Best Husband EVER!!!

Well, Ben and I are both a bunch of crazies, I know. We're always trying to cram as much as possible into each day. That's just how I feel about him. I don't ever feel like I'll get enough, the more time we spend together, the more time we want to spend together. It especially helps that we're always doing something crazy and fun together.

Over Labor Day weekend, we went to Island Park with my parents and two other couples who happen to be very good cooks! Right before we left, Ben showed me the brand new Black Diamond backpack that he bought me at the Canyon Sports Labor Day sale. I've been needing a backpack of my own so I can stop having to rent them from Ben's work and now I can customize and adjust it to fit me perfectly.

On our way up, we stopped at Walmart in Idaho Falls to pick up some things and they also happened to be having a big sale too so we got Ben some new shirts and he surprised me with a fly rod case! No more plastic case that requires me to completely derig my rod after fishing each time which will save me a lot of time and tippet:)

We didn't make it to Island Park until almost midnight so we snuck in quietly and went right to bed. In the morning, after waking up to a chilly morning and some delicious, hot and savory style steel cut oatmeal, we tried to make a plan for the day. The weather showed afternoon thunder storms so whatever we wanted to do, we had to do it fast. Somehow, I convinced myself that it was not too cold to go out on the boat to waterski and surf... Boy am I glad I did that! I haven't had one single opportunity to be drug behind a ski boat this entire summer until Island Park. I felt so good water skiing!!! Seriously, there's not a lot that can compare to the feeling of doing the smoothest, tightest turns possible while being drug 30 mph behind a speed boat. The exhilaration, the breathlessness, the sore muscles that you forgot were even there afterward is so amazing and unique to that sport alone. I love it!!! ...although my arms, back, and legs are still sore even though that was three days ago! Ben doesn't have quite as fond of a connection with boating as I do since he's only water skied about 4 times and each of those times was with me and my family, but he still gets pretty excited about being there with me and going out for his annual "glorified drowning" session. He did so good! He got up and skied and did some pretty good turns in the process and even had enough energy to wake surf in the end.

After boating followed by a nice lunch, we inflated the tandem kayaks and took off to float Big Springs. It was a long, slow trip in the river, it was rough and didn't help with the sore muscles. I must admit, however, that Ben and I did cheat a little down the river... we brought along our trolling motor: Bagheera! She loves swimming so we just hooked her leash to the front of the boat and let her go swim. We even took small pebbles and tossed them out in front of her to keep her going fast and in the right direction.

The rest of the weekend was pretty cold and windy, even rainy at times with snow in the mountains so Ben and I did a lot of reading, playing with the puppies, hot tubbing, walking, four wheeling, and watching our new addiction: Dexter. I must say, it's really weird that Ben and I are actually getting into a television show together. We don't even have TV at our house because we really just don't watch it that much and whenever we try we usually make it to the first commercial when we both lose interest. (it helps that Ben and I have been watching Dexter on Netflix so there aren't any commercials!)

Overall, it was just a really great weekend to be able to go out and have a "couples retreat" so to say, even though it was with my parents and their friends, it was perfect. We were so included and had so much fun with the group and at the same time we didn't feel we were the ones who needed to entertain so we also got plenty of alone time with just him and me. I loved it so much and Ben and I needed it more than I think we realized at first. I love him so much and I'm so proud of how well he's doing at school and work even through the 19 credit hours this semester! He really is pretty amazing.