REDNECK YACHT CLUB

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We were given an old boat for free. After assessing how much work it needed, Andrew decided it wasn't worth the cost. So instead, he hauled it to a local pawn shop and received $200 smackaroos.
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Then he went out and found a little aluminum boat for the same price (well...he talked them down a hundred bucks) and brought it home.
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Look at how pleased he is with himself. =)
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The "new" boat was sure ugly! But he had big plans for it.

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And for the camouflage lovin', boat floatin', fisherman readers of this blog, this tutorial is for you! Since that defines the majority of you, here we go...
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First, he put on a base coat of khaki color paint (leaving the interior a hunter green).
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Then, using a pine tree branch as a stencil, Andrew sprayed a design with black and green spray paint.
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I think the final product turned out awesome! Not tacky like I had imagined.
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Then, trough the trading of some old, unneeded tools, Andrew was also able to obtain an engine to put on the back. We couldn't wait to take it out on Island Park Reservoir!

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The four of us were the coolest bunch of rednecks you ever did see, floating around the lake with our cooler full of drinks, eating our donuts, and attempting to catch a darn fish. I wish I had more pictures of that day, but I thought it wise to leave the expensive camera back on solid ground.

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I'm excited for all the summer adventures that await us on our little boat!
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Now he's going to fix up this old boat for his dad!

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(I'm assuming that is Andrew's 'tough guy' face.)

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Anyone want to go fishin'?
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SHEEP FALLS 2010

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We're off for another weekend of camping!
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We passed the Tetons and were half-way to Yellowstone...
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...before we turned off the highway, followed a dirt road, and arrived at Sheep Falls. Justin and Beth took us here a few summers back, but we wanted to share it with the brother and sister.
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Here's our camp with the foil dinners already sizzling on the fire. Go team Ashmore...er...and Jolley! Team Ashmore-Jolley with a hyphen!
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Lane set out right away carving marshmallow roasting sticks. Very, very important job.
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Smores, here we come!
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Waiting for dinner to cook.
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What can I say? We're crazy. And in love.
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My new favoritestest picture of Becca.
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After it got dark, the temperature plummeted, and we stayed very close to the fire.
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Hanging by the fire.
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Roasting marshmallows and having a grand 'ol time.
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The next morning, I dragged Andrew out of his tent, bright and early, for a hike down to the falls.
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From our campsite...

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...we hiked down this pretty, little trail...

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....down, down....
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...for about 15 minutes, until...
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...we arrived at the river...

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...and Sheep Falls.

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Me on the cliff above the Falls...

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And Andrew, who was apparently, still a wittle bit tired.

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But the early morning was sure breathtaking!

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Happy wildflowers.
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. And happy Becca, who just moments before, I had watched skip to the edge of the cliff and trip. I just about passed out into the river. Luckily, she caught herself, and I didn't have to watch my sister die in front of me.

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This is what she would have fallen into.

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Being the oldest, I then felt the need to get after her for being a doofus brain and almost killing herself. Of course, she got upset with me for being over-protective and refused to move, after which, I hiked out to my own lookout cliff and pouted. Did I mention that she is a doofus brain?

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Mostly, I just love her a lot, okay?

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My beautiful view on the hike back up for breakfast.

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But as usual, we were friends again soon enough. We discovered a tree that had fallen over the path and while sitting on it, it had the springiness of a trampoline. We were pretty pleased with ourselves.

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After a delicious meal of eggs and sausage and bacon (thanks Becca!), Lane enjoyed some early morning smores, we packed up our camp, and our little troupe headed out to the Island Park Reservoir...

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We had to try out our new boat!

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HAPPINESS AND LIME GREEN CUPS

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Having siblings move to Rexburg has been lots of fun...but it has come with its trials. The most trying has been the dirty dishes. More specifically...the cups.
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It is really quite miraculous the transformation our kitchen sink underwent after two more joined our ranks. Rebecca doesn't live with us technically, but sometimes she might as well.
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For example, in one evening of being all together, our kitchen sink will hold approximately two hundred fifty dirty cups. I didn't even know we owned that many cups! When it was just the two of us, Andrew and I could share a single cup for an entire day. With everyone, we never knew who just used what cup, so we would just get out another one...and another...and another. This sudden onslaught of cups had the potential to drive me insane.
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One day, when I came upon a four pack of cups for a buck at the grocery store, I knew it was fate. I bought them, brought them home, and presented to everyone at Family Home Evening my very own plan of happiness: personalize your cup with permanent marker, use only that cup, wash that cup, and don't dare even touch another dern cup from the cabinet. Brilliant, I tell you.
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Here's what each person ended up with:
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Andrew. Builder by trade. Lover of boats, camouflage, and barbecues. A staunch left-side-of-the-bed sleeper.
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Andrew's cup. Just in case you weren't sure.
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Rachel. Author of this blog. Hater of dirty cups, men opening the fridge for no reason a thousand times a day, and crows. Taker of showers that always last as long as the hot water does.
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Ta-dah.
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Rebecca. Writer, reader, and random singer of Disney songs. Strange mix of peace and insanity.
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.This is hers. Feeling the need to point out the "Princess Awesome" lining the bottom.

