Summer Adventures

We are having a pretty good summer so far.  We love having a backyard to relax in!  It's been nice to have dinners or early morning chats out on our lawn furniture.  Lately it's been really hot so we've been using our previous tenant's kiddie pool to soak our feet in while tanning (well, tanning for me, sitting in the shade mostly for Zak).  It may be a bit "white trashy" but it feels amazing.  Our friend Chad comes over often and we sit outside and tan for a few hours.

This past Fourth of July was the first one we've both had off together.  We got up and had homemade breakfast burritos (our latest obsession) and had a nice discussion for a few hours.  Around noon Chad came over and then Kandace and eventually Gabe.  We all just hung out, listened to music and tanned with our feet in the pool.  It was pretty perfect.  We had burgers, watermelon, homemade cookies & cream ice cream and lots of fun!  Bryan came over for a little bit and then  we all ended up in Pullman for the fireworks show.  It was a really fun day!

me & Kandace soaking up the sun

Chad, Gabe & Zak moving the pool

me & Bryan

Kandace & her fluffy dog we love, Simon

Gabe, Kandace & Bryan waiting for fireworks

a goofy picture of Zak, Chad & me

One day Chad came over with Hampton, who had 'stress-pooped' in his kennel on the way over, and was covered in poop.  Chad ended up power-spraying him with the hose while Hampton squealed and ran around the yard.  It was pretty funny.  The rest of the afternoon Hampton took to the bushes and reverted to 'wild pig' and only came out when he was offered food.  We tried to put him in the pool but he hated it and in the process of desperately escaping, stepped his little high-heeled hoof on my foot.  Ouch.  Zak tried misting him, but he was unhappy.  That pig just makes me laugh, he is always fun to play with.

the exact second he was in the pool

the only way we got him out of the bushes

look how cute!

We have been enjoying hanging out with our friends often; we have a great group of friends and it's made our lives really fun this past year.  This past weekend we went down to Lewiston and went tubing on a small part of the Snake River with Kandace and her parents.  It was so much fun.  The weather was in the upper 90s and the water felt amazing.  We floated down the river, had sandwiches, cookies, chips, drinks and enjoyed soaking up the sun and yelling at passing boats.  Everyone except me got a pretty red sunburn, despite the huge amount of sunscreen put on.  Oh well.  It was really fun, we want to do it every weekend!

Later that evening we hung out with Kandace and her boyfriend Gabe and played video games.  We got a hankering for KFC and drove over to the KFC/Taco Bell only to discover that chicken stopped at 9 PM.  It was 9:10.  We waited impatiently for 10 minutes behind a suburban from South Carolina that ordered, I kid you not, 6 full bag of Taco Bell.  That needed 10 minutes to put together.  We parked at Safeway, determined to find another option to dinner.  I headed to the bathroom, on the way I saw some kid (kid A) walking out of it.  Whatever.  I was washing my hands and noticed a backpack in the garbage.  We have been watching a lot of Weeds lately, so I immediately thought it was a drug deal.  I quickly felt around and check the pockets, but it was unzipped and felt empty.  I walked out of the bathroom and saw this kid with a goofy hat (kid B) sitting a bench, waiting for the bathroom while kid A was nonchalantly walking around the area; he even asked a clerk where the chips were, although they were obviously on the next aisle.  I practically ran to find Zak and pulled him back towards the bathroom, explaining what I had seen.  We waited and Zak took his blood pressure, and a few minutes later, kid B came out of the bathroom wearing the backpack!  We are convinced we saw a drug deal happen!  Amazing.

Tonight Chad came over & we ended up cutting the boys' hair!  Well, Zak buzzed Chad's hair and Chad gave Zak a mohawk because, why not?  They are pretty cute together.

buzzing Chad's hair

buzzing Zak

pre-product Zak (note his sunburn from this weekend!)

these boys are pretty fun

Zak profile 1

Zak profile 2

Other than that, Zak has been having some long, hot days at work.  He comes home, takes a shower and sits under the fan and relaxes for a bit.  I left my job at the attorney's office because it was seriously the most stressful I've ever been in my life.  It was too much work for just me, and she never had the time (or priority) to train me.  I was expected to be up to date on over 100 clients, had no one else to check things with and a few times a week I came home and just cried to Zak.  It was pretty bad.  I've been job hunting, with some mild success.  I have a few job interviews lined up and expect to find something soon.  It's been a bit of a trying time for us, but are hanging in there, trying to enjoy ourselves and make ends meet.  One day we'll look back on this time fondly, right?

Anyways, our plans in the future involve meeting up with Zak's family, who will be in Coeur d'Alene at the end of the month with the rest of the extended family for Zak's grandparents' anniversary.  It should be a really nice weekend.  Zak is looking forward to impressing everyone with his facial hair, slight tan and muscles.  Our 3rd wedding anniversary is during the week in August, but we don't have any plans just yet.  So that's our life for now!