North Carolinians Ahoy!

Ryan is in the stake young mens presidency and they have been planning this Pioneer Trek for the youth in the stake for months now. The trek was to take place the last 3 days of July. The kids started at our church house and headed up in to the hills and dry farms of Rexburg for their route. Ryan was scouting out the route on his 4 wheeler when he thought that his tire has a leak, he stopped to check it out and while getting off to look at the wheels he noticed this in the trail right ahead of him.

Can you see the big fat rattlesnake? Here in Idaho we like to do treks right... real danger and all! After all this planning he woke up the day before in intense pain. We took him to the hospital where they informed him he had a kidney stone! They say kidney stones are worse than labor and it was kind of like watching my husband go though labor for a day and a half. Being the trooper that he was he finally passed the kidney stone and was up on the trial with the kids 3 hours later. (He was the motor support on his 4 wheeler no walking 23 miles for him) I think he got the prize for being the toughest trekker out there! He was able to take this picture of the group going around a bend.

It is almost enough to make me want to go on a trek!

Well that weekend we had another surprise visitor (or two)... these ones a lot better than a kidney stone. Ryan's Aunt Linda, cousin Lisa and her family were out here on vacation from North Carolina. We don't get to see these cousins much and are going to see Linda less now that she moved from California to North Carolina. It was so much fun to hang out with them. We tried to show them a good time but they ended up showing us just as good of a time. Here is the gang on our 4 wheeling trail...

Luke got to ride with Ryan on the motorcycle because of the group size. He was in heaven.

We stopped at a bridge to get a better look at the river. (Ryan and Aunt Linda)


Then we decided maybe we should go feel the water. Next thing we know everyone had jumped into the river with Aunt Linda kicking off the party. After our little dip in the river we headed to Heise for pizza. Here is Linda, Chase and Noah going back to the road.

We didn't let the fun stop there. Then next day we floated the Warm River. Always a good time. It was a little chilly after we got out but we made it out just in time. You can see most of the group here.

It was a blast having these guys come visit. We sure wish they lived closer and/or came to visit more often!