Idaho -- The Weekend

You know what I hated more than the bell on Sadie's bike?  The horses across the street.

Saturday morning the kids were over across the street at my parent's house feeding the neighbor horses apples from my parent's apple trees (seriously, Idaho is so perfect).  I walked over and my kids were begging me to feed the horse apples.  I had to inform them that I was allergic to horses.  My parents scoffed and insisted that I was not.  And probably in their heads I'm not.  My grandparents had horses growing up and I went riding pretty much every day of the summer with my grandpa.  I love those memories.  However a few years ago I was up at my girlfriend's parents' farm and went bare back riding.  Let me just tell you the itch that experienced in unmentionable places was agonizing.  So I must have developed this allergy as an adult.

Well because I am stubborn, I loved all over that horse just to prove that I was allergic.  And not 5 seconds afterwards, my eyes started itching.  And very stupidly, I itched my eyes with the hands that hadn't been washed yet.  My eyes itched more.  And then I rubbed them so more.

Meanwhile we are suppose to be over at our friend Yuki's to play tennis.  So we all hop in the car and drive over to our favorite Japanese-Idahoan family.  Raymond is a potato farmer who happens to have a tennis court in his backyard.  No joke.  Well actually, they built it for their daughter, Meg, who was the Idaho State tennis champion in girls doubles a few years back.  GO MEGGIE MULAN!  Sidenote -- I have known Meg practically her entire life and I am so proud of how amazing she is.

Every time we go to Idaho Yuki always wants "Dusty" (that's the cute name she calls him) to come over and play tennis with her and Meg.  Now that the kids have taken lessons they all get to come over and play too.  Yuki even gave Sadie some lessons. She is the best instructor ever and all my kids only love tennis more after a morning at her house.

You're probably wondering what on earth they are building in the background.  It is a "bonus room."  At least that was how it was described to me, but the first time I ran by their house I thought in my head, "That looks like a second house!"  And honestly it is.  It's bigger than my house.  It's going to have a small in-law suite, a focus room for Josh, food and RV storage and the upstairs is going to be a huge rec room and movie theater.  I told them to put in a pool and sign us up for the Groveland Country Club.  Luckily since we're family I get free membership.


Did you forget that I scratched my eyes after petting that horse?  Everyone is off playing tennis, having fun and my eyes are swelling shut, I have huge welts and thick goop is coming out of my eyes.  Kristine took one look at my eyes and told me to go home and get some benadryl.  I am torn between feeling horrible and vindicated that I can now prove without a doubt that I am in fact allergic to horses.

I drove home, washed my face and hands and took some benadryl.  I don't usually take a lot of medicine (except for the occasional Belizean ambien when I'm on vacation) because it hits me pretty hard.  I can take a quarter of the prescribed amount of Nyquil and be out for 12 hours.  So I probably shouldn't have been so aggressive in my benadryl dosage, but I was miserable and I felt like crap.

The rest of the day is a blur.  I remember being really tired watching Dusty and Yuki play their game.  I remember telling everyone that I was very sorry I was so lifeless when we went out for mexican for lunch.  And also eating a boatload of refried and chips.  And then I remember going home and going straight to bed.  I napped for over 2 hours.  This never ever happens.  I would have slept longer if Dustin hadn't woken we up because my parents were babysitting so we could go on a date.

Our date was really nice once I had some time to wake up.  We went to the Snake Bite in Idaho Falls (really really good) and they had to most delicious chocolate cake and then to see The Avengers.  Not in 3D.  I loved the movie.  I loved Captain America.

Sunday we pretty much went to Church and went to visit my Grandma's sister, Aunt Evelyn in Idaho Falls.  I just about died because Dustin got to sit with us and hang out with us all day.  And he didn't have to wear a suit coat!!