Redfish Lake

I have travelled to a lot of places, both in the United States and out, and I truly believe that Redfish Lake is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. My first memories of camping took place at Redfish Lake, when I was a young child with my parents, Ben, my Grandma and Grandpa Ritchie and sometimes my cousins. I remember paddle boats and ice cream bars.

Every summer it is on Jeff and I's list to go to Refish, but it has been 4 years since we have been. On whim on Saturday night we decided to go on Sunday. It was a long day, we were gone for 12 hours total, but seeing this view made it totally worth it!

Mylie loved every minute of playing in the water. Check out the look on her face, she is so funny!

We took water guns for the kids. Don't you love how Blake is trying to shoot Mylie in the bum?

I'm sure you are wondering where Blake got his great form from. Here is Jeff putting his firearm instructor training to good use!

While the kids played, I took lots of pictures. As I said "Blakey, say cheese." He turned and looked at me and yelled "Stop it!" Haha.

We also took shovels and buckets, which they loved!

The water was a bit cold, but not cold enough to stop them from having fun.

It was funny because as we were driving through the Sawtooth National Forest to get there I opened my mouth and heard myself say, "Mylie, some people don't ever see beautiful things like this. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful state!" It was my voice, but my mom's words that I have heard countless times. Mylie probably rolled her eyes at me, but hopefully someday she'll tell her kids the same thing about living in Idaho.

The week long 4th of July post - Part 1

Last week the kids and I went to Idaho Falls for a week and Jeff joined us for the long weekend. We had a fabulous busy busy time! Here goes the world's longest post. The kids did great on the way over and we stopped to see Dad on the way there. Mylie fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams of going in a Big A truck. She even honked the horn.

Dad, how about this one for your next advertising campaign? Haha!

We went to Grandpa Jack and Mary's for dinner that night. Mylie was so excited to see her cousins and eat chicken on the bone that she puked, three times, all over me. No pictures of that ... ick! Thankfully she was feeling much better the next day. I have a suspicion it was just a combination of being in the car and the heat.

On Friday my Dad's lifelong best friend Pug was getting remarried. My parents were hosting and catering the wedding at my Grandpa's house. Pug had asked if I would take some candid pictures during the ceremony and reception. I simply am a MWAC (mom with a camera) but had fun taking some pictures. I haven't gone through all of them yet, but this is my favorite of the ceremony.

Since my parents were all dressed up I made them pose for a picture as well. They are so cute and happy!

The kids stayed with Holli during the wedding but I went to get Blake a little later. He had fun playing with Papa while I finished up some pictures.

Kelsey and Bailey did some sparklers after the wedding. Sparklers at Westmoreland is a tradition! After that we went to Ben's and watched Goonies in their backyard. Mylie said it "freaked her out!"

The next day was the 3rd, but all the 4th festivities were being held. We went to the parade and Mylie literally took 174 pictures. Whose kid is she?

Blake enjoyed the parade but was a bit wiped out by the end.

We headed back to Grandpa's and had the traditional party! It was such fun. My aunt Jalyn and aunt Dana and her family were there. My cousin Mindy and her family were there and so were Kelsey and Jayme. My cousin Rob and his family popped in too. I haven't seen them in years so it was lots of fun! We also celebrated little Lila's first birthday. Even though it is a month away, we wanted to party while she was here. The big girls enjoying cupcakes!

And Miss Lila daintily eating hers. Don't you just want to eat her up?

Courtney's cupcakes were so darling and Mylie was so proud of herself for putting on the decorations.

The 4th of July also means URAL rides for all the kids. I'm not sure who had more fun, all the kids or Papa? This is Mylie with her "new cousin" Tessa. (The first time she had met my cousin's daughter - they became fast friends!) .

Daddy and Blake. Blake was unsure about it until Daddy went with him. I think he would have ridden all day after that. He loved wearing the helmet and waving at everyone!

