This year for 4th of July Jenelle and Weston came up from Utah. They wanted to camp at our property and they brought their side by side with them to ride around.

This year since the 4th was on a Friday I really wanted to go out to Melba for fireworks. We hadn’t been out there in a few years. Greg and Jenelle were not feeling fireworks so they stayed out at the property.

The weather this year was amazing. It wasn’t too hot so I thought it would be a good time to go to the parade. Jaelee, my brother and his wife, and my friend Theresa and her kids took me up on it. We got there a bit late and the roads were pretty filled with people. We had to squish into a spot that was right in the sun. Even though the weather was milder then normal it was hot in the sun. The parade is pretty long, I think it lasts over an hour. It’s really good. We even saw an Elvis this year. Jaelee snagged a shirt that was thrown and lots of candy.

After the parade we walked around a bit but we started to get hot and hungry. The lines at the food trucks were huge so we decided to head out. We stopped at Cafe Rio in Kuna. I dropped Daltyn and Holden off and Jaelee and I went home.

There Jayse and I hung out. We started the show Stick with Owen Wilson.

That night Jaelee and I decided to go back out to Melba for the fireworks. No one else wanted to go. I knew it would be busy at the school grounds so we decided to watch them from my Aunts barn. One of my cousins was there wit his little girls. They were cute running around. We had a pretty good view of the fireworks and we were able to turn the radio on to the same station so we still got the music to them too.

It was a good day.

She still hates the loud sound of the sirens and covers her ears.

Random but I had this mint and pulled it out for some reason and found a perfect heart on it.

The weather got pretty cloudy and looked like a storm might come in before fireworks but it didn’t happen and we still got a good show.

On Saturday the kids and I went out to the property. We went and checked out the creek. I saw these little berry things. I take a picture of stuff at the property – plants and bugs and then google them when I get back. Turns out these berries are poison.

After lunch we all went for a ride. Jaelee and I were in the back of Jenelle and Weston’s side by side. Greg and Jayse were each on a four wheeler. We drove around all over the mountains. Jayse was in the lead a lot and crashed a couple of times. I didn’t love it. He ended up scrapping his arm, ripping his shirt and getting a large scratch on his back.

At one point the trail was covered with a large tree. Greg had one of his chain saws so he cut it and the guys attempted to roll it down the hill but it didn’t go very far.

We had a good time riding round. The views are amazing. The dust started to get to my allergies. My eyes turned red and one got puffy. Luckily Jenelle had an allergy pill and it helped. After about 5 hours we went back to camp for dinner. They wanted to go back out riding, Jaelee and I had a good time but wanted to do something else. We went to Robbie Creek and paddleboarded. It was really nice. It was later so there wasn’t a lot of people. We also got to see an Eagle flying around playing with an Asprey.

That night we all met back at camp. We hung out around the fire and then watched a movie. Most of us got tired and went to bed. Greg and Jayse stayed up to finish the movie.

Jaelee making her own roasting stick.

On Sunday Jenelle and Weston packed up to drive home. They had a few hours ahead of them so they left pretty early. We hung around the property for a bit. Greg took me on a ride to a view point they had found the night before while riding when Jaelee and I were paddleboarding. You could see a view of Idaho City and the whole valley. And also you get full cell service there. It was really nice.

The view from my hammock.

These bugs are big and really loud when they are flying. I took a picture to identify it. Turns out they are a wood eating bug. They lay their larva in bark and they burro holes all over the wood. So we smash one every time we see them now.

Found a lizard in the middle of the firewood.