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Lane. Lover of Japan, Netflix, and potato soup. Sleep talker extraordinaire...

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...And apparently very cool.
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Anywho. It's been gloriously successful thus far. Goodbye, dishwasher loads entirely made up of cups. I won't miss you a bit.
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DERNIT ALL...

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.... Our friends keep moving. First all my old roommates, then the Johnsons, then the Blevins, then the Hayashis, and now the Grimmers. They were some of our bestest buds ever.
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First, they decided to move out of our ward. This did not make us happy, but we could handle it, because it was only on the other side of town. And they were buying a house which was good news: the Grimmers would be sticking around for a LONG time. Or so we thought. Then, the little stinkers up and decide to move again to Washington of all places...way too far for a a Friday night movie date. This is unacceptable.
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So what if you're going to be close to family? So what if Jared got this amazing teaching job that includes the head boys basketball coaching position at his old high school? So what if this is the opportunity of a lifetime? What about US?
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Okay, fine. I'll stop throwing my tantrum now. We really are happy for those guys. Really.
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I think.
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We'll just miss seeing them any 'ol time we want to: exercising, taking the dogs out, playing tennis, watching The Superbowl, cooking tin foil dinners...

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playing board games, watching movies, decorating gingerbread houses, babysitting their little ones...

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It's all very sad. Here we are saying goodbye to Marley and Ashlyn. We wanted to keep the kids...but Jared and Amanda said no.

It's not like they couldn't come visit them once in awhile.

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Good luck you meanie head stinkin' Grimmers you! We love ya, anyway.

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Love,

your abandoned pals

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DEAR DAD,

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. Hi, Daddy. This is you, at Grandpa's funeral, in your favorite stance. You always stand like this.

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See? I have others, but I think you get the point.

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I stood next to you once, while you were in deep conversation with someone, and mimicked all of your stances right along with you. You never noticed, but I sure got a kick out if!

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Don't think I'm being disrespectful. That's not the point of this post. I'm just teasing. Don't all daughters tease their dad's idiosyncrasies? Think of it as a term of endearment....another way to express my affection. It is Father's Day, after all. Here are a few of my Father's Day ponderings:

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1.) I appreciated the treat drawer at your computer desk...that you sometimes knew I took from...and sometimes did not. There was always something yummy in there.

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2.) What fun it was to draw with Daddy's nice pens and paper at Daddy's nice drafting table! It made me feel like a real artist. I liked that.

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3.) From the times I tried to wake you up earlier then you had planned, I noticed that you always slept with the crook of your arm up over your eyes. I remember that.
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4.) Do you remember that time when you picked Becca and me up for a visit one summer? You asked what we had been up to, and I'm sure our teenage responses afforded you with as little information as possible. Then, in what I can only guess was another attempt for the lowdown, you asked if we were keeping out of trouble. Becca said yes, and I said no. You paused for a minute before declaring: I don't believe either of you! I laughed a lot at that.

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Even now, I laugh whenever I think about it.
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5.) I can't hear a recording of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir without thinking of being at your place. You put them into the CD player every Sunday morning. It created a nice feeling in the house.

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I recently bought my own CD, in order to carry on the tradition.

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6.) You once made us sunshine eggs for breakfast, and you were so proud of yourself. I was proud of you too! I had never seen you cook a thing in your life that wasn't frozen first.

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7.) Remember long car trips? We only went on a couple thousand. I usually got bored and resorted to teasing my younger siblings with me in the back. Then the little punks would start whining and fighting and you'd angrily reach behind with the gial of stopping the contention. Remember how we kids would flatten against the card doors to escape your blindly grasping hand in search of someone...anyone to discipline?

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Remember how it just made us laugh? Those were good times.

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9.) Daddy, you always treated us well on Valentine's Day. I still have that heart -shaped box you painted for me when I was little, sitting on my dresser.

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10.) When I was three or four, I remember leaving my bed in the early mornings to find you eating breakfast before work. You always ate toast for breakfast. I'd climb up next to you on the counter, and you'd make me a piece of toast too. The magical part was when you squeezed the honey on to the bread in an "R" design...for "Rachel", of course.

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Anytime I ever put honey on my toast today, I always queeze it out in an "R" shape before spreading it around. I bet you had no idea what an impact you would have on all of my future toast-making-experiences!

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Well, I guess that's all. There are my random thoughts of you. Have a happy Father's Day, Dad. .

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Love,

Funny Face

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