Mylie and Addie (her friend who lives next door to Grandpa Hammond).

And Blakey and Eliza!

We went to Grandpa Jack's house to watch the fireworks that night. He lives on a hill outside of town and we get a good view of the fireworks without the traffic. Mylie got quite mad because I told her she had to wear pants. She wanted to show off her cute jammie bottoms, so she put the jeans under her PJs but then thought it looked dumb and got mad mad mad. Papa went in his room and changed, so she would feel better. You should have seen the look on Grandpa Jack's face when he saw Dad in this get up. Priceless! Pretty sure he was thinking, "Craig, what the hell did you do that for!?"

Sunday we went to church with my parents and then prepared for another party. My Grandpa Jack turns 85 at the end of the month but we won't all be there then so we had a dinner for him while we were all there. My goal was to get some pictures of him with the great grandkids (minus Nolan). This is the best of all the shots.

But you know what? I love it and am totally printing it and sending it to him. Eliza is cracking me up. Ben always tells me how she hates posing for pictures. However over the weekend I heard her talking about Lady Gaga. So I told her to pose like Lady Gaga and that girl posed all night for me.

The Craig Ritchie family with Grandpa Jack (thanks John!). Blake's finger was in his nose in every single family picture.

Courtney's cute family with Grandpa Jack.

to be continued ....

The week-long 4th of July recap (also known as the world's longest post!) - Part 2

And the Ritchie boys.

Blake found a stick in the backyard and it instantly became his gun and he ran around the yard shooting people. Mostly baby Lila (sorry Court). He would stand and yell "Lila! Lila! Lila!" until she looked at him and then he would make a shooting sound.

Eliza was running to Bailey for protection. She was laughing and yelling.

Uncle Jason getting ready to set off some fireworks.

Max and Mylie watching from a safe distance.

My little sisters - super cuties!

For some reason Mylie and Max felt to urge to work it. LOL!

Blake continued to pick his nose.

Lila and Uncle Steve watched with amusement.

Then she spent some quality time with Gramma and Uncle Ben. Also known as Uncle Bum if you ask Blake. Everytime I tried to get Blake to say Ben, he would look at Ben, laugh his head off and say Bum. Sigh.

Aunt Bailey brought some fun toys for the kids and we just literally played out in the back for hours.

Monday Jeff headed back to Boise and the rest of us headed to Archer, Idaho to the original Big Judd's. It was fabulous, we were full, enough said.

Then Dad, Courtney, Jason, Bailey, Ben, Darcy, Max, Mylie and I went to the Idaho Falls Chuckar's baseball game. It was Mylie's first baseball game ever. She loved it. They were giving away plungers at the gate (seriously?). Let's just say it made for some interesting conversation with the kids. They used them as air guitars and microphones when there was music.

Perhaps Max could use this picture on his first album cover. He has some mean air guitar moves.

They found Charlie the Chuckar and had him sign their plungers. I am sure that is what that bird lives for is to sign plungers.

Tuesday we did some shopping and went to lunch and eventually (about 12:30 am) got back to Star. We had such a fun time!! I love spending time with my family. Mylie and I both cried to Shelley. It was hard telling Lila goodbye! She is such a sweet, happy baby with a great disposition and we miss her!

Phew! I am tired from typing all that, just about as tired as I was when we got back. We leave for our next summer adventure in 6 days! Yippee!

"This is the best day ever!" -Mylie Breach

What a fun day!! Drake spent the night last night so he could go to the parade with us this morning. Each summer Star has Hometown Days (the celebration formerly known as Mule Days). Our kids definitely love a parade! (Blake does too even though he looks crusty in the picture!)

They don't mess around with candy at the parade. Seriously, the kids get almost as much candy at the parade as at Halloween.

Jeff surprised the kids by getting a slip and slide last night. He set it up after the parade and we had a BBQ and the 3 kids played and played.

Oh wait, did I say 3 kids? I meant 4.

