Updates all around

Hello again!!

It hasn't been a really long time since last time I posted something, but it has been a little while since I updated about what's been going on in my life lately so I thought I would do that!

Side note, I was talking to my mom the other day and I said "I'm pretty sure this summer's been the best summer of my life" and it's seriously true. OH MY GOSH YOU GUYS! I'm so overwhelmed with love. I am so grateful for everyone I've grown closer to this summer, and all the cool stuff I've done.

Enough with the sap, geez, Ella. Onto the updating :)

A few weeks ago, our church put on this barn dance for all the cool people who were 18 and up. Honestly, I wasn't too excited for it, but my friend Evan (above) dragged me and I ended up having a super fun time. And meeting more super fun people!!

I've gone into Portland three times in the last three weeks, and twice I went to my favorite bookstore EVER, Powells :) I got some books, sold some books, and walked with my friends for hours in the store. I also FINALLY tried Salt and Straw (this awesome but bizarre ice cream place) and had a grand time :)

 The third time I went to Portland was with Zakk, to see "The Lion King" in the keller auditorium!! It was honestly amazing. I'm not quite sure if it was my favorite that I've seen, but it was breathtaking, and I'd recommend it to musical lovers and Disney lovers alike.

Random picture of madre and I, because she got the cutest reading glasses and we looked more like twins than ever.

I had my last day working at Unger Farms for the summer, so that was bittersweet... but after I got home from work...

I went to the lake with some awesome people :) Let's just say I had a mini heart attack on the tube multiple times, and riding the jet ski was for sure something I could get into. We finished the night by going to a burger drive in and getting milkshakes and food :)

Lauren dragged me to a pool party with some girls from our church, and it turned out to be a lot of fun. (True friendship is when Lauren knows that I hate swimming and so she brings me a swim suit and forces me in the water with her). Let's be real, besides the company, the Italian sodas were my favorite part ;)

Let's just say, I am so not ready for Law to leave me :( 9 more days!!!

My sister Megan has been in London for the last week or two, so Kaela drove up to Portland to pick her up when she got home on Thursday night (or more like Friday morning at 2am!!). They ended up crashing at our house and invited me to go with them on a hike on Friday. It was so beautiful. We mostly just walked through water and over logs and ended up at an awesome waterfall. (If I'm being honest, I felt like a serious adventurer, like Indiana Jones or something ;))

It was so much fun hanging out with my sisters, too, since I probably won't see a lot of them before I go off to college. They're amazing and I'm lucky to have them in my life.

The afternoon I headed off to Newport...

To hang out on the beach with the Highley family. Lizzy has been one of my best friends since 7th grade, and since we spent spring break freshman year on the beach together, it was only fitting that we spend the summer before becoming college freshman on the beach together, too. Sadly, it was COLD!! So our trip was full of shopping, basketball, buying matching sweatshirts, talking, swimming in the pool, and watching "Mama Mia" three some times :)

I got back Sunday afternoon and hung out, watching season 5 of "Once Upon a Time" (which FINALLY came out on Netflix).

Last night around 5, I got to witness my first mission call opening :) Which is so crazy considering how many people I know on missions! I had just never had the opportunity to be there when they opened it. Granted, I did get to see it over face time when my cousin got called to South Korea :)

But anyways, yeah!! So Zakk is going to be off to Puerto Rico in November and I'm really really excited for him :)

So what's coming up next in my life? Well, this weekend I'm going to be headed to La Grande to move most of my stuff into my house, and I'm extremely excited about that :) After that, I'm just babysitting and helping my mom get Kellen and Lilli introduced into Kindergarten and then I'm off to college :)

I guess that's all the catch up for now.

I hope everyone who reads this is well. Thank you so much, again :)

Signing off until next time,

Ella Frances Waite