washington

we were not super excited to drive all the way up to washington. we were glad that we could break it up a bit and stop in boise. 

george took us rafting. it was so much fun. holy and jeff's poor boys were frightened though. there were some pretty big waves. 

ryan got sunburned because his wife failed the attempt to put sunscreen on. i blame the wind. 

it was a ton of fun though. 

so we made sure we got enough sleep to drive the next morning for 7 1/2 hours. at least that's what we thought. we of course got a late start. and started our drive. 

i was actually excited, because this drive is not boring like the horrible drive to boise from logan is. there is nothing to look at and i ALWAYS fall asleep. Plus i was thinking that i only have hours before i get to see my sister's family. 

ryan's brother jeff let us take his nifty gps. it's pretty cool, except we didn't know you could take different routes. 

daegan called and asked what way we were going. i told her i didn't know, but that i am pretty sure that we would be going more the back way. 

we got to stop at ryan's sister's cute little house in la grande for about an hour then we headed out again.

i kept wondering why it didn't look like the drive sierra and i drove last time we went up there. 

we got caught in some kind of traffic. and when we got to the end of it, it made no sense at all why. it was horrible. 

i realized we didn't go the way we planned when ryan asked if i knew where puyallup was. ugh. oh well, at least it was a pretty drive.

and i didn't fall asleep one time! ryan was amazed by that.

we finally arrived. daegan puts her kids to bed way early, so we only got to say hi to them an then they went to bed. I said my hello to foston in his bed. and my hello to boog on the potty while he was pooping and telling me that he didn't really like his haircut.

we stayed up and chatted for a while, and i can't remember what we did the first day. watched a movie?

so here are all the fun things we did.

 washington is so beautiful, so we just had to go on a walk...

boog liked to pic flowers for me...

quite the collection, wouldn't you say?

ok, see the guy in the background? we were quite impressed by his moves. oh, and he only had one leg.

there is beauty all around...

we seriously had so much fun. we stayed home most of the week, so we tried to find things to do like,
we would watch ryan shoot the boys with the nerf gun. put bouncy balls on the tramp and they would throw them at my face. and we played bache ball.
it was my first time playing, and i pretty much kicked trash.

or we...
looked at this site i found on my friends blog. ha ha HA! this is where i was proved wrong that opossum starts with a silent "o".

ryan read an entire fact book. i guess he got bored. sorry love.

and i heard a lot of these things while i was there...
boog: "dom-ee-no..."
daeg: "her name is not dom-EE-no, it's dom-I-no"
...
fos: " CHAR!!!!!" (from outside at the top of his lungs)
me: (open sliding door, or window) "what fos?" (i knew what he was going to ask, every time)
fos: "i need your help. i need you to help me inside"
you see, they just recently got a puppy. not just any puppy, a great dane. and foston is afraid of dogs.
this happened a lot.

the dog pooped on the deck, i think every time he had to poop. and daegan would growl every time.
i couldn't ever remember his name, so i called him puppy.

we liked to play the family fued game all together on facebook. ryan is still addicted :)

i loved that i got an extra hour, to sleep in. :) and every morning when we woke up, the boys were laying on the ground outside our door.

daegan really wanted some of the good stuff ryan makes me, so she asked him to bring his recipes.
and he made us...
ravioli,

spinach ravioli to be exact.

(thanks daeg, for these pictures :)

and he made something new that i have never tried before.
it is called aranchni.

a fried ball of goodness. meat, cheese and rice. mmm...

we all had to dance at some point in this trip....

and foston was a good example of this.
he sings too...

boog pulled me into the other room to show me this...

and asked me to take a picture.

domino is just the sweetest.

Seattle...

fos was hungry

boog was tired

"Iver's"... uh can i just say, YUM!

family pictures...

daegan asked me to take their family pictures. it was awesome.
her camera rocks!

daeg, charlie, foston, boogie and domino,
we had a great time with ya'll.

wish we didn't have to drive home so soon.

we also wish we could of found out that our a.c. broke
before we drove 7 1/2 hours
in 90 degree weather.

love,
char and ryan

i've decided...

