End of Fall Cleanup

School finally started after a long summer of loose schedules and messy rooms. A 5th grader, a 7th grader, and a freshman.

DeA and I went back to CDA with just the two of us for the first relaxing weekend in over a year. She picked the place for dinner on a college football Saturday. I was not disappointed with her choice.

She's always a pretty date.

Jens loves to make tiny pancakes on a tiny place with a tiny pad of butter.

Rock's tips from his summer job were pretty, pretty good. Now all that cabbage is safely in a college/mission fund where he can't touch it.

Our friends Kristina and Bo got married and we were able to attend with Jeff and Kendra.

It was a pretty beautiful spot.

 

Leo's Snake and a Competition

DeA let Leo out one night right before bed so that he could do his thing before turning in. He immediately made a weird growl, and ran back into the house before turning around and acting tough. Right by the front door was a three-foot rattlesnake all curled up and hissing.

I asked DeA to grab a flashlight, Rock to grab a box of shells, and Ryker to grab a shovel from Hampa's. All three essentially looked at me and asked why. Rock helped me bury what was left of the head before Leo could find it. He put the body in a ziploc and into the fridge so that he could skin it later. DeA and Jens just love opening the freezer and seeing a snake carcass. 

DeA and the kids met me after work on Thursday to drive to Spokane for my competition. We spent the first night getting out their wiggles at the trampoline park nearby. It was very trampoliney.

They definitely knew their market by supplying massage chairs.

After only watching my family eat delicious food at Doxie's and Cafe Rio on Thursday, I was able to eat after my weigh in Friday morning. A crappy hotel breakfast never tasted so good.

We spent most of the day chilling by the pool, shopping with Derek and waiting for Hampa and Nama and Papa Dave and Mama Zista to arrive.

Derek and I got to the competition around 8am on Saturday. It was fun and exhausting with some rookie mistakes mixed in.

Derek was a huge help, except when he kept trying to get me to YOLO more weight than I had ever lifted, but I guess even that didn't kill me.

Pro tip: New smelling salts are stronger than you think and you should not aggressively inhale them like you did with the old salts at Sam's garage gym.

I won my age and weight class, but pretty much only because I was the only competitor in my division. This is basically a participation medal!

We spent the afternoon showing the Judds around North Idaho. We went to Capone's (that was on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives) and tried to show Dave the floating green.

We walked around CDA for a bit and enjoyed the cookies and ice cream shops.

Derek the Viking finally found a helmet to complete his fierce viking look.

Mama Zista loves "wish flowers".

We all loved the mini vacation with both sets of grandparents and Derek.

A Dog's Birthday and a Wedding

Leo and I were hanging out during second hour at church and he was hungry. Lucky for him, I happened to have an MRE tortilla and peanut butter in the truck. He crushed them.

The kids love to celebrate Leo's birthday. He doesn't get it at all, but he does like the attention.

Javi continues to eat weird combinations, like bananas and jam with lasagna.

Saul got married on what felt like the hottest and most humid day of the year. The food was great, after DeA and the kids helped me fetch it from Chelan for Chayo

Did I mention how hot it was? Baby Luca was melting.

DeA and I snuck away a little early to have an anniversary date at the Manson Carnival. Very romantic to watch a little girl barf up elote chunks into the garbage can right next to the lemonade stand.