EASTER

We spent Easter in Pullman this year. We were going to drive home, but realized it would be cheaper, and much less complicated to stay here. Sharing our time with both families is hard on holidays, and Easter is no exception. Kyle's family does a get together at Aunt Karen's and Uncle Robs, and my family gets together for brunch and then hangs out as a family and watches the kids have their hunt. There is just not enough hours in the day to really do both! 
On Friday I went to the grocery store and picked up three dozen eggs. They have these new baskets that you pull around like a wagon. I really want to race in them. I found out (by accident) that they drift corners. I had my basket full of eggs and someone asked me if i was dying them with my kids. I replied that I didn't have kids, and he said "so are you making your husband dye them with you?" Not making, letting. Then he told me that it sounded like we really needed to have kids. Saturday we dyed the eggs with Taryn and Steve, aka: our normal neighbors :]

It was absolutely beautiful outside. Kyle bbq'd and then we went and saw the movie RIO, which was actually quite funny. 
Sunday we went to church in Beasley coliseum. There were about two thousand people there, and it reminded us both so much of CTK. There were also a million precious babies all dolled up. After church we went to brunch with the neighbors, and there brother and sister. Aside from missing out on the family that day, we really had a great weekend, and spent it with good friends. 

                                                                   LOVE, US

...Time...

I was sitting and enjoying a book and some sunshine while Kyle was down at the snake river with his concrete canoe team. I decided to have some fun with the camera he got me for valentines day this year. More then that, I was thinking back on the past nine months and how fast life goes by when we aren't paying attention. Even when we don't intend it to, it slips right through our finger tips.

Kyle. I love you.

third times a charm

After three tries, we finally made pho. The best part is I discovered if you don't add any sauces it is less then 100 calories per bowl. An excuse to cook it more often...

Piece of Me

 

Over break I spent a lot of time with my two nieces, Madesyn and Kyla. It's funny that they (whoever they are) say time changes everything. I like to believe there are still some things so pure they are unbreakable by time. Like the bond I have with these two girls. I was twelve when Madesyn was born. She was my first niece, and our families little miracle. Joining us at just over one pound. At first I loved her because I got to dress her up in my american girl clothes. Then I loved her because "Sa" was one of her first words. She followed me around and wrapped me around her finger. 
   Kyla came a couple of years later. I swear that girl was born with the world's biggest personality. Although I'm sure having an aunt that made silly faces with her and taught her how to pose didn't help. She is full of attitude, but she makes me laugh. Madesyn helped me decide whether or not I should date Kyle, and helped me clean off the "be my girlfriend?" on my car. She was five. The biggest concern she had was whether or not Kyle would share me. She saw me almost every day for five years...her whole life. We had both The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast memorized. Every word. She was my little in so many ways. She looked like me, and had so many of my characteristics. You can ask anyone in our family and they will tell you Madesyn and I have a very close bond. We always have, and I'm not really sure there is any one good reason for it. The hardest thing about moving away was leaving them. Trying to explain they wouldn't see me for a while. Explain why I couldn't come to everything like I always had. I knew I was going to miss out on so much. I did, and I didn't. Time couldn't change how close we are. It couldn't change how much I love being an aunt, or any of the million memories we had together. I think if love is a pure and true love, love like you have for family and closest friends, time knows better then to even try... 

Yes, We are VERY Much In Love

A lot of people have asked me two questions lately. One: when are you having a baby? Two: How is the marriage? We are not having a baby any time soon, sorry! Although we were driving yesterday and the words "that will make a great family car" came out of Kyle's mouth. For the second question. It is wonderful. Kyle and I are in a really great place, and it surprises me too. We were warned about all the first year fights and issues. We were terrified it would come down to boxing gloves at some point. We have our fights, like any married couple. It isn't always perfect, and I would be lying if I said it was. We are still learning how to balance our lives together, and what it means to be a part of each other's families. (Neither of which we expect to happen over night). For the most part though, we are really just enjoying each other. It is funny to hear other couples talk about it, because in all honesty we are loving just about every minute. I am pretty lucky to have a man that can still give me butterflies. And Kyle...well he would be bored and lost without me (:

HOME

home

 We are heading home to Bellingham for spring break! Where we love is home,
Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts. -holmes

Kyle doesn't really get homesick. I haven't gotten terribly homesick this year. I think mostly because I have realized I was never really homesick. I was sad at the thought of what I was missing. I was homesick for the people I loved not really the physical building or place. In the end home is the people we love no matter where we are, and no matter where life takes them. Because like Anthony Brandt once said "no matter where life takes us, we begin and end with family." For Kyle and I the last few years have been discovering that family isn't about just the family we were born into. They may play the biggest role, and be the people you know will ALWAYS be there, but as we go through life our family grows in unexpected ways. Like friends that are more like brothers or sisters... 

