Visit to Grace

We took a small load of our stuff up to Grace last weekend, it was our first time back since we visited to look at the place {in which I didn't pay a lot of attention because I just KNEW there was NO WAY I could live there:) }
I quickly felt the 'small-town-slow-down' when we got there, and I realized that there's something so nice about slowing down, I might even like it (did I just say that??)  I find myself looking forward to this new life.

I wasn't feeling great so Awesome LeGrand unloaded the little trailer and then we took a jaunt to Soda Springs (15 min. drive) and got some ice cream at Arctic Circle (which is the only 'stand-alone' fast food joint in Soda, there's also an A&W/Taco Time in the Chevron station) --I was overly excited when on our jaunt I discovered that Soda has a DRIVE-IN :) :) :) --I grew up going to the Drive-In and have some great memories of it, I CAN'T WAIT to spend summer nights with the kids at the Drive-In :)

After a relaxing day we needed some dinner and LeGrand said he didn't want to leave Grace, I reminded him that meant we had like one option :)  --we pulled into town at the right time because there happened to be a Taco Truck visiting, we were pumped! (AND, the food was great!)

Then we experienced our first Idaho rainstorm, the Thunder and Lightning was AMAZING, our power went out so we laid and watched the lighting show through the big picture window of the house, fun memories!

The Cottage:

The view from the Kitchen window, and the house of our closest neighbor:

Grace Library:

Kids getting excited about the move!

Sugarland!

Life's been crazy and I was in serious need of a night out so I snagged us some tickets and took LeGrand to the Sugarland concert!

We started with dinner at a hole-in-the-wall taco place (YUM), enjoyed some serious people watching, and loved Sugarland {&Sara Bareilles)!

The kids were spoiled at home by Lauren{our FAVORITE babysitter ever, we're going to be lost without her}, like always!

The market isn't looking so great to get our home sold so we're probably going to be renting it and wait to see if next spring and summer will be better.  Now, to find some exceptional renters :) - thank heavens we have the worlds greatest neighbors who will keep a great eye on the place for us!

**Grace Idaho FUN FACT: Also know as Gem valley was settled by a group of people from West Jordan, Utah!

One CRAZY week!

It was a WILD week & I'm just happy to have survived it successfully! :)
On Friday the 5th we learned we got a job transfer and LeGrand would start work in Grace on September 11th, on Saturday the 6th LeGrand headed to Alaska on a Fishing trip for the entire week! {If the trip hadn't been planned a year ago, and LeGrand hadn't been totally deserving I probably would've been doing a whole lot of complaining!}

So...I spent the week taking Laex to Swim Lessons, hosting Oma from New Hampshire {Luckily she is the all-time easiest house guest ever!}, going through the entire house prepping for a Saturday yard sale, beginning the packing as I went, pulling weeds and cleaning up the yard, getting the house ready, photo's taken and listing up, and chuck-e-cheese with the cousins...

I was EXTREMELY excited to pick up LeGrand from the airport late Saturday night {the kids and I stopped at Leatherbys for ice cream on our way--mmmMMMM}!

The Guys had a Fabulous time fishing, they brought home close to 400 lbs of Halibut & Salmon, I'm pumped to have a freezer full of fresh fish :)

Laex rocked his swim lessons, and loved every minute!

I'm happy to have the house well on it's way to being all packed up! {and I'm getting excited to decorate the new place ;)}

**Grace Idaho FUN FACT:  Population sign as we drove into town said Nine hundred-something {I'll get the exact number when we go up again!}, --I'm moving to a town with less than 1000 people--

Movin on UP!

I LOVE an ADVENTURE & I'm ALWAYS up for a CHANGE!

We're officially getting BOTH!

I can't believe this is finally happening, (since it's been in the works for a few months) but 

IT IS HAPPENING and I'm still trying to process it all!

WE ARE MOVING UP (as in NORTH)!

To THIS state

We are trading Corn Fields for Spud Fields (yes, I'm already learning the lingo)

We are trading Salt Lake City for Pocatello (not that you can really compare the two)

We are trading our cute little "Small Town" of Saratoga Springs for a MUCH SMALLER place:

a town without a stoplight
a town where everybody knows everybody
a place where my nearest neighbor is 1/4 mile away
a place where I have to drive 30 min. to a grocery store & an hour to Wal-Mart

****WELCOME to GRACE IDAHO****

Let's face it, THIS isn't the ADVENTURE I ever imagined and it's NOT the ADVENTURE I had hoped for especially when our other option was OREGON (I've shed many tears over this)

I wanted WARMER weather, CLOSER to the beach (technically this move does take us closer), MORE population of people, a BIGGER change in logistics and location... (it's rough to accept the answer to your prayers when it's not the answer YOU want)

BUT, we KNOW it's RIGHT and I'm learning that I need to exercise my FAITH !!

On a POSITIVE note -- we'll be spending our summers at Lava Hot Springs & Bear Lake!
(On the other hand, I'm not sure what we'll do all winter!)

Happy #4!

My little buddy turned 4-YEARS OLD!  It wasn't a big party year this year so he decided he wanted a Spiderman Cake and Train Cupcakes (mostly because he couldn't choose either one or the other) so I obliged and made him both!  In fact I spent a whole day baking cake from scratch and making home-made frosting - it may never happen again but I thought I'd try it once!  We had some close friends over to enjoy the cake and ice cream with us on his Birthday and he couldn't have been happier! {I LOVE how easy he is to please!}

He got spoiled with Trains & his own Gator! Lucky Duck!

I sure love him!  He's smart, handsome, loving, happy, energetic, helpful and brings us so much joy!

I especially love how much he loves his sister!

**Laex Funny from this week, I was trying to get him to eat his dinner, the day after his birthday, and told him to take 4 more bites because he is now 4, he told me, "Mom, after people already have their birthday then they just go back to being 3" --smart boy, trying not to have to eat so many bites, LOL!
Also, the other day we were at Kohls and he serenaded half of the store with the entire first verse of "I love to see the temple" :)

Hogle Zoo!

LeGrand's best friend from High School (Bradley Belcher) got a sweet new job with Rio Tinto and invited us to join Him, Candace & Brock at their Zoo night --It was a BLAST and we indulged in WAY too much junk.  Seriously, just imagine dinner, plus all you can order from the snack bar including, nachos, cotton candy, soft pretzels, fountain drinks, churro's,  icee's , popcorn, cookies, ice cream etc. PLUS we got free t-shirts & hats, Thank You Rio-Tinto {and Brad for working there ;) }  It was over cast and rained on us a bit but we weren't complaining because it was so nice to not have heat!

LeGrand would live on ice cream if I would let him :)  and his daughter has become the same!  He also was STOKED because they had FREE DIPPIN DOTS, his fav!

PS. The dinosaur exhibits the Zoo has right now are super cool!