like a soundtrack to a july saturday night

Another Perfect day at the lake for the books. I can't get enough of summer. Everything about it. Nate and I keep joking, saying if this summer keeps getting better & better like it has been, we probably won't ever want kids. Ha ha but we are kidding....kinda. :) 

So something pretty big happened this Saturday.. not to brag or boast or anything but.... I CAN OFFICIALLY WAKEBOARD!!!!!

 I guess I'm a little excited. It's been something I have always wanted to do and on Saturday I finally got it down. It was so funny i sat in the water and totally pep talked myself.. out loud. "You got this Maddy. You can do anything. Come on. This is it." hahah talk about a freak but I really think it helped me finally just suck it up and DO IT. The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. My mouth was wide open (shocker huh?) and I was literally screaming out of pure joy.

Call me crazy but I think doing things that PUSH you is good for the soul. It gives you a sense of confidence like "I can do anything I put my mind to--no matter how difficult." Whether it's physical things or church things or people things or work things. It really helps in all aspects. 

& I think that is why I love cross fit so freaking much.(sorry--but i look for any excuse to bring it up.a little obsessive) Each day I go in suspense, not knowing what the Workout that day will bring. One thing I know for sure is that It will Push me beyond my limits and force me to be mentally and physically strong.

We got stranded on the lake at sunset. But with this view who the heck would complain?

Pure concentration.

& pure joy. 

Yep, he's carrying a mountain dew while he wake boards. How the heck?

NAiled it.

Squirt. It's what all the cool kids are drinking. 

These girls are all pretty rad. 

Can't get enough of that summer sun.

Hi, we're in love.

dream as big as a midnight sky.

It's happening again. Year after year it's the same story. I'm getting that panicked feeling because the summer is more than half way over and it feels like it's leaving WAY too soon!
This summer has been one of my favs. The little things have made it so enjoyable. & the big ones too.
Yesterday was pioneer day and we spent it the best  way i can possibly think of.
At the lake + hot dogs and watermelon + Plenty of swimming+ Water sports galore+Watching the sunset from the dock. & to top it off watching FIREWORKS! (and doing a few sparklers for my sake)
Isn't summer just the best?  I will always be a summer girl-no matter how old I grow.

We got to stay with Carson and Suz while my parents were gone and we had so.much.fun.

My main squeeze.

That Nate is quite on a stud on the water. (till he faceplants of course ;)

^^That's Me^^

Okay One of my main goals this summer has been to be able to wake board. Now I've tried this one again and again and it has just seemed IMPOSSIBLE. it still kinda does but so help me I will be able to ride that wake by the end of the summer!! Last night I finally GOT UP (which they say is the hardest part) and even though I didn't last long-it was so rewarding to know I have made major progress!

Now on the the next item of business! THIS SONG has been our summer anthem since June 1st. It was seriously written for US and for THIS summer. We listen to it every time we ride in the jeep with the wind blowing through our hair. Everything is right. and we rule the world.  I
t is just one of those songs. LISTEN TO IT!!! and soak up every bit of summer that you can!

Summer comin' through a rolled down window
Tearin' down an almost two lane back road
Freedom and fireflies in the air

The night's still young, never gonna get old
Livin' for today like there's no tomorrow
Follow the grooves, the tires in the grass
Stayin' on the gas like we're never comin' back

[Chorus:]
It's a Friday night, it's a small town girl
Everything is right and we rule the world
2 twelve's in the truck back, beating
A bunch of rock stars on a riverbank singing, whoa, whoa, everything, whoa, whoa
Everything we wanna be
We are, we are, we are tonight

Swayin' back-n-forth, can't you feel the music?
Time stands still, I don't wanna lose it
Her tan, her touch, her laugh
Were flyin' so high like we're never gonna crash


We are tonight, we are tonight
Toes in the grass with our hands up high
Dream as big as the midnight sky
So untamed and we're so alive tonight

ONE YEAR

I can't even believe it has been one whole year since Nate and I said "I do." In ways that seems like lifetimes ago. And in other ways it seems like just last week. Crazy how that happens. I honestly can't imagine not waking up to Nate every morning. I mean how did I ever survive sleeping alone without someone to cuddle up to after a bad dream?? He is my person. He seriously makes me laugh everyday and can always put a smile on my face. He works so hard for us but also makes sure we have plenty of "play time" whether its boating or camping or running free out in the country.Our first year of marriage has been absolutely wonderful. Hands down the best year of my life. AND also hands down one of the hardest years. No matter how much you love somebody, being married sometimes is down right difficult. HA! But I wouldn't trade it for the world. I can't wait for the MANY MANY more anniversaries we get to celebrate together.

We decided to go on a small weekend getaway ya know, to celebrate making it a whole year without shooting each other. ha ha (just kidding... kinda ;) We stayed in the neatest hotel in Midway and spent the weekend swimming, relaxing, eating, laughing and shopping. My idea of a perfect getaway.

He just LOVES when I tell him to Stop so i can snap a pic :)

on the ski lift.

Gosh I just love him.

Nate snuck onto the carousal after hours at our hotel.

what the?

we ate lunch at a fancy cafe and I ordered THEE messiest buffalo chicken wings... naturally.

what a beaut.

yummy treats are a must for any anniversary

my first time riding the alpine slide!

some other photos from last week:

Our kids are going to love us. :/

 Last week was our wards girls camp and I got to go up every evening after work. We seriously had so much fun and I loved being able to get to know all the girls' better and see their crazy sides. Girls camp is totally in my element even if it is a little different being a leader rather than a teen. 

this was the group I got to help with the skits. We have quite the variety of girls and they are pretty awesome.

a perfect summer day

Saturday was about the closest thing to perfect in my mind. The day consisted of
+waking up extra early to practice sprints at the park. (Nate even came with me, that's a big deal. aaaand he's still faster.so frustrating.)
+packing up our beach towels, sunscreen (actually we forgot the sunscreen--oops), sandwiches, licorice & water bottles.
+Taking the boat out on the bay before it was even mid-day crowded and the water still glassy.
+Boating 'till our hearts content. ALL.DAY.LONG.
+Letting the sun rays soak deep into our skin.
+Laughing so hard when Jed flew 15 ft into the air off of the death trap tube. (or so they claim)
+Shutting off the boat and laying on tubes in the middle of the bay laughing without a care in the world.
+Finally heading home after we noticed the sun was starting to set
+Eating the yummiest raspberry milkshakes at the cutest drive in
+Watching a plane spray the fields with a perfect orange sunset as the backdrop
+Putting away the boat right as the FULL moon peeked over the mountains. I had to snap a few pics.

Nate and I got home and laid under the swamp cooler for a bit. (that thing has saved our lives this summer) we were both fried to a crisp and didn't want to do anything else at the moment. While we were laying there I turned to Nate all panicked and said "I hardly took any photos to document our fun day!" He said "Maddy, those are the best kind of days. When you're having too much fun that taking photos is the last thing on your mind."
Goll that really hit me. He was absolutely right. He can sure surprise one with his deep thoughts sometimes ;)
So even though I didn't take nearly enough photos to do this day justice, Saturday will still go down as one of my most favorite days of the summer.

^^That tuxedo shirt though^^

I was so fascinated with the crop duster. 

I love him. 

we spent our Friday night in Ogden at Horizon Milling doing semi-truck stuff. Ha good thing we still had a blast.