He's a pretty awesome Daddy!

This is how my day started out today ...

While I was in the shower this morning, Mylie and Blake run into the bathroom frantically. Mylie tells me that there is a chicken in our yard and she is afraid for Bosco. I have no fear for Bosco, but some fear for the chicken. Yes, this is the same chicken that flew into our house last summer, two of them flew into our yard last night, and of course, the neighboors (behind us) are gone every time this happens.

I get dressed and head out to the backyard where Bosco is indeed "playfully" (at least in his opinion) playing with the chicken. I call him (from across the yard) until he finally comes to me. I go in the house and call Jeff. Honestly, I am a smart and confident woman. I have a masters degree, I teach college ... but figuring out what to do with the chicken in my backyard has me perplexed. I am hopeful that Jeff will just say, "I'll be home in a minute to take care of it." But he doesn't. He suggests that I catch the chicken and throw it back over the fence. (Right.) Then he suggests we just call the sheriff's office for poultry at large (don't laugh, its a true misdemeanor in Idaho). I inform him that is not a good idea as they are our neighbors and go to our church and I really don't want to sign a misdemeanor citation against them. He reminds me I lived in the country and should be able to handle this. I remind him that I lived at the country CLUB, and no, I could not handle this.

Meanwhile, Bosco is running around the house like a possessed dog and panting at the door. He knows there is a chicken out there and he wants to play. Blake is running around the house saying chicken (or something that sounds like it) and then balling up his fists and air fighting the chicken. I attempt to call the neighbors, even though I know they are out of town and leave a message about their prodigal chicken.

I go outside to see if by chance it has flown home. It is hiding in a bush in the back corner of the yard. I start to approach it and realize I have developed an irrational fear of chickens. I go back in the house, instant message Jeff to see what to do and he informs he he has called the sheriff's department, that they should be there soon, and I will have to sign the citation. This is not the route I had hoped this would take. Sigh.

I go outside again, to see if my confidence has returned. It hasn't. I call my mom because she knows everything. However, she doesn't really know how to capture a chicken, but encouraged me that I could do it. Just use a towel or blanket or something to get it and then throw it over the fence. I feel encouraged and call Jeff back and tell him to call the sheriff's office and tell them they don't need to respond. He says as soon as I call him back and tell him the chicken is gone, he will.

I get a towel and head out in the backyard. I snap the towel at the bush and get the chicken out of the bush. It starts waddling around the yard. I'm a safe distance away thinking about the best way to handle this. I slowly approach, throw the towel over the chicken, it starts flapping its wings around, I scream like a girl and run back in the house. I sit on the front couch and look at the window, secretly wishing the sheriff's department would get there. I ask Mylie to say a prayer that I won't be afraid of the chicken. I get the towel again and take both kids out as reinforcements. It doesn't go any better this time. I silently curse my husband and wish he would just come home and take care of this.

I go next door to get the neighbor and see if he is any braver around chickens than me. It turns out he is not. His 9 year old son and his friend are. The two of them (and Blake) chase the chicken around the yard until he catches it and tosses it over the fence. I give a huge sigh of relief and take the kids and head back in the house. I send Bosco out to reclaim his backyard. I call Jeff to make sure he called the sheriff's office to tell them not to come.

He can't stop laughing. He tells me he didn't ever call the sheriff's office, but that he and everyone in his office haven't laughed this hard in a long time. I'm so grateful I could be the laughing stock of his office. What a way to start the weekend.

So blessed!

It's the middle of the night and I'm grading papers (surprise!). I have so much to blog about after a week long trip to Idaho Falls and all the festivities that ensued. But I am just having one of those moments, the ones that hit you upside the head, when I just realize how much I love this little family of mine. I have been blessed beyond measure.

Tonight when Mylie went to bed she said, "Mom, I love you to the moon and back 100 thousand times. Don't forget it."

Don't worry kiddo, I won't.