Allan Butler Race

Saturday was the Allan Butler Criterium Race in downtown Idaho Falls. Nate took 2nd place in it last year and was all geared up to take it all this year.
The race started with a kids race. SO fun! Landon and the twins (our cousins) raced first and then Dallin, Parker and Makayla raced next. It was fun to see the kids in their shirts and they LOVED their medals!

Nate did GREAT. He had 20 family members there cheering him on with every lap. No one had a louder cheering section! These races always scare me a little bit as the guys come ripping around the corners at crazy speeds. Nate was leading with 2 laps to go on a solo break when he realized he was going to get caught.  He waited for the 4 chasers and got in line for the final bunch sprint.  Coming around the last corner he had to tap his brakes just a bit. This slowed him down enough that he couldn't close the gap and caused him to get 4th place. He was disappointed but happy overall with how everything went. I was just thrilled that he didn't get hurt. (Such a mom thing to say!)

The proud wife:

Looking forward to the Twilight race this weekend in Boise! YAY! I'm ready to go "home" and see my fam and friends and cheer my sexy spandex wearing man ON!

Business is BOOMING at Hotel Starnes!

I love that people keep stopping by to see us over here in the EAST. Our friends the Dallings came by to say hi. We love seeing our Boise friends and were thrilled they haven't forgotten us yet!

We've had non stop family visitors the past 10 days and it has been WONDERFUL! I'm going through visitor withdrawl already. My brother stayed a couple of days after the 4th and we had a fun time with him at the zoo.

The Jones fam and the Pitcher fam came the day after my parents left and it has been a non stop party ever since!
We had birthday BBQ's, date nights, crazy ipod idol games, hot days boating up at the lake, and we even had time for a bike race. (That post for tomorrow)
Kels and Logan and Nate and I went to Famous Dave's for Logan's birthday. SOOOOO good! A new favorite for sure! We went to the BEST ice cream place for dessert. It's called Reed's Dairy. It has been ranked best in the nation and I can see why! AMAZING.

Ashley and Justin and all of the cousins came the next day. We went up to Ririe/Blacktail Lake and had a blast boating. The lake is so close to our house it is wonderful. It looks a little bit like Lucky Peak too which was fun. The kids loved tubing and we enjoyed some wakeboarding and kneeboarding. Kneeboarding....my brothers got a kick out of that. They wouldn't be caught dead kneeboarding.

We had a BBQ with all of the "extended" cousins as well. It was fun getting all of the kids together.

 We attempted to have the kids camp out on the trampoline one night but it only lasted until about 10pm. No one could quiet down...imagine that?

I absolutely LOVE the summer....it is zipping by so stinkin fast. I wish it would just SLOW down a little! :)

4th of July Weekend

My family came over from Boise to enjoy the festivities! We had a BBQ and headed over to Leatherby's! (Of course!)

Then we came home and did some fireworks in front of the house. We pulled out the ladder like we always do to make the fireworks even bigger! It's a silly tradition but we love it! We had a few neighbors over and it was tons of fun. Nothing like watching your money go up in flames!

On Saturday the guys played some golf while the girls went shopping. Then we headed over to Idaho Falls downtown to stake out our spot for the fireworks show. We were there 5 full hours early but people were already EVERYWHERE. We played cards and farkle and enjoyed a picnic on the banks of the Snake River. It was a beautiful day and the weather was perfect.

We only had one major meltdown which I thought was pretty good since we were there for such a long time:

The show didn't disappoint. It is rumored to be the best fireworks show east of the Mississippi. I love the 4th! Always have, always will!

Lots more fun to come this week!

Ross Park

Yesterday we went over to Pokey to check out Ross Park. It was a great way to stay cool on a very hot day. We're glad we went right when it opened....by 3:00 we were done and there was still a  HUGE line (probably 100 people) still trying to get in. Idaho Falls NEEDS a waterpark! Maybe I'll open one....it would be a gold mine!

I can't wait for the weekend! As always....I'm LOVING the 4th of July! Squeeeeeeeee! Family and more family coming up to see us....can't wait!

