder to give you away if every time he looked at you he wasn't smiling so big..]

 

 

 

And even though I'm a little biased.. I really think this was one of the most beautiful fun weddings/wedding weeks that I have ever been blessed enough to be apart of.

 

 

So in order to get there in time, I drove straight from Rexburg Idaho to Durango, Colorado..

[with a little pit stop in Farmington of course.. to see the family]

& I got there just in time for Kayla's Bachelorette Party..

[Oh she loved that crown.. haha you're a good sport Kay.]

We spent the night out on the town enjoying the kindness that everyone was showing Kayla.. that crown definitely was worth it's while.. people we didn't know were spoiling her left and right.

I was so grateful they were taking such great care of her.. and we all had so much fun.

And then, did I mention Kayla's Parents rented us this beautiful house to stay in for the week.. holy smokes. It was breathtaking.

So after the Bachlorette party we layed out on this deck and looked at the stars and talked the night away.

& I was reminded of how much I missed my sweet friends.

 

 

Then next morning bright and early they took us out RAFTING.

& I haven't been rafting since right after I graduated high school so I was dang excited.

As you can see.. I am the brave one.. working hard in the middle of the raft.

 

Haha.. Thanks guys for picking up the slack.

 



Oh it was beautiful.. I have MISSED this weather.

I think the only thing that could have made it more perfect is if my sweet husband could have made the trip with me.

This week was to die for.

 



Right when we got into the rafts the cute wedding couple's raft hit a rock and
Kayla completely flipped off the edge of the raft!

Oh my gosh.. we were dying.. [I'm sorry for laughing Kay. :)] But it all almost happened in slow motion.. poor girl.

It definitely set the fun tone for our trip down the river.

 



 

After our perfect Rafting trip we got to come back to the house..

[[And after quite the nap on my part..]]

We all had fun getting ready.

 

 

I have always been a girl.. that loves me some girl time.
And as we giggled and talked and got ready together I was just in heaven. I haven't really had a lot of that in a while.

 

 

[& I am kicking myself for not taking more pictures..I actually had to steal this one]

 Then we went to a wedding rehearsal and the most delicious fun rehearsal dinner..

& Then the next day it was all about the wedding business.
 

I bet you will not believe that I spilt basically that whole bottle of nail polish remover.. good thing everyone else had already painted their nails. Oh. Boy.

 

 

Kayla wore her mom's old wedding dress..

with a  little bit of alteration..

And she seriously looked breath taking.

 

 

 

Also Kayla has very good taste in friends I have to say. :) It's funny because I felt like all of us were really different and I actually didn't even know a few of the girls before I had gotten there and they were just perfect. They were so fun and everyone was so helpful and supportive seriously the whole week.

 

Thanks for letting me be a part of this perfect day Kay. I love you!

 

 Love you Kayla Garling Waterhouse!

 

 

The Ceremony was beautiful. I thought everything went perfect. Everything looked so like them &

 I'm serious I think that it was a struggle for Kayla and Andy to stop smiling.

While the rest of us were balling our eyes out they were seriously the most excited happy in love couple, it was so sweet.

 



The music was.. awesome.

 

And then the rest of the night was just one big party.

They had a big dinner for everyone.. lots and lots of dancing. We had games and this big smores bar.

And the reception was right on this beautiful lake and candlit dock.. everything felt so romantic.

Oh it was perfect & it was so fun to see and catch up with friends & to celebrate this huge day of Kayla and Andy..

I definitely wasn't ready for it to end.

 

 

Congratulations Kayla and Andy!

You are so perfect together.. and man.. can you throw a party.

:)

I love you both. And am so excited for your adventures in Kentucky. I wish I could live closer and see you more often but it definitely makes the times when I do get to see my best friend even that more special.

Andy take good care of her.. I know you know how special she is.

You guys are always in my heart.

 

& Thanks for letting me be a part of one perfect week..

 I love you!

Congratulations to one Perfect Couple!!