Home is where the heart is

Well! I suppose this is a little belated, but I've decided to get caught up! At the beginning of July, I decided to take a trip back to Washington! I spent just over a week there, and boy did we pack in a whole lot of fun!! It'll be easiest for me to break down our adventures by day..so here we go!
p.s prepare for pictures!!

Saturday, July 4th:
I flew in around 9am, and had just enough time to stop for Central Market sushi on the way home from the airport before it was time to get home and get ready for people to come over. We probably had about 30 people over to enjoy the lake in our backyard and mom's delicious food! She also just built a fancy new firepit in our backyard, which is super cool! Ashley (my best girlfriend since....forever) came over, and brought her exchange student from Spain, Alaitz . Shawn and his little brother Mathew also popped by with a whole load of illegal fireworks! They thought it would be mighty cool to stick one of their m-500's into a water melon and blow it up in the water.....anyways! We had a real fun night blowing things up, and eating delicious food and catching up!! Only downside was that I caught a pretty nasty cold about a day before I left...but thank heavens for modern-day cold medicine!!

Reunited at long last!! I'm lucky she's my best friend :) 

Mom's midlife crisis....Jake. A prickly Australian walking stick. It's gross.  

About to light up the sky!

Shawn's explosive watermelon!

Cam cam and his sparkler :) 

Mathew and Shawn, prior to the explosion.

My ladies <3

Sunday we relaxed, and then Monday I took a trip out to the doctors, and got some more confused answers about my migraines. So back to the neurologist it is! We also swung through Central Market on our way home to purchase goods to make some homemade Mexican food! Whoo! 

Tuesday we got to do dinner with the Sister Missionaries, and afterwards I went out and grabbed some sushi with on of my best girlfriends from high school, Caitlin. So that was a blast!! She's one of those friends that just never gets old! No matter how much time passes, we just pick up where we left off and have a blast hanging out. 

Wednesday was a special day! Mom and I kicked it off by grabbing some snacks, and heading out to the beach, with our books and to let the boys play out in the sand. Then later that night I got to go out on a ride-along with dad. He recently switched back to k-9 and he and his partner Heiko are working on getting their accreditation, so they're doing a lot of training. Meaning I got to go out and do some tracking with them, and see what Dad does! It was an absolute blast!! I can't believe I haven't ever done that with him before. It definitely increased my respect, admiration, and appreciation for all that our Law Enforcement does for us. Not that I didn't before :p 

Beach babes and books <3

My happy place 

Little baby crab!! Can you see the wolf on his back?!

Quality time with Dad

We ended the week Thursday with a girls trip to Seattle! Nothing better! We had a blast! We rode the ferry over, and headed up to Pikes Place, and then we hit up Red Robin on the pier for lunch, and then wandered in and out of some boardwalk shops afterwards. Then we headed home for a movie night with Grandma and Grandpa, and we watched The Hobbit! (the second one). I was exhausted and still recovering from doing the graveyard shift with dad, but we had a good time anyways. And nothing really beats Grandma's homemade caramel popcorn! 

Pikes Place flowers <3

My ladies <3

Gum wall!!

My skyline <3

My Cam man!

My wacky mom!! :p 

Friday, we headed out to the Olympic Mountains for a hike Duckabush, and we had an absolute blast!! We ended up hiking out to a waterfall, and then around some other trails in the area. IT was a blast. We just love nature! And there is a beauty to Washington that you just don't really find anywhere else. The Pacific Northwest is just a beauty you have to experience at least once! 

Enough said <3

We rounded out the week with a work BBQ for Dad on Saturday and some good old fashioned family time. All in all, it was a wonderful trip home! It's always too short, and I'm always just so homesick for at least a few weeks after I come back. But for right now, I'll be staying here in Utah to finish up school and such. I've got a deep love for Washington and for the time and memories I have with my family there. Until next time! 

-Kendra 

My partner in crime!

We never have a normal family picture. 

My baby girl! 

Cutie pies!