Love Summer

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.  ~John Lubbock

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

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So, I must say that I LOVE the summertime.
Long Days. Warm Sunshine. Cool Nights. Family. Friends. Gardens. Flowers. Vacations.
Yes, I love summer.


This summer has been relaxing.  At the beginning of the summer I was stressing about my lack of work, and then about the lack of hours at my work once I found a job, but I have now decided that I am just going to enjoy this break.  It doesn't happen too often, and it's only until the end of August anyway.


(Side note: I actually sat down and figured out our budget for the fall.  Actually sitting down and making a plan helped me realize that I could stress less about money.  I find that pretty cool.  I'm grateful for this and this that helped me sort that out.)


Now that I think about it, back when I was stressing, it was still rather cold.  Ha, sunshine really does wonders for the soul.


Stephen and I have had a busy couple of weeks.  We've been restarting his photography business, and it's been a ton of fun!  We actually took pictures of some races, and at other activities.  


I've still been crocheting a bit.  I made another elf hat for my cousin to use with her photography business.  I also made Stephen a hat, and I'm starting on my first blanket.  It's fun, I'll have to post pictures when I finish.


This 4th of July weekend was so much fun!  Stephen and I were able to take off work the Tuesday after the 4th of July weekend and really enjoy our time their with family!


We arrived Friday evening just in time for some fireworks with the Dahl side of the family.

Funny (scary at the time) Story:  So, as my uncle was lighting fireworks he stacked on top of another.  When the top firework went off it fell over.  It was an aerial firework, so it shot really far.  It shot once at the across-the-street-neighbor's fence (leaving some fun black marks), and once down the street.  It continued to move around towards the onlookers.  My Uncles were standing on the driveway, and it shot at them! (One of my Uncles had burn marks on his socks and shoes, and one of the cars has a few scars)  It was getting really scary because the next shot looked like it was headed towards the children (who of course were sitting closest).  Some of the children got up to run, but others didn't.  The firework went off one last time, straight at the children.  However, miracles happen, and the firework that was headed straight for all the children shot into the curb and bounced up.  Crisis averted, and no more fireworks were stacked.


The next day we got to spend all day with Stephen's sister Julie, her family, and some of her in-laws.


We climbed up to Donut Falls with the whole family.  It was a fun hike.

Then we went up to silver lake, where there was still enough snow for a snowman.

After spending some time with Julie's family we made it back to Riverton in time to see their fireworks.

Sunday we went to Church with my Grandma, and went to visit my Aunts Susan and then Elaine.  


Monday morning, we kept with tradition and went to Jim's with some of my mom's family.  It was fun.  Then we went to meet up with Julie and her family.  Lindsey and Jason stopped by as well.  After a wonderful dinner and some fun, some of us got ready to go hike Mt. Olympus.

We started at a little after 6.  It took us roughly seven hours to get up there and back down in the dark.
It wasn't easy, but it was pretty cool.


At the beginning I was pretty chipper.

The views were pretty.

The mountainside was cool.

I think it was probably at about mile 2 or a little past that, that the trail became increasingly steep, and I became a bit less chipper.  My climbing muscles obviously need a bit more working-out.  However, despite this, we made it to the saddle, which was awesome.  The view over the other side of the mountain was amazing.  David and Micheal (more experienced hikers than the rest of us), made it the rest of the way to the peak, but the rest of us didn't make it before dark, so we didn't attempt it.  It was nice to sit and look over the valley, and watch the little fireworks go off.

On the way down I was having a hard time, because my toes kept jamming into the front of my shoes.  Boy, am I grateful that I have such a kind, patient husband.  He helped me down.  On the way down we found a giant salamander and a skunk.  The skunk scared me so bad.  Luckily I saw it in time to back away, and we did not get sprayed.  That would have been so horrible!


However, sometime near two in the morning we got home, very tired, but feeling rather accomplished.  We slept in until 11 or so the next day.  Then I helped Grandma clip some roses and we went to visit Grandpa's grave.  It was nice to go visit, especially this weekend because he was so patriotic.  Then it was time for Stephen and I to head back to Rexburg.

It really was awesome to spend so much time with family!  I have more to update, but this is plenty for one post!  I'll share some more of our adventures with Julie's family soon!