And mentors that become something so much more then just mentors or friends. 

...But like I said before...whether we always like it, or not. We begin and end...with family. 

See you in a week. LOVE, US

Down That?

Today was Sunday as you all know...hopefully. It is a day Kyle and I catch up on homework and spend time together. Today we went on another adventure. Be proud, no injuries or embarrassing moments. Unusual I know. Kyle has wanted to go to Palouse falls for a while now. We woke up to snow, but the sky was almost clear blue. On our way out the door Kyle informed me that we would be hiking down to the bottom of the falls. I was not too stoked about this, and not sure it was exactly safe this time of year...or any time of year? We drove for two hours singing country through the country. Literally, middle of nowhere. Fields, old abandoned farms and houses, more fields. That was it...for two hours. We were surprised how many other people were at the park. It was sunny and beautiful! I was content to look at the falls from behind the fence...

 

See, beautiful from the fence. There was even a rainbow. Well, since this was another one of our adventures, obviously Kyle didn't let me stay on my side of the fence. We found a marmot, and hiked around and down to the railroad track. Across the tracks and over this teensy ledge path was an old abandoned cabin. In the ravine below was dumped cars from who knows when, and other random things. Barbed wire fences occur WAY too often in my life these days. 

of course we did

made it to the cabin alive!

After we checked out the cabin we headed back across the train tracks. Kyle- we headed back, but Taylor found a marmot and chased it down and into one of the flipped over old trucks. She dove into the window after it, and disappeared for a few minutes. We could just hear her clunking around. She was having a blast!

I was okay until Kyle headed down the rock field. To be completely honest I knew when I got in the car that morning that I would be hiking down even if I thought I might die. I knew I would follow Kyle down something completely stupid. I followed Kyle, the first few minutes telling him there was NO WAY I was going down that. He was crazy, and he would be sorry when he had to explain how he made me die to my family. Ya Ya Ya I'm still alive. 

an old wooden train

  

just reminding you of the fence. Oh ya, see that cliff? We went to the bottom 

We got to the bottom safely. Then Kyle told me we were going all the way to the bottom of the water fall. Being someone with common sense I just said okay...(if you really think so NOT). We went through mud, more rusty things, and thorny bushes. Kyle whipped me with a stick on accident. He said he didn't grab it as he walked past it, but i distinctly remember his left hand pulling it forward so he could pass. Flash backs to childhood and my brothers thinking this was hysterical. Luckily Kyle didn't mean too, and it didn't hurt that bad. We came to a dead end. Kyle tried to assure me that we could just walk along the rocks/cliff bottom and cling to it until we came to land again. No thank you darlin'. He started going across and I just shook my head. Kyle made it about half way. Taylor followed him, because she has to go everywhere he goes. She fell in. This was really funny to me until she ran back and shook off right next to me. Kyle also came back. He did not fall in. I know what your thinking, he should have. It really would have made it a classic "Kyle and Lisa Adventure"...

looks perfectly safe right?

We made it back up to the top safely and dry. Glad we both wore deodorant. Not gonna lie. Here is the view from the top.

We hiked ALL the way to the water

Alive!!! 

So this was our Sunday. Last week flew by for us, so it was fun to get away for the day. Pullman has been snowy and cold. Work was slow for me, and school was slow for Kyle, which was nice to get that breather. I am working on an application for a position as a victim's advocate, and a few others for an amazing non-profit (the positions are paid though). Kyle's interview with the DNR went really well, and we find out in about three weeks if he got the internship for this summer. My Dad's doctor is finally getting him started on radiation, and more and more I am just realizing how thankful I am for the people I love, and the life I am given every day. Kyle and I are truly, truly blessed. 

                                                   Love, Us