Alabama vs. Reality

Confession:

I hate to admit it but I now secretly love being able to say I call Idaho home, especially Teton Valley and my vacations are spent where I used to call home.


Sundays in the South:

I loved being home and being able to catch up with my home ward and meeting all of the new members. This is Nikki. I went to high school with her and she converted 2 years ago and now she's married and pregnant so next time I see her she's gonna have a baby! Also my mom and I went to a piano recital for my sister's best friends since she wasn't able to go because she was at the beach.

Rachael Graduated:

My sister Karen came down from Nashville with my baby niece Elizabeth and my brother Joe works downtown where it was held so he was able to come as well. I'm so proud of her and all she has accomplished and I can't wait to she what she decides to pursue.

Graduation Cookout:

I loved seeing so many people come together to support Rachael and what she has done but I especially loved seeing my family. I surprised my nieces and nephews and hung out with them the whole night. My oldest nephew is now taller than me!

Fishing for Days:

How do I spend my last night at home? I fish. It is one of my favorite things to do and I was the only one who caught a bass. I caught 5 for the night. Don Paul just wanted me to take a picture with his catfish so I took one with Hunter who leaves for his mission on my birthday next month to Spain. Last time I get to see him for 2 years!

Home to Home in 1 Day:

Usually when I travel home I break it up into 2 days because it is such a long drive to Idaho alone but I did it all in one day on Wednesday. Woke up at 4, flew to Dallas with a 2 hour layover, then SLC, then drove 5 plus hours to Teton Valley. I got a beautiful sunrise before I got to the airport and when I got back to Idaho I got a rainbow in my backyard.

JOSH TURNER:

Thursday I went to a sold out show at my school for Josh Turner. I went with my friend Daniel who has heard of him but doesn't know much of his music. I'm pretty sure he loved it. Scotty McCreery came 2 years ago and sang a cover of Your Man and Mr. Turner ended the night with that song. It was great to say I've heard it twice on the same stage. We had amazing seats too!

Training:

Thursday I also started my training to be an AFY counselor and so far it has been a blast and a ton of work. I got chosen to be one of the wranglers so all that time at President Wilson's paid off! I also live with 34 people and that has been one for the books as well.

I Can Do Hard Things

Wrangler Training
This week I started of my weekly training with my branch president to learn how to wrangle horses in preparation for AFY. He is giving me a golden opportunity for free that most people pay thousands of dollars for. It sounds fun, and it is, but it is so much work! I am excited for what I have learned so far and will continue to learn before AFY starts at the end of May. Thanks to Natalie for coming with me!

 

He also is having me memorize 3 poems about horses. Here are 2 that he has given me so far:

Horse Sense

It must have been a right smart horse

to figure out the proper course

to keep himself free from flies

and not forget his hears and eyes

you see, a horses bushy tail is made to switch

just like a fly swatter,

and tho he whips it hard and rough

the dang thing just ain’t long enough.

Hung clear back there on the south,

It just won’t reach his pestered mouth

And flipping ears and blinking eyes

Are no account for scarin flies.

Then one horse to the other said,

you flip your tail across my heard,

and then your tail will work for me,

and free from flies be both shall be.

Now there you have cooperation,

used by horses since creation,

so human problems small and great,

Use Horse sense and cooperate.

Horses

On Horses We Find Two Legs Behind

and Two We Find Before;

We Stand Behind Before We Find

What the Two Behind Be For.

When We're Behind the Two Behind

We Find What These Be For;

So Stand Before the Two Behind

and Behind the Two Before.

Church Famous!!

I found out that I am on page 56 of the conference issue of the Ensign! All of my friends wanted to tell me about it too! Thanks goes to Gretchen for all of the fake laughing we practiced! Check your Ensign magazine if you would like to see me laughing at myself for fake laughing!

Lumber Jack

I also chopped down trees for a whole day of work. I mean I sawed and chopped. All of the chainsaws for the facility were in the repair shop the whole week and the trees needed to be cut down all over the 200 acre property. We got about 4 major sections done and I got my butt handed to me on what hard work really is.

Inclined Log

I got trained this week on a ropes course element called the inclined log. All you do is walk up this 25 foot log that goes up from the ground to about 20 feet high. It is really steep and the only grip you have are these pieces of rope stapled to the log. I was in my work boots (horrible planning) so that made it harder. The goal is to go up this log without falling or squatting to use your hands. It was extra hard because I am scared of heights (ironic that I work at a ropes course) but I got all the way up without slipping or using my hands!

Railroad Ties

Also this week we had to make a new path with railroad ties. All we had to move these ties down the path to wear we needed them was 2 bungee chords and a dolly. It was 2 other girls and me (one of them being very petite) moving 8 of these where they needed to go. I have bruises all over my shoulders from the weight but we moved all of them by ourselves! But the real work came in when we had to stake them down to the ground! Pounding in 2 foot long 3/4 inch wide stakes was probably worse than cutting down trees!

Shooting

I ended off the week in the best way I know how with friends from church. We went shooting! It was my favorite part of the week! I shot a 12 gauge, a 12 gauge semi-automatic (my personal favorite), and an AR 15 that my friend built! There was a beautiful sunset to match!

Bonus!

I saw a heard of 50+ Elk on the way home about a mile from the ranch where I live. Here are some low quality pictures to prove it: