Table Mountain

Zak and I went hiking this last weekend with two of my co-workers, Kate and Sarah, to Table Mountain. It it one of the best hikes in Idaho and one of the best views there is of the Tetons. It took 10 hours and is one I won't do again until I get in better shape. It was alot of fun but very strenuous. I"m glad to have people to hike with that motivate me to be more active! The slide show at the top is some of the pictures I took. You can click on the slide show to see them larger.

Fly Fishing on the Warm River

Last night, Friday, Zak and I went to warm river. Although we got there a little later than we planned we were still able to fish for about an hour. Zak fished for a little bit and I took some pictures. It was a little dark and I didn't bring my tripod so some of them are a little blurry. After a while Zak convinced me to get in a try it. The water was freezing but it was really fun to have Zak teach me about something he loves. I felt like we were dating again the way he stood behind me all clever-like and helped me learn how to cast. It was a great night.

On our way to the fishing spot we saw this older man sitting outside a trailer (which Zak later told me was an old ambulance). Zak told me that he had seen that same man in that same spot everytime he was there fishing in the last 4 months. He was just listening to oldies and watching his fire. At first I thought, "Man, that would be the life!" but after a few moments of pondering the man's solitude I wondered what his life really was like. Did he or does he have a family? What does he hope for? What does he miss? Does he really like being here? I wonder if I would enjoy such a calm and peaceful life or if I would find myself aching for something to work for. I had to take a picture. It doesn't quite capture the mixed emotion it made me feel. What do you think about this type of life?

Just an Update!

I thought after our company left things would slow down but they haven't really. We want to congratulate Omi and Opa on their mission call. They will be leaving November 17th to spend 23 months in Berlin Germany! We are excited for them and greatful for their examples. Among other news, I quit working at The Learning Center (my summer job) and will start my REAL job as a teacher on Monday. I'm very excited but also very nervous. I will be teaching a developmental preschool with tons of kids. I was excited to hear that other than me there will be a part time teacher as well. Thank goodness. I could not do it on my own. Zak was sick this weekend so we spent the weekend just hanging around out apartment which was kind of nice after all of our company and travels. Hopefully he will feel better soon and be able to go back to work.

Mikah in Idaho

The night after Andy left Mikah came to town to stay with us for a week. Her and Zak had lots of fun while I worked. They went rock climbing on Thursday and then on Friday we left to go to Bear Lake. Zak's uncle Kevin, his family, some of their friends and Omi and Opa were there. It was quite the party. We went to pizza with all of them and then stayed the night in the cabin. It was fun to meet Kevin's family for the first time. They invited us to spend some time with them in Southern California which we will definatly have to do in the near future. The next day we cleaned the cabin and everyone left to go back to there homes and Zak, Mikah and I headed up to Blooomington Lake. It was beautiful. Zak and Mikah went off the rope swing and Mikah even jumped off this huge cliff that even Zak was too scared to go off. I was not even hot and had no desire to get into the water. I wish I would have brought my camera though because it was so beautiful. That night we camped in the canyon and headed home the next day. In Monday Zak and Mikah went to yellowstone and did some hiking and sight seeing. On Tuesday they drove up to Mesa Falls and then she left early on Wednesday morning. It was nice to get to know her better and provide some of her summer fun.

Fishing with Andy

Right after we got back from Yellowstone Zak's uncle came to stay for three nights and fish with Zak. They went to Henery's Fork and Hariman State Park. They had a blast and it was a great time for me to get to know Andy more. It is easy to see why Zak looks up to him as much as he does. Although Andy was much more successful at catching fish Zak learned more about fly fishing and they both had a great time. They are already talking about doing it again next summer.

Yellowstone with the Birds

My sister Teresa and her family came to Idaho to camp in Yellowstone. We tagged along and had a great time. I had never been to a lot of the places we went to, including the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. We also went to Boiling River. It is this place where a hot spring runs into the river and creates naturally warm spots to sit and relax in. We had a run in with a coyote. It circled our camp once and we thought it was a wolf but it came back later and Zak turned on the car lights when it started to approach him. Justin yelled at it and it ran away. We aren't sure if it came back because we went to bed but it was exciting. Just in case you are wondering, Teresa has a had time talking when she is scared. He he. We also saw lots of buffalo and elk of course. It was a great time and I loved seeing my nieces and nephews again! One of my favorite lines comes from my niece Mikelle. "Guess what my favorite food is... It has a dog and a bun." My guess was a hot dog and she corrected me saying, "Nope, a corn dog."

Miranda's Wedding

Miranda got married! Congratulations!I was there for the ceremony and reception. It was held outside his home. It was beautiful. Miranda looked so great. Her dress was very impressive. Her mom made it in less than two weeks! I couldn't believe it. Being married is a wonderful thing! We wish her the best of luck.