Summer Happenings...

It has been absolutely wonderful having my parents back with us in the US of A.  We haven't done anything too amazing or special, but it's just been wonderful to hang out together, eat together, play games together, and for my brothers and dad...make fun of Becca together.  I guess I sort of deserved it though...we were talking about inventions recently and I said I wanted an app that turns your iPhone or iPod into a luggage scale.  I think that would be awesome, but Tyler says my idea defies the laws of physics...whatever...I bet they'll have one someday.  

And I think I may have really pushed things over the edge with the invention thing when I came in from watering flowers and mentioned that I wished there was a cordless hose, or I guess better described as a hose-less hose...I just hate having to drag a hose around and getting dirty from it and always worrying about knocking over flowers with it.  I think it would be awesome if there was some sort of contraption that took water from the atmosphere, condensed it, and then you could water your flowers with it...like a dehumidifier with a shower nozzle for watering.  I don't see what's so impossible/hilarious about my idea.  My brother's think I'm retarded for thinking outside the box, or as Tyler puts it, "thinking outside reality."  I think I'm just a misunderstood and under-appreciated person ahead of my time...like Van Gogh or Galileo.  I guess we'll just have to see what the future brings...

I hope nobody steals my ideas.  A few years ago when the compact fluorescent bulbs first came out I thought to myself, 'those are ugly and bright and burn my eyeballs out...somebody needs to invent a cover for the compact fluorescents to make them look like normal light bulbs.'  And then, less than a year later, I saw covers for the compact flourescents on the shelves of WalMart.  I should have believed in myself and patented my invention...I could be lying in the sands of St. Lucia instead of blogging from my grandma's basement!  Oh well...live and learn, live and learn.  

Anyway, wow, that was a weird tangent...

So besides making fun of Becca there's also been plenty of what my mom calls "whomping" between all the men in the family...you know, normal guy stuff like picking each other up, giving each other purple nurples, wrestling, etc.  

There have also been more normal goings-on with my family...

like the 4th of July.  We almost always go to the community celebrations in Menan.  This year was weird though...the word must have gotten out that Menan has great 4th of July celebrations because instead of the little, clean-cut, hometown celebration we're used to...this year it seemed like the 4th in Menan was just a couple of trannies short of a total white-trash freak-show.  At least the snowcones were delicious.

My mom was pumped when she scored a Lemonhead at the parade.

After the Menan celebrations, we were off to a family barbeque with my mom's side of the family.  

I made a super delicious, and therefore highly popular, strawberries & blueberries & cream pie.  I should have used white chocolate though...then it would have looked more 4th of Julyish.  

Al and Mil and the barbecue

And then we were off to our regular spot to watch the Idaho Falls fireworks with my dad's side of the family (and a few of my mom's side who we recruited to come with us).  

I loved the fireworks...they were pretty amazing.  And the accompanying music was slightly less lame and countryish than last year.  

What is it about the 4th of July that brings out the white trash in everyone...you know...the flag shorts with wife beaters, tank tops on 400 pound women, and babies wearing only diapers?  I even fell into white trash mode over the 4th when I ate approximately four hot dogs in four days.  Disgusting.  (Actually they were delicious but to save face I must pretend to be disgusted with myself.)  

The day after the 4th...which, if my calculations are right, was July 5th, my mom, dad, and I went up to the ranch in Kilgore to check things out and make sure that things hadn't been too trashed in the three years my parents were gone.  It was the first time in several years that I'd been up there, so it was nice to make the quick visit with my parents.  

Mil inside one of the cabins

More Mil

Al and Mil pose for a pic

The view of the ranch's meadow

And one more of Al

Since my parents have been home it's been fun to see them enjoy all the things they missed while in Brazil, mostly food.  They've both been full of funny little one liners.  

The first few days there was a lot of hands speedily rubbed together while saying, "It's a good day in America" from my dad.  

My mom came out of the bathroom on day two and said to me..."have you used the toilet paper here?"  To which I gave her a confused look and silence, since I use toilet paper every day.  Then my mom says, "último" and gives the double thumbs up Brazilian sign for "awesome," and a big smile.

My dad has been enjoying delicacies like sandwiches made of Harper's white bread, mayo, iceberg lettuce, and low-fat bologna.     

Yum?

And the Mexican food...oh how my parents have enjoyed the return of Mexican food.  The first three days my parents (and I) ate at Plum Loco (previously known as Mi Casa) every day.  In order to help my dad save face I won't publicly mention how many times he's been back to eat there since those first three days, but lets just say the waitresses there have been making fun of him for coming in so often.  Add to that a few visits to the Puerto Vallarta restaurant and it makes for a very Mexicany return to the U.S. 

My mom and dad enjoying their first tortilla chips and salsa since their migration back to America.  My dad said, "I think I'm like, in love," as he took his first bites of his 3-way mixed mini chimi.  

We normally have our annual "Hen and Chicks" party in April, but this year we had to call an emergency Hen and Chicks meeting due to my mom finally being home, and my cousins Cassie, Josie, Shelly, and Mardi visiting from afar.  

Two days later was my mom's birthday.  I didn't take any pictures that day because it was pretty lame as we were all busy getting ready for my parents' homecoming.  My mom said she'll be sure to make it up to herself later.  I hope she does!

The next week my dad had one of the best days in his adult life when the first of his flock began returning from the various, as I call them, "sheep babysitters," who were caring for his sheep while he was away.

Anyway, that's our summer so far.  I love summer in Idaho.  It's Idaho at its best.  I love the hometown rodeos, the barbecues and picnics, the family parties, playing and working outdoors, the sunshine, the raspberries, etc.  Idaho has the most perfect summer weather and I plan to stick around and enjoy it all...and then skip town as soon as winter comes.  I don't like Idaho winters.  But, I'm enjoying summer while it's here...I hope you're enjoying yours too, even if you aren't fortunate enough to spend it in Idaho!