2500 Miles Away And A Wedding

*WARNING*: major picture overload

     Ryan gets 3 weeks of vacation during a year, but they can only be taken during certain rotations/months.  Ryan's brother Jordan found a great girl and decided to get married during one of the months we could come home, so off to Idaho we went!

     Our flight to Idaho was early in the morning and we were pretty tired so we had to do a few airport selfies to keep us awake.

     We got to SLC, and we split ways to head to Idaho.  Ryan went to Poky and I went to Burley to meet up with my family.  More entertainment for a long car ride = pictures with their favorite aunt.

     Once we got to Burley, did some changing of hair color, we all went to the Rupert Cemetery to see Dakota's beautiful headstone.  I still can't believe that Dakota is gone.  It's really apparent when our whole family is together, but I am truly thankful to have her as my guardian angel watching over Ryan and I while we are in Massachusetts.

     Ryan played some piano with Hunter to entertain us all

     This trip home, I was able to coordinate with my sister Jami, who lives in Houston to come home as well.  When the whole family is together, that can only mean family pictures!  We just had to take some of our own to keep us all entertained.

     During the week, we went on a couple of road bike rides with Barrie's and convinced my sister and brother-in-law to become roadies with Ryan and I.  Needless to say, Idaho kept a nice, fall breeze for us while riding.  We had to go to Wingers to get some hot chocolate and their wings to warm up.

Pretty sure I have the cutest dad around!  Came in for lunch from working some harvest.

     After a lot of fun during the week, it was time for Jordan and Ali's wedding.  We all headed down to Salt Lake for the big day.  Their ceremony was beautiful.  I love weddings, it truly makes me thankful to know that Ryan and I are married for eternity.  So much peace comes to me due to this knowledge.  I became the photographer while we waited for the bride and groom to come out.

Im so excited to have Ali as a sister-in-law!

After the wedding events, we all headed to our cars and decided to try and fit everyone into an elevator.  We were successful, plus we had two baby strollers in as well.  This is what you call family bonding.

The next day we watched Tanner's soccer game

Then it was time for the wedding reception.  It was a beautiful, fall, Idaho evening with no wind.

I was able to see some of my favorite counselors/teachers from American Falls at the reception.  

And of course we had to send Jordan and Ali off with some cool, decorated cars.  One car may have been saran wrapped and another completely covered with sticky notes with a little bit of other damage, but nothing a car wash can't fix!

We were truly sad to have to go back to Massachusetts.  This trip home was one that we will never forget.  Thanks everyone who helped us get home and we will see you sometime again Idaho!

Camp Joseph

     Over Labor Day weekend, our ward has a tradition for over 15 years that they head to Camp Joseph in Sharon, Vermont about 2 1/2 hours away from us.  Camp Joseph is the birthplace of Joseph Smith.  The LDS church owns over 400 acres that covers Joseph Smith's home where he was born and a few of Lucy Mack's (Joseph's Mother) family's homesteads.   

     Ryan is currently on an easier rotation, nephrology, where he has weekends off.  We got lucky that Ryan's attending gave him Labor Day off as well.  

     

     There is a beautiful monument that was dedicated to Joseph Smith in 1906.  On the grounds there is a visitor center that shows a few videos about Joseph Smith's life and all that he has done for the LDS church.  The grounds are beautiful and the weather was phenomenal.  

  Ryan and I learned some really cool facts about Joseph's history.  When Joseph was a young boy at age 7, he got Typhoid, which became septic and it spread from his upper body to the bone marrow in his leg.  Most doctors just wanted to cut his leg off, but there was one doctor that was willing to try an experimental surgery where he drilled into Joseph's leg to clean the bone marrow.  This doctor was the doctor who started the Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire. (pretty cool if you ask me!)

     Joseph Smith was martyred at Carthage, Illinois when he was 38 1/2 years old.  This granite monument is exactly 38 1/2 feet tall to represent his age.  The church also wanted this granite monument to be without blemish.  It had to be hand carved out of the mountain and weighs over 40 tons.  I can't even imagine that in 1906 they had to find a way to carry it 20 miles to this spot.  Talk about amazing!

     I didn't get very many pictures of us doing all the fun activities: ultimate frisbee, volleyball, soccer, water balloon volleyball, many many games of cards, and endless food and laughter, but here are some views of the camp grounds.

     Vermont is just beautiful and it was a lot of fun getting to know the members in our ward even more.  Ryan and I have truly been blessed to have this opportunity to be in New England for 4 years.  So much history and exploring to do!