4th and 5th day

           We are really winding down to the end of the week. I missed writing yesterday because we got back to Grandma's too late. Yesterday was an off day.....nothing was really planned except the rodeo. Although what's another day without another quilt store? We piled in the Jeep (Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Meghan, and I) and we went to "The Quilt Barn". We saw so many adorable things. I bought an embroidery pattern and some fabric.
          Then when we got back to the house my uncle came. We waited around for a little while and my dad and my brother and my brother's girlfriend came! I was so excited. We decided to hurry to the fair grounds so we could hurry and eat there before the rodeo started.
          The rodeo was amazing. It was a blast. There was one unfortunate man who was riding a bull in the bareback riding and he hit his head on the bull's horn. Ouch!!! He looked like he was in a daze, and when he came off the arena the paramedics helped him by checking him out and he got an ice pack. Luckily no broken bones (but he was bleeding) he is going to have a whopper of a bruise.
           One of the best things at the rodeo are the cotton candy! I love everything about it. I love the sticky fingers, the colored mouth...it is so worth every minute to me.
           When Dad and my brother and his girlfriend first showed up they actually had a problem when it was time to leave for the rodeo. My brother left the only set of keys inside the trunk. BIG PROBLEM. So when we got back to the house after the rodeo Grandpa called a locksmith and he came over (we are talking 11 pm, bless his soul) and unlocked the car. They hadn't gotten out any of their things out of the car before he left the keys in the trunk. That was my night

          Today we woke up and I went with my dad and my older sister to the fair to show Dad our items and what we got. The best part of being there wasn't seeing the items...it was seeing the animals. We walked through the rabbits, the turkeys, the cows, the one horse that was there and of course the lambs and the goats. The goats were the best because Dad stuck his hand up to one goats mouth and the goat tried to eat his CTR ring. It was funny, he kept thinking it was food! I took a ton of pictures of it.
          After being at the fair for a bit we hurried home and we got our swimming suits on. We went to "Steadman's Ranch". It is a huge slip n' slide down a long hill and they also have a zip line. They have tubes you can borrow for free and the cost is free but they ask for donations. We had a BLAST!! We probably went down it at least 50 times or more. Even Grandma joined us as well as my aunt and uncle. I got a little sunburn but right now it hurts. Then when we came back to Grandma's house we ate dinner and my dad and I went on a walk to the docks. The walk was great except for gnats. They were swarming at our faces and we were quite through.
         When we got home we ate some ice cream and we ended the night with the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". It was a great day!
           

3rd day and still here

           This week is just flying by. Today we started the day off with a parade. I loved it but it was very very long. We started in the shade then ended in the sun and begging to people who were passing out water. It was a lot different than Bear Lake's Raspberry days parade where they threw us carrot bags, string cheese and bread.CRAZY! Anyway...then when the parade was over we walked across the street to "Mill End Fabrics". I bought some very adorable fabric to start another quilt. (Unfortunately I have too many other UFOs that mom won't let me start it yet :p ) From their we ate lunch and went to the fair grounds. We found our items and we saw the ribbons! My 3 items got a blue ribbon, which I was happy about. We also walked through the commercial booths and the pigs. After the fair, we went to Gossner's and we got an ice cream. They are sssooo good. When we went back to grandma's house my younger sister wanted to try out my new hair dryer, so we decided to put my hair in curlers and try it that way. It was long and hot but well worth the result (I think). I would totally do it again. Later on as in 9:30ish the cousins went to see the new Bourne movie in theatres. That's been my day today.

2nd Day

        Today was a blast....can I leave it at that? No, not really. I'm gonna share. Today a  bunch of us went swimming and in between things to do we ate cookies, and fudge, and brownies. Too much for me sometimes. I chose not to go swimming and I went with my mom to "The Gathering Place" quilt shop. Can I just say I was in heaven and we swept through the whole store with our jaws dropped. I didn't see anything I didn't like. Mom bought 2 fat quarters to make some hexigons and I just wanted to buy the store. We also went to a thrift store and I found some "I Love Lucy" videos. I also made another score by finding a hair dryer. Not just your run of the mill hair dryer either. Don't be thinking, boy she is a nut, she gets excited over the smallest things. This is the type of hair dryer you sit under. I have ALWAYS been jealous of the stereotype women at the salon reading their magazines. I am bummed that I can't upload the picture of it that I took because I'm not on my own computer. But after the trip I will. Today we also took a trip to D.I. and that too was fun. I found a pattern for a vintage style dress I want to make next year for the fair. I'll also share a picture of the pattern later. Today our items are being judged and we will be seeing them tomorrow. I can't wait!

