mn and id adventures

I'm bummed that I took practically zero pictures while we were traveling so much these last months.  So as I get pictures from others, I'll post them. As for now, here's the (hopefully) short version of our travels.

We left Minnesota a week before Halloween and headed for Rexburg. We had plenty of time to relax with family, visit friends, and for Clay to do his usual work at the house - which he loves doing and can't do here in WA since we aren't the ones who take care of the yard.  Tyler and Caeli came up from Utah the two weekends we were there, so we went to Wingers for dinner.

(Ok, so bad picture. But one of the few that I got. :S )

The first weekend Clay's family/cousin Roy, threw me a baby shower! It was so much fun catching up with old friends and getting advice on what to expect! HA! Thanks so much again Roy! (pictures to come). We also hit Clay's parents' ward Halloween party/dinner and I made these cupcakes for their cupcake walk.  We joined in and won some awesome cupcakes too!

(I saw these on one of the blogs I follow, I think Little Birdie Secrets.)

I was a little bummed that we weren't home for Halloween because, oddly enough, it's one of my favorite holidays.  Someday...someday I will have enough decor to deck our house out and have huge parties :) There's just something about Halloween decor that I absolutely love! Well, that just about does it for Rexburg.  Clay had also been super busy with work and helped for a couple of days with his boss doing interviews at the University for their company for internships.  There was an information seminar one night that he helped speak at, followed by a cazillion boxes of Craigo's pizza! The next day he was doing interviews all day long.  Sunday, Clay and Quinn drove me to Burley to drop me off at my parents.  Clay had to fly back out to MN to finish up his training.  Oh gosh, I hate good-byes/see-ya-laters with that guy.  I probably bawled like a baby for the next few days. And back to Rexburg did they go as Clay flew out the next morning.

Burley, well, that was fun. Ha. I was sad to be away from Clay so really I had no motivation to do anything and was a bum all week long. Jared was going to the Temple for the first time Friday!!!! He finally got his mission call to RUSSIA!!! I'm so excited for him.  He's going to be the coolest Russian missionary :) So Janelle, Tom and Shay met us at the Twin Falls Temple and went through with Jared.  Wow. What an awesome experience.  It truly is the House of the Lord.  You know it just is - you can definitely feel His presence there and know He walks those halls. 

That weekend felt like a time of miracles as I found out more news.  One of my brothers had gone back to church for the first time after 14 years.  He went with Jared, wore a suit, and was welcomed with open arms.  I can't express the gratitude I have for the Gospel and for being able to go to church each week and worship together and renew special covenants.  The church is a place of sinners to be cleansed.  None of us are perfect, therefore none of us have room to judge others.  So I'm so thankful that my brother felt comfortable and was welcomed.  Bro, I doubt you read this, but THANK YOU.  You make me proud.  Stick with it.  The path back to Heavenly Father is hard, but WORTH it.  

Moving on.  The next day, Saturday, Janelle and my mom threw me a little shower while I was in town.  Thank you all for coming! It was so great catching up with you! (Fe, Jaimee:) After that, I was off to Boise with Janelle!  To shorten things up, I stayed with Janelle and her family for about the next few weeks.  I was able to see all my brothers and their family so it was already great!

(Jason, his girlfriend Violet, and the kids came for dinner and a movie:)
 We also got to go over to Jeremy and Brooke's and have dessert and chat!
We had lots of time to hang out, go shopping, do crafts, go to water aerobics at the Y :), watch the Lion King over and over again with Shay, and get some prego shots together! These are my favorites!

(Photos courtesy of my brother, Jordan Byington.)

Well, FINALLY, Clay was able to fly back to Boise! We all went to dinner that night to Texas Roadhouse! Oh how I miss that place.  Washington has ZERO of those restaurants. :( We rented a car and drove back to Tacoma the next morning.  It started snowing that morning in Boise and looked like it was suppose to all the way back, especially through the mountains and passes we had to go through.  We decided to take the less mountainous way back (through Portland, not Snoqualmie Pass :S).  We were so blessed with the weather.  The snow stopped once we hit the Oregon border and only rained off and on for a little bit.  Sun was on our side that day. It was so nice being back home! So this concludes our adventures away from home. Hope you enjoyed the long/short version :) ha ha