Flyin, Floatin, Fallin, & Engulfed

My husband and I just spent the last weekend in Naples, Idaho at AJ's family reunion. It was a very unique weekend. I learned a lot about my husband and his family, both good and bad. There is always the good side. And then there's the not-so-good side, the side you try to keep hidden. And you know it's true love when you've seen the not-so-good side, and exposed your not-so-good side, and are still loved and still in love with your life. And that says it all: I love my life.


We left Thursday after AJ got off work and drove the whole 600 miles. We got to the campground, which is a piece of land my father-in-law owns and had fixed up very nicely, around 10:30 pm. It had been a long day and I was soo very ready for bed. Imagine my chagrin when we pulled up to this tiny little camp trailer than I couldn't even stand up in and barely fit on the bed and my husband commented about our new temporary "home, sweet home".

We got up the next morning, ate breakfast and then headed up to the airport. Our friends, Kevin and Amy, were also up in Bonners Ferry. Kevin just got his private pilot's license and so the two of them flew up. Well, the adventuresome streak in my husband wouldn't let him pass this up. We met Kevin and he took us both up in his airplane. We both even got to fly the plane! Well, I got to steer it, I couldn't reach the pedals to control the rudder. But, that was good enough. We hung out the rest of the day between Bonners and Naples. And had BBQ Turkey for dinner. Oh my heavens, it was so delicious!

On Saturday, after quite the planning ordeal, we floated down the Kootenai River. I got lucky and ended up riding in the middle of a canoe while my hubby and nephew rowed. I just had to sit there. It was fun, but I was eaten alive by mosquitoes the second I got out of the canoe. Ugh. Still getting over those. We had yummy potatoes for dinner and then sat around the campfire telling stories, laughing and just having fun.


We got up Sunday, ate breakfast, took a much, much, much needed shower and went to sacrament meeting at AJ's homeward. We sat through two youth-ish speakers and one very enthusiastic high councilman. I'm sure it was a good, spiritual meeting... I was a little distracted by the high councilman's enthusiasm though. His mannerisms bordered on hilarious. After church, we picked raspberries right off the bush. Most of them got dropped in a bucket, but mine all landed immediately in my mouth. They were so very yummy. Then we hiked down to Kootenai Falls and the Swinging Bridge. Apparently it was quite the workout, cause I was quite sore the next day. It was worth it though.


Monday, we wandered around downtown Bonners and had a very delicious huckleberry milkshake. That afternoon, we went to Sandpoint Beach. It was really a lake, but I needed a beach fix and that did alright. It was so nice to just sit in the sun and relax. It was fantastic. even though, my hubby and I both came away with sunburns.

We drove back home on Tuesday and let me tell you... I really, really, really love my bed.
Oh, and my in-laws too.

Family, Good Food and Fun.

This past weekend has been the annual McCurdy Family Reunion. Every year my Dad's parents, siblings, and their families all get together and we usually go camping. When we first started doing this we would camp down at my Great-Grandpa Hansen's farm. The last few years we've taken turns planning it and have since broadened our horizons and have seen more of the western countryside.



I was particularly blessed to marry someone who thinks family is as important as I do. Regardless of circumstances, we have done our best to spend as much time with both sides of the family as we can. Even with work and the budget of newlyweds, we've been able to work both family reunions into our summer plans.



This year we went back to the farm. It had been several years and a lot of the younger cousins had never been, or at least couldn't remember it. It was kinda neat to be back and to show it off to my husband. We got to do things that haven't been done in a while... like floating down the canal and playing in the inner tubes. We didn't get to stay as long as I would have liked, but life and work and other duties call. We got to roast marshmellows over the campfire. And play games and just hang out.



It was a good weekend full of family, good food and fun. What more could we ask for?

Fireworks and Fast Wheels

So, for those of you who know me, know I'm a pyromaniac. I absolutely love fireworks. This year my sisters, my husband and I went and watched the fireworks in Soda Springs, ID. Yeah, maybe not the biggest firework show, but it thrills the pyro in me. I enjoyed it.

Speaking of enjoying... I took my birthday money and bought a riding jacket so now I can ride the motorcycle with the hubby! =] Yay! It was most assuredly the most expensive single piece of clothing I have ever bought, but as AJ put it, it's probably the only piece of clothing I've ever bought that could save my life. This is true.

We took the Jeep and the bike down to Grace this past weekend and we put some miles on AJ's bike, as well as my grandpa's Goldwing. We had some fun. So, overall it was a fantastic fire-filled, fast riding weekend.... woot!