1st day of the Idaho fair

        Well right now I am up at the fair again this year. I really can't believe it's been a whole year. Today we baked a lot of cookies. You can't see any of the counters and you look left and right and there is dough everywhere. We put our last minute touches on our other projects. I finally get to place my cowboy quilt in and I am thrilled beyond belief. This year I entered a scrapbook, cookies and of course my quilt. Our cousins joined us today. (We showed up last night) We are having a blast and the hot topic of today was playing multiple games of Phase 10 and Pit.

A lot of time

           A lot of time has passed, I understand....some things I felt that I really didn't want to share when the times came. Let me just sum it up, about 3 weeks after my brother got home my grandma passed away. She was the sweetest person you could ever meet and she gave us a ton of memories we'll NEVER forget. I just loved her so much. It was hard at first but things are now better.
          Then a plus side came...my birthday! It was a blast because I got a ton of fabric, one print which had Elvis Presley! (love him to death) and another one from the collection that Moda Bakeshop has out called "Little Rascals" which I have been dying to have.
          Now it's the 24th of July and we have had a fun day. Dad took us out to Breakfast at "Ruth's Diner" and then we went to Rockport Reservoir. We took up 4 canoes and we played in the water and fished. Steven invited a date to come with us and it was fun tipping the canoes. We had planned on bringing a lunch to eat up there but our plans quickly changed. Thunder rolled in and the wind was blowing pretty hard. It started to rain VERY hard. So we got in our canoes and started to paddle back to our spot, but the waves and the wind were so strong that it acctually knocked my little sister and I, with the canoe in the water. One small problem...actually 2. #1 my sister wasn't wearing her boat shoes and they sunk in the water....Go Figure...water shoes that sink!...#2 we saw lighting. Which made the situation 100x scarier. Thankfully we made it back safely or I wouldn't be here to tell the tale.
          Later on this evening our neighbor invited us to her house for our 3rd annual Car Port Party. She made us S'mores and we watched fireworks go off in her driveway. It was fun. It's something we'll definatly be doing again next year.
         As we were sitting in her driveway my Mom and I both agree that since we were blog searching today and just looking at other people's sewing projects, it  just made us want to sew some of our own projects, so that's probably what I'll be doing tomorrow.
        

HE'S HOME!!!

        Well the day is over..... wow it's been a great one. Before we left for the airport we hung these signs up in the front yard.

We got emotional of course when we saw him for the first time. We had relatives from both sides come to support. Words cannot describe what we all thought and felt. It was amazing. 

Mom's Turn

                                     One of my favorite pictures

          Even Grandma Butcher was able to make it. Isn't she cute...


         The car ride was full of questions and a lot of  OOHH!!'s and AAHH!!'s.Then we got home and he unloaded his suitcase and we got to see all his exotic items. He has truly had "The Best Two Years". I am so relieved that my hug didn't have to wait for to much longer. He gives the best hugs. It's just been a really great day! I am so thankful to the Lord for making him a part of our family and I love him so much. 
         This experience reminds me of when we will return home from our earthly missions. The Lord will hold us tight with his hug and we will finally be home. Just standing in the airport waiting for him I was having a nervous breakdown just wondering when he would be there. I don't think I have ever been this excited in my whole life. But how much more happiness will we have when we will be with all our loved ones and our Heavenly Father. It's just amazes me to think that there is more joy in the journey to come. 

ONE LAST DAY!

    This week my older sister and I have gotten to go to EFY (especially for youth) it's a place for LDS youth to learn more about the gospel. It's been a really great week and I have learned a ton. But I couldn't keep my mind from wandering to this weekend. Tomorrow at 10:30 AM my brother will be coming home from his mission! He has been serving in Asuncion, Paraguay. I am so excited. These two years have been the longest   years of my life. I have written him every week (except for 3 times) and it was so exciting to say "Wow this is the last letter ever being sent to Paraguay!" Well tomorrow since he's coming home we aren't going to the last day of EFY and some of our family will be at the airport with us. It's odd to think that right at this moment of writing this he is up in the air in a plane somewhere. I love him to death and  I am so thrilled. Definitley an emotional day tomorrow. I'll update again tomorrow.