It's rodeo weekend!!

Probably the biggest, most important weekend in Ellensburg is labor day weekend when the rodeo and Kittitas county fair take place. This year my parents got us tickets so they came over, along with Rob's parents and we all made like locals. We started out the day with the local rodeo parade and then headed over to the fair. It's a smaller fair than what we're used to over on the other side of the mountains, but it still has the food and animals so we had fun. I thought it was really neat that two of the cowboys were from Payson, UT, which reminded me of the time my grandpa took me to Payson and told me all about our family history. I just really love the western atmosphere and I always enjoy the rodeo. I'm glad we were able to do something fun with our families to end the summer!




my mom decided to let me keep the hat she bought...I love it!



we have some pretty funny sun burns



bull riders...these guys are crazy!




mom and dad with their hats on

Making our apartment a bit more homey!

I was so excited to find out that we are allowed to paint our apartment. Had I known this two years ago when we first moved in I would have jumped right on it, lol. So after some consulting with my best friend, and with Rob of course, I picked a few colors and gave myself a little project to do. (I'm sure Rob was grateful to have something occupying my time for a while!)





It's not perfect, but I think I did a pretty good job. I at least managed to avoid spilling on the carpet and I didn't get to much paint on the trim. I'm still debating whether or not to do the bathroom. Maybe in a few weeks I'll feel more up to it. I'm just glad to make our apartment feel a little more like a permanent home :)

years of memories...

Family Vacation

Because I've been unemployed this summer, and going out of my mind with boredom, I jumped at the chance to go with my parents on their annual trip to Utah. On the way down we stopped in Reno and stayed at the Peppermill Casino for two nights. We stayed in a gorgeous room and the casino had a great pool so we spent a lot of time relaxing. This was also my first experience gambling since I turned 21. I think I was pretty responsible, though I certainly didn't win big, lol. My dad gave me $40 dollars to "have fun with" and I ended up spending about $15 on souvenirs for Rob and losing the rest. Oh well!

After Reno we drove to Utah to be with my family for the rest of the week. Before Utah we stopped in Elco, Nevada because that is where my parents were married 28 years ago. (This is also where my grandparents were married). They didn't take any pictures on the day they were married so I insisted on stopping for a photo.

This was a difficult family vacation for us, but extremely important, because we found out that my grandpa more than likely has cancer. We won't know for sure until the end of the week, but he's been in and out of the hospital since he came to visit for my graduation. He has a lump in his throat that is making it difficult to swallow and spots on his lung. It's upsetting after everything that he has gone through with his heart, but he is determined to fight this. He really is an inspiration and the heart of my family. I'm so thankful I was able to make this trip and spend more time with him.

The last weekend of our trip was spent at our annual family reunion. It was a treat for me because I haven't been able to attend the past two years. Our first night was interrupted when a nearby forest fire began blowing up the canyon, forcing us to evacuate and pack up our camp at 10pm. We really weren't close to the fire but it was still quite the experience. The second night we found another camp ground and we were able to continue our reunion without any problems. I had so much fun catching up with my cousins and seeing my cousin's baby for the first time!