Who needs Roaring Springs?

90 degrees, slip and slides, water guns, and sprinklers. Add some friends and popsicles and you've got a perfect summer day.

A Summer Sunday.

I love stepping outside and being overwhelmed with the sweet smells coming from the lilac bushes and the bleeding hearts in the front yard. Lilac bushes will be a requirement in my yard from this point on. :)

I love yummy summer treats.

And a little post-mission soccer rivalry is always fun too.

Happy Sunday.

A day of fun.

Yesterday was my most FAVORITE day so far living over here in IF. I opened the door in the moring to see my neighbor from Boise standing at my door. I told Chelsi, "Now THAT is the face I love to see when I hear a knock at the door!"

We took the kids to the Tautphaus Park Zoo. It was such a perfect day and zoo was actually a LOT better then I thought it was going to be. I was quite impressed.

We bought a membership so I know we'll be heading back lots and lots!

Later on in the afternoon our favorite friends the Perry's came to stay the night. The kids played hard all night and the bigger kids (or the adults) stayed up late laughing and talking. We love our friends. We are so blessed to have them in our lives....near or far. :)

Drop and GO.

Does anyone know who's kid this is? My child would NEVER just drop trou and wizz wherever he pleased.

It's not like he learned how to do such things from his RIGHTEOUS and OBEDIENT older brothers.

(wink wink)

Little boys.....gotta love 'em.

(1st time at the Ammon pool.....not nearly as nice as the pool across from out house in B-town but it was still fun!)

Adjusting

Moving is so hard. I'm not going to sugar coat it. I realize it takes time to get adjusted to a whole new life but as a mom, and a homemaker it is really tough. I miss my friends.

Nate has his job and his bike which keeps him busy. The boys step outside and neighbor kids start to come around.

Of course I'm busy setting up our house and keeping the boys busy. Its just hard going to Relief Society and sitting by myself. It pretty much sucks.

I want to go around with a sign on my neck that says, "HI! I'm Staci and I'm fun and normal. I promise!"

Idaho Falls is different. There are some things that I'm growing to love and some things that I'm coping with.

One thing I'm learning to adapt to is WIND:

All day long it blows here...the trees in my backyard are constantly in motion. I don't have to sweep the grass clippings on the sidewalk becuase it all just blows away. Thats a good thing...right?

My favorite thing so far would have to be this darling little library near my house. I feel like I've stepped back in time 100 years. It was built in 1908 and used to be an LDS church. I absolutely LOVE IT!

People can't drive here. The boys and I were walking into Albertson's and we were almost backed into 2 times. The cashier blamed it on all of the people who have moved here from Utah. I yelled at the second guy who almost hit us. I was so infuriated I yelled, "What is WRONG with you IDIOT Idaho Falls drivers?"

I scared the man who was behind the wheel. I was a mother bear again..in all my glory. Don't mess.

I've come to the conclusion that the Idaho Falls City Flower must be the dandelion. Everyone seems to grow them with pride in their yards. Ever since we got here I have spent HOURS trying to get rid of them. About $100 in weed killer and the front yard is FINALLY looking better.  

One thing I really like is the fact that houses in Idaho Falls all have basements. Basements are the greatest invention all all time. My kids have absolutely loved having a big area to play nerf guns and chuck balls at eachother. I love that I have a place to send the boys and I can't hear the fighting from upstairs. :)

Another good thing about living in "mini Utah" is the fact that homes have room for food strorage. This is wonderful seeing that I coupon. (Or used to....I need to get back into it!)

Apparently you aren't considered an official "Eastern Idahoan" until you have a trampoline in your backyard too. We're trying to blend in with the natives so we put ours up as soon as we could. The boys are really enjoying it.

One other thing I LOVE. Nate's extended Samoan Family. They have embraced us and FED us like no other. Every time they get together we are invited. The kids LOVE to play with the "cousins." I love that family is family to them....even if we are 2nd cousins once removed. :)

Our neighbors have been very nice too. While I was writing this blog some neighbors came over and dropped off some cookies.

Things are looking up.