somethin' money can't buy

      We went to the Palouse Empire Fair today. It was just a small town fair, but I loved it. Kyle and I both wore our cowboy boots so we blended right in. Kyle has decided to become a bull rider and travel around to rodeos. I am more then happy to be married to a cowboy. I think Kyle would kill himself though. There were so many cute old men there. True cowboys. The best part was the little boys in cowboy boots. They were everywhere and it was the most precious thing. During the car ride we talked about our kids (meaning hypothetical in the future not here yet or anytime in the next year kids). When I say we I actually mean WE too. Kyle tries to be tough when it comes to this subject most of the time, but every once in a while I get a glimpse what a loving father he will be. "I want boys, they're gonna wear cowboy boots and be boys." -kyle. "Well, I want a girl...what if we have a girl?" -me. "I AM taking her fishing!"-Kyle. Our conversation went a little like that. It was pretty funny when he realized having a girl can be fun too. My dad took me fishing, my brothers made me shoot their guns, I loved playing outside and rough housing inside.
       It got up to 92 degrees today and we were both in long sleeves. The animals in the barns looked like they were dying from the heat, and we felt like we were going to also. We loved on two black lab puppies, which I was sure Kyle wouldn't leave without, but he did. In the cow barn there was a calf just roaming around with its leash(?) dangling. While we were walking past these big fatty's Kyle commented on how much steak that was. I looked down confused and realized he meant the poor cows laying there. It's true though. Lots and lots  of steak.
       Best part of the day: RODEO! Our first rodeo. Ever. I have no idea why we had never gone to one before because we both loved it. A lot of it looked pretty painful, but cowboys are tough.

Getting into the Fair-$12

Three frozen lemonades-$6
One ice water-$1
Spending the day with you- PRICELESS :]    

undefeated fans

We went to our first cougar football game of the season. We were able to afford sports passes this year, so we are looking forward to many more games. We beat UNLV and that makes us 2-0! Who would have thought? NOT ME(: Maybe the Locker's are just that good. (Yes, we conformed a member of the Locker family). It was in the mid 90's all day, and I literally thought I was going to melt. Kyle was shirtless from the second he got there. I rubbed an ice cube on his back and it was gone in seconds. Hopefully we can pull out a few more wins this year...

all decked out

game time 2011

crowd surfing

Welcome to the world Seth Duncan Ingram. My dad holding his grandson. One of the sweetest moments we have in life. I can only imagine what it will be like to see him fall in love with our children someday. One look and an old [not to call my mom and dad "old"] man and women melt and bond with someone that is practically a stranger still. How amazing is life?!

"a newborn baby was born yesterday just in time. Papa cried, baby cried, said your tears are like mine"

Barefoot Bubbly

Labor day normally means vacations, last chance getaways before school, and relaxing.
      For Pullman residents and WSU students alike it meant a mass intrusion of people for the Cougar's first football game. For Kyle it meant the annual guys camping trip with Steven, Steven, and Robert. They drove for about an hour and a half to some remote place by a river. Their plan was to catch rattle snakes and float the river. I think what happens camping stays there for the most part, but I know Steven G's thighs were fried. Sun taught him not to wear mini shorts while floating the river for six hours. They played power hour, I'm not sure how long they lasted this time, but apparently Kyle was running back in forth to his fishing pole while proclaiming "exercise makes you sober!" Then he vommed. Aren't boys smart? They came back a night early, my guess was that they ran out of food, or beer. I think they were just tired though. I'm just glad none of them came back with nubs or other expected major injuries. Looks like they are growing up a little.
     For me Labor day weekend meant a long drive home alone. I literally drank red bull for six hours to stay awake. I sang at the top of my lunges with the windows rolled down...the whole way home. My dad and I went and got dinner at coconut kenny's. Carb overload, but weekends home mean gaining at least five pounds then working it off the next week. Saturday Elissa and I went to Rachelle's wedding. My parents did the floral stuff for it, and it turned out so gorgeous. Elissa was a hot mess and it was adorable. Most emotional wedding ever. Rachelle gave her bouquet to her grandmother who has dementia. She held it so tightly and never put it down. She was crying, and so were Elissa and I. I started laughing, because I get all awkward when I cry in front of people. So there we were, in the middle of a reception. Lauhging, and crying. Typical. We spent the rest of the gorgeous day happy hour hopping by the water. Then we creeped on a wedding...no big deal. Someday I think I want to experience wedding crashing. What? Like you've never wanted to? I also met my new nephew Seth (Daryn and Tamara). Jasper really wanted his name to be Thomas...the train. That night I went and said hello to my cute in-laws, then my parents, Eric, Bridget, and I hung out. Sunday Bridgette almost Gunderson and I drove down to Seattle to watch my cousin Peyton compete in the Miss WA pageant. We might have taken a couple wrong turns, and I might have swerved at the last minute to get off at an exit. NOT our fault. I drove home Monday. It was really hard to drive back to Pullman. I miss home. Everything about home.