• that it's cute when an older couple chases after the sunset together and watch all the pretty colors fade away.
• that blue, purple, orange, pink, and a tiny bit of yellow are beautiful sunset colors.
• that it's funny to see tiny little boys fight with their bikes and scooters, like literally ram them into each other.
• that i don't feel safe on a cross walk, even if i do have the right of way.
• that i get a rock flipped into my shoe every time we go on a walk.
• that i get sweaty when i wear shoes and socks.
• that it always sounds good to have watermelon after you are sweaty and swollen.
• that i really need to post all the fun pictures i took in washington.
• that it takes time to post pictures.
• that i don't want to take all that time on a computer to post pictures when i get home from being on a computer all day.
• that i don't like how logan people water their lawns.
• that i probably look/sound like an idiot when i growl and cuss at a house in the dark after stepping into their sprinkler trap and soak my butt and step in to a deep puddle of water from their over watered lawn.
• that i love holding ryan's hand.

i've decided these things on my short walk with ry.

starting from thursday...

last thursday we went to the modest mouse (free) concert in SLC.

it was in-sane. 

it was so packed.

we waited in line forever. 

it was like 4 blocks long.

when we finally got to the entrance,

everyone was cutting in line.

so annoying.

people were getting way tired of waiting.

so a few started to jump the fence.

then more and more and MORE.

it was so crazy! 

so many people were jumping that the fence fell down!

and everyone just started to run inside the park.

out of control.

so ryan grabbed me and we tried to jump the little fence that was in front of us.

but, just when i was about to this lady grabbed my arm and pulled me down.

and was yelling at anyone she could to get down.

so ryan and i decided it would probably be a good idea, to just go through the entrance.

we got in pretty fast after that.

there were soo many people it was almost impossible to move. 

everyone was drinking and splashing bear on my toes.

that seriously grossed me out.

at one time, we were almost stampeded.

ryan was trying to call his brother and friend.

but it was hard to get through to anyone. 

it was way hard to hear anything, including the music.

i was so glad that ryan and i didn't get split up. cause i would have just bawled.

it scared me how many people were around. 

we ended up just leaving the park. 

waiting for joe and logan to be ready to leave.

i am glad that logan and joe were able to hear the music and have a good time.

it was pretty crazy.

then on friday night we (shelby, ryan and i) headed to blackfoot. 

for kelsey's baby shower on saturday.

and to visit family.

we ended up talking about funny stories at the baby shower and at my dad's.

i got to see family that i haven't seen in forever and their babies :)

it was so much fun.

OH!

and sierra, is the greatest!

she did my hair for me.

this is my "heck yeah!" face.

i love it.

we left pretty late on saturday, after eating yummy roast beef sandwiches, made from marrianne.

shelby and i ended up falling asleep.

poor ryan. sorry love.

we got home about midnight, or should i say sunday morning.

it was a pretty fun little trip, and i am glad shelby was able to come with us!

the end.

4th

we celebrated the fourth a little early.

well, at least the firework celebration.

they were showing the fireworks on friday.

kinda weird but whatever.

we arrived a tad early.

and waited for the show to start up at the university.

look how excited we look.

i asked ryan before we left if he wanted to bring a jacket.

he said, "no way its flipping hot out there"

he wasn't sure why i wanted to bring 2 small blankets either.

well we got there and it was really nice weather.

 but it got chilly pretty darn fast. 

so i put my new boise state hoody on.

and bundled up in the blanket.

guess who wanted to join me in the warmness.

my honey.

it was fun to snuggle under the big sky.

 today, we had a bbq. 

pretty darn good.

happy 4th!

we rolled in to the family get together about midnight.

on the way there...

 we about hit a car head on.

it was in our lane trying to pass the car in front of it.

we had to swerve to the right to miss it.

then...

we almost hit a deer.

i now understand the phrase,

look like a deer in the headlights.