21st Birthday!

So, today was my 21st birthday. Finally, I'm an adult... and considered such by all parties. It was a little baffling when the insurance company needed all this information in order to change my account over to my husband's because I was underage. I was too young to change my car insurance company, but old enough to have a husband! Ironic, I know. So, anyway, now I will no longer have any such problems. Woo hoo!

AJ had to drive to Boise yesterday for his job and ended up getting home around 7pm... he usually gets off at 4:30pm. So, to compensate they gave him today off. It worked out nicely being able to spend my birthday with my husband. We slept in this morning and he made me breakfast in bed. He really does treat me well. After that we got up, showered and then went down to the DMV. That's right I now have a full-fledged, "Big Girl License", as AJ coined it. No more vertically oriented piece of plastic with "UNDER 21" in big bold letters. I'm an adult and it's legal. =]

We then went and looked at riding jackets. Last week AJ finally gave me a ride on the back of his new motorcycle. Ok, it's not like I'd been pleading and begging, but I had wanted to try it. It was fantastically, amazingly, incredibly fun. And I finally got to observe him in his element. It was great and he's so excited that now we'll be able to ride together. However, safety is super important and we wont be doing anything until we get gear enough for the both of us. Thus, the jacket shopping trip. I'm really excited though.

We then went for dinner at the Golden Corral. It was good to see family all together. Then we had cake and ice cream back at our house. May I add that I made the cake myself and was pretty darn proud of it. Ok, I'll admit that AJ helped me with the sugar dots on the top layer. I couldn't figure out how to get them all on before they started to drip. But, my husband's a genius and he solved all my problems... Oh, my knight in shining armor.

So, it was a good birthday. I really couldn't have asked for more. Happy 21st Birthday... to me!

Five Months

So, I decided that I wanted to do a blog so that everyone can keep up with us and our many goings on. And to share the craziness of that first year of marriage. So, welcome to our wild lives.

Alright, my husband and I are living in Pocatello, ID. We've been married just shy of five months. We got married on February 8, 2008 and I absolutely love it. I've never been as happy as I am with my husband. And that's all the mushy gushy... promise. We spent our honeymoon locally and AJ took a week off work and we got our house rearranged. It was nice to have the time together, but we were both ready for him to go back to work. Marriage is great, but absence really does make the heart grow fonder.



Well, we had our open houses in March. One in Bonner's Ferry in Northern Idaho and then one in Reno. It was fun to see where AJ is from and fun to show off Reno... although there isn't a ton to show off. Hahaha.

We spent a week in April in Boise. AJ had some Army training he had to go for. I was lucky enough to be able to go with him. We stayed with our friends, Kevin and Amy. It was really good to see them again.

In May, I started watching my cousin, Missy's, baby girl. Aliza was born at the end of Feb and is at the perfect age for baby-filled fun. I baby-sit her twice a week and love it. She's so fun. However, I like that I can give her back to her mommy and daddy at the end of the day. AJ and I are super excited to have kids... just not yet. =]

June brought weddings, annual training, trip to Reno, and our first time apart for more than 5 days since we've been hitched. On the 6th, AJ's sister, Tavia, got married in the Jordan River Temple. It was great to see all the family again and meet a couple more of my new nieces. AJ came back to Pocatello that night and jumped on a bus the next morning for two weeks of Annual Training with the Army in Wyoming. While my knight in shining ACU's (Army Combat Uniform) was rolling miles and miles farther into the desolate desert of Wyoming, I was preparing for a journey across the sky. I flew to Reno that afternoon. Andrew graduated from high school on the 5th and had his Eagle Scout Court of Honor on the evening of the 7th. I missed his graduation, but was able to be there for the Court of Honor and he was ordained an Elder on Sunday. I spent a few days with my parents and then the girls headed east to Salt Lake City. Kimme got together with some friends and spent a few days having there own little EFY. Mom, Kaiti, Grandma McElprang and I met Ruth in SLC for another wedding. My cousin Kyle got married on the 14th. So, here we are at the beginning of July. I turn 21 tomorrow. Finally, I will be considered an adult by everyone... even the insurance people. Oh my. We're gonna spend the holiday weekend in Grace with family. The annual McCurdy Family Reunion starts Sunday and we'll be there for a couple days of that. At the end of the month, AJ's family reunion is up in Bonner's Ferry. He's excited to show it off when it's pretty and green. That's what the month looks like so far, but I'm sure there will be more to tell...