      Back to the books, and life in Pullman...we miss you all. Love, us.

 Some pictures from the trip home.

Griff turned one, so of course we went home for his birthday. I was in auntie heaven with ALL of my nieces and nephews at the party. Griff gets cuter each time I see him, and they are all growing up so fast. Jasper knows exactly who uncle Kyle is, and it is so fun to see Kyle taking on the role of being an uncle with so much enthusiasm. My brothers may pick on Kyle relentlessly, granted 99% of the time Kyle is asking for it, or just trying to fit in, but he fits. He has become family, and that makes me happy beyond words. The sister-in-laws really only have me to make it past, but Kyle has all of them to win over. I think Griff's party was the first time in a long time that I felt like there was a spark of hope for healing and that feeling was overwhelmingly good. Some things may never change, some people may never change, some prayers never really get answered, but every once in a while life throws us a curve ball and people start showing up. I am just happy some day Griff can look back at pictures and see how incredibly loved by his family he is.
 “Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”

Round Two

      Kyle and I have lived in Pullman for one year now. I am ecstatic to say that Kyle got more then one scholarship, and we both got more then enough grants. Government, thank you for the wedding gift. It is strange how fast the last year went, and even stranger to think in May Kyle and I will be wearing black moo-moo's (some people call them graduation gowns) and receiving our diplomas. (Kyle will still have one semester left, but we are walking together since the winter ceremony is just not the same.) We finally gave our apartment some finishing touches in decor. Like a beautiful canvas print from our wedding that now hangs in the spot I left bare for a year. We brought the hope chest my Grandpa left me over here, along with a jewelry box from my Grandmother Rose. It still smells like him, and I love that about people. They sort of linger on in unexpected ways, as if to remind us they were here, and they loved us. He left me his family Bible. I assume other families have these things, each side of our family has one? My mom's has been carried down a few generations, and is the biggest Bible I have ever seen in my life! Flipping through them makes me feel connected to something bigger. Everyone who ever placed a note, or a flower in between the pages. Lastly, and not on such a meaningful level (well, Kyle may feel a deep connection with it) is a new flat screen TV. Trust me when I say, it was MUCH needed. We had a big honkin one from who knows when. Kyle also added two little wall decorations I had spotted at Palouse Treasures. He didn't let me get them, and about a week later I was having a long day at work, and I came home to them hanging on the wall in a perfect spot. He loves me.   
      School is in full swing, and already we are loaded down with papers and homework. Kyle has been in the library more then one late night. I think we are both just doing our best to stay ahead, or at least on top of everything while we still can. I am taking ballet, maybe if I feel brave I will post a video of my oh so flattering leotard. It is actually a lot of fun to attempt to be poised and graceful. I think after giving me seven older brothers, God is having a little chuckle to himself each time I put my ballet flats on. That is life for us right now. Nothing fancy, but still fun. 


Love, us