it just stood there.

 when we got there...

ryan was starving, and diane was telling me about the event holly had.

tumbling down the hill after

kamden.

sheesh.

kamden had nothing but a few little scratches.

holly was left with a giant mess of her knee.

sad.

wish i had it on camera.

it would have been funny to see her feet run away with her.

ryan ate a few hot dogs.

we stayed up for a bit.

i watched them set up our tent.

in the dark.

stayed up a bit longer.

then crashed.

slept really hard, until morning when the stupid 

annoying bird decided to be as loud as they could.

then in the morning, holly, diane and i

went to the little store in the middle of no where.

for some cooking oil,

and worms for the guys to fish with.

the cooking oil was a tiny bottle.

expired.

expensive.
dumb.

george and diane were our chefs.

yum.

breakfast.
pancakes, hash browns, eggs, sausage, juice.

2 birthday kids!
jeff,

and emily,

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUYS!


Ryan went out with his buddies to go and catch some fish for a couple hours.

and then we decided we would go out with the ski boat
for a bit.
jeff got on the wake board.
the sky was overcast.
then we went back to camp.
later, a few of us decided we would all go out to find the fishers.
and it took a while.
it was kinda cold.
but we found them.

they caught a lot of fish, especially joe.

and then we started to head back.
but, something happened. and the boat decided to break down.
we were a while away from camp.
ryan, joe, zachary and of course little guin came to the rescue.

and had to pull us back to camp.

they were hitting big waves in the little fishing boat, and going all over the place.

and then it started to storm a little

it was really cold

holly and i bundled up in all the life jackets we could find.

and tried to flag down some boaters with a bigger motor.

but the boys were a little prideful.

so we just tugged a long.

and tugged.

but we made it!

and while we were back at camp there was a big dead catfish we found.

look how big it was next to my foot!

it was stinky.

there was a man with a funny hat.

and i know its a hairy hat, because he took off his hat and there was no hair.

p.s. the text says "sweetest hat ever"

there was lots of fishing to be done,

zachary and his first fish

here are some more pictures of the trip...

loved the view

right before we left,

we packed up everyone's stuff.

that took a while.

ryan and i took the fishing boat around to the dock.

and smelled death.

it was like someone stashed dead bodies under the dock.

it was bad, and every time the breeze would come by it was very strong.

then we loaded up the boat behind the subaru.

well, i actually just watched ryan and george load it.

then we drove back to where our camp was.

our little bug was over by the exit, waiting...

with a story to tell of what happened while we were gone that little while.

diane was so kind to try to drive it to an easy access for ryan and i.

but with VW's you have to push down the stick and then put it in reverse.

the little bug was parked on the edge of a very steep hill.

the same one holly and kamden fell, or should i say rolled down.

and she thought that it was in reverse. it's pretty tricky, it took me a while to get it.

she went to back up, and uh oh, when forward instead over the parking curb,

and luckily not down the hill.

i don't know who all helped lift the car up over to safety,

but THANK YOU!

glad you didn't go tumbling down the hill like holly.

bye!

Memorial Day Weekend

• I am so sad that these are the only pictures I have!
• But it was really fun! So great to see everybody!
• We got there, and my grandma had reserved 2 cabins for our family.
• Our family meaning, my mom and Todd, the boys, Sierra, Daegan & Charlie family, and of course me and Ry.
• It was really sad weather. SO COLD!
• They had a tent set up with a lot of tables inside, so we could all be together with out being in the rain
• There were all sorts of games and activities planned for the whole weekend!
• Like this one,

• My grandma bought all sorts of fun things for all the younger kids.
• and set up a sheet, gave the kids a fishing pole and they got to fish for their gift!
• How cool is that?

 (do their rosy cheeks explain how cold it was?)

• At the other end of the tent the Brower's planned an activity,

•  They put some dirt in some pantyhose and tied it all up cute. 
• And they turned out like this,

• They got to draw faces and put googly eyes on them.
• SO CUTE!

