Parties, Lakes, and Moving

So these past two weeks have been crazily busy but oh so much fun. We've had some big changes happen and so far they've been good. Last Sunday my family threw us a party, along with celebrating some birthdays in the family, including my Dad's, at Cody and Jayla's house. We had a killer meal - Jayla you're awesome! - and played lots of fun games. First we played some rousing rounds of Washers (a game that Jayla's family came up with).





Then the kids started a water fight and obviously lost.




After that we played kick the can with everyone once it got dark. It was a blast!! Then on Tuesday, with the help of Mom, Dad, Joe, and Caleb, we got all packed up in our moving truck and headed to my parents' house. We got the rest of my stuff packed up there and the next day we took the long drive to Washington. Nate drove the moving truck (and spent about $300 in gas on that thing) and I drove his car - yes, Nate let me, although I guess he didn't really have a choice..lol. It was a really long drive but we made it. When we got here, his family had a little homecoming party with dinner and a cake and everything. There were even decorations! So cute! The next day we unpacked the truck, packed the car, and headed out to Lake Chelan with the family. Nate's aunt and uncle own a house in Chelan only a few blocks from the beach so that's where we stayed. It was sooo much fun! We played games, swam, rode on the jet ski that Landis brought, ate a ton of food, and slept out on the deck. Lots of fun in the sun! Here are a few pics:



The guys getting on the jet ski to take Cirdan out for a crazy ride on the tube:



Nate and Kaiya playing the Wii:


Nate and Kaiya swimming - the water was so clear!


Nate ruined about a shirt a day out there so here is shirt number four. I told him I get 4 new shirts for every shirt he ruined. :)


Lounging around


Holding Stacey and Landis' precious little boy Casey!


Jumping off the pole! It was so scary and took me forever to stand up but I did it! The jumping was the fun part.


The only time I can pick Nate up :)


Nate batting the bees away...crazy boy. Notice I stayed inside.



Nate also started his new job today at Boeing. It was just orientation so he still doesn't quite know what he'll be doing, but it should be fun for him to learn something new. We'll see how his first week goes next week! I'm still looking for a job so I'm just trying to organize our stuff for the time being. Lots of fun!

Finally!

Yesterday and today were the day of "finally!" Finally it was Amy's last day at work. Finally we got the wedding pictures from our photographer last night. Finally today is my last day at Novell and finally we are using that card I have had for the last year to Cafe Rio that let's us get an entree free after just buying one more! I bet Amy is saying "Finally we are going out to eat!!!" I won't have to talk to annoying, whining, complaining customers finally. I won't have to answer the pager calls at inconvenient times finally. I'll be free for a week, finally! Finally, we are going to get out of Utah finally!

Fourth of July!!

In the morning, we went to the Colonial Days festival in Provo. There were many actors and artisans dressed in the garb of the colonial era. They demonstrated how things were done back then such as basketweaving, blacksmith-ing, candle making, writing styles, speaking, etc... the best demostration was the firing of the muskets which made a few kids cry.

We also got to see many original documents dated from that period with the signatures of our founding fathers and other important men like Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Abraham Lincoln.

Then we wandered through the printing museum where they have the most complete and only working Gutenburg press in the world. They demonstrated how printing is done using the press. Amy and I got our name made in metal type for a donation of $2 to the museum.

After all this excitement, we went to watch the Stadium of Fire yesterday. We staked out a spot by the new Hinckley building and waited for her parents to come and meet us there. Her mom brought us dinner: a delicious taco salad which we ate across the street in the shade of some trees. I was amazed at the amount of construction that has happened since I was going to school. They have expanded the Cannon center, Tanner building, and built a parking garage as well! Anyway, we played some games and then got ready for the show. To start, they had some jumpers-- 6 of them-- parachute into the stadium.

(Those two specks are people)

Then we got to play the waiting game (and Phase 10) for the next two hours. Rob and one of his friends came to join us. And then came the best part of the night: The Fireworks!!!

I'm going to have to cut part of the other file with the finale in it. It's too big to post to the blog right now :-)