 

•  They had a game called "minute to win it" (click here)
• or here or here
• There were a lot more or these silly little games we played against each other. 
• Like, my mom went against my grandpa and they each had to put a cookie on their forehead and only using their face muscles they had to get it in their mouth.
• My mom won and later that night when we were going to bed she still had cookie crumbs all over her face.
• It was so much fun.
• Sunday morning we all got up and ate breakfast
• Tessa is a Zumba Dance instructor. 
• If you don't know what Zumba is,
• Click here
• She brought her Zumba CD's and we all followed her!
• It seriously kicked my butt!
• And i know somebody taped it....
• I would like to see that!
• Anyway, it was so much fun!
• Thanks Tessa!
• The downer part of the weekend,
•  a lot of us got sick :(
• And the day we all were leaving it was so sunny and warm!
• Aww man!
• Oh well we had fun anyway. :)
• Thank you Brower's for the fun filled family reunion!
• Can't wait till next year!

my heart is full...

i have been so sick, my voice is gone,
i am deaf in one ear.
my nose is stuffy,
and i have a bad cough.
ryan suggested i stay home,
because i obviously didn't sound so good.
but i really felt i would be ok today at church.
i said a little prayer in my heart,
that i could make it through church.
so i got up,
got showered,
got dressed.
i usually struggle to find clothes
and make my hair look right.
but everything was so easy.
i still felt sick,
but felt great at the same time.
i was ready.
:)
even walking felt good.
i am not the greatest walker in heels,
ha ha...
how silly is that?
what i am trying to say is that i just felt like,
someone... was trying, helping me get to church.
the church was full with so many people.
there were 2 baby blessings today.
beautiful babies.
what wonderful family members' to have the
priesthood, to give such beautiful blessings.
the spirit was everywhere today.
it seemed to be the theme... for me.
it was fast and testimony meeting.
wonderful testimony's.
a woman spoke honestly.
she began saying she was coming back to church,
for herself now, not because she has to,
but because she wants to.
she said that she was raised in the church,
but that she was forced to go, every sunday.
then she was married.
and wasn't made to go.
so she didn't.
she said that after she had her little girl
that everything was put into perspective.
that she needed to go for her daughter,
and her husband.
she also said that she may not
know all the stories in the scriptures,
but that she knows that's ok,
because she now has a testimony.
and her tears dripped down her face,
as she bore her testimony, and it was
strong.
and the spirit was there.
another woman got up to say,
how grateful she was, for the help
she received.
by people in the park,
by the lord, and spirit.
she lost her wedding ring in the sand.
at the park, during an activity with the
young women.
everyone looked and couldn't find it that night.
she prayed.
and went and looked again.
and found it.
her prayer was answered.
the spirit helped her find it.
we then went into our primary class.
ryan taught, because my voice was weak.
later, ryan came up with a game.
he arranged the chairs into a kind of maze.
asked one of the girls if he could borrow her sweater.
put the hood on one of the children's heads,
so they couldn't see and told the
other kids to go to the other end of the classroom.
ryan said, listen to the spirit guide you.
(the kids being the spirit, guiding the child through the maze)
the kids all thought it was fun and silly,
having a sweater on their head.
they all made it through.
some kids didn't listen to the "spirit"
and ended up bumping into the chairs,
but then after a while they listened and made it through.
what a great lesson that was.
it was time to go to closing exercises.
and of course,
what was the lesson on?
the holy ghost.
we all shared experiences of losing something,
and then praying to find it,
and having the holy spirit guide us the way.
i am so grateful for the Holy Spirit, to help guide
me the way to righteousness.
what a wonderful blessing it is to have with me always.
i am so grateful for my Heavenly Father and
my savior Jesus Christ,
for their love and guidance.
for the Atonement.
that i can be forgiven, for my mistakes,
and wrong doings.
i am so grateful for my husband,
and that we are sealed for time and all eternity.
we are striving to do what is right,
to live with Them again.
i am thankful for this day.