Happy Saturday, East Idaho.

I have a newborn at home. And the other day, I caught myself doing something that bothered me more than I expected.

My baby was right there next to me — wide awake, looking around, taking in the world the way only a newborn can — and I was on my phone. Not doing anything important. Just scrolling. And when I looked up, those little eyes were looking right at me.

It hit me hard. Because here's the thing: they notice. Even when they're tiny, they notice. They notice when you're there but not really there. They notice when the screen gets more of your attention than they do. And as they grow up, they start to learn something from that — that the phone matters more than they do. That being distracted is normal. That presence is optional.

I don't want my kid to grow up thinking they have to compete with a screen for my attention. I don't want them to develop an unhealthy relationship with technology because that's what they saw modeled every day. And I definitely don't want them to ever feel like they're not important enough to put the phone down for.

So I'm working on it. Putting the phone in another room during playtime. Being in the moment instead of documenting the moment. Actually getting on the floor and playing — even when there are emails to check and notifications to clear.

This valley is a family place. It's one of the best things about living here. But family doesn't just mean being in the same room. It means being present in the same room. Eyes up. Phone down. Fully there.

That's my challenge to you this week — and to myself. One meal, one playtime, one walk where the phone stays in your pocket. You won't regret it. And they'll remember it more than you think.

— Nathan Summers

A mother bear and her cub — a quiet moment in the wild that reminds you why we live here. There's no caption that does it justice. Just look at it.

📸 Kent Summers (@ksummers.photography)

April 11th · 6:00 PM · Rigby, ID

We're hosting our first-ever Hot Wing Challenge — and it's going to be intense.

10 wings. 10 sauces. Following the Hot Ones Season 29 lineup, from the creamy garlic warmth of Wing #1 all the way to The Last Dab: Thermageddon on Wing #10 (2,000,000+ Scoville Heat Units).

Think you can handle it? Here's the deal:

Spots are limited. Read the details and sign up now at:
👉 eastidaho.com

If you haven't been to Dave's Fire & Smoke BBQ yet, this is your sign.

It's a food truck parked at the 1st Street Food Court. Easy to miss, impossible to forget once you've tried it.

We had three things and every single one delivered:

The Piggy Mac — House-made mac and cheese loaded with slow-smoked pulled pork. This is the move. If you only order one thing, make it this.

The Brisket Nachos — Piled high with meat, cheese, and all the fixings. Technically shareable. We didn't share.

The Loaded Baked Potato with Brisket — They stuff an Idaho potato with slow-smoked brisket, cheese, sour cream, and green onions. Massive, hearty, and the kind of thing you didn't know you needed.

📍 698 1st Street, Idaho Falls
🕐 Tue–Fri 11am–5:30pm (closed Sat–Mon)
📞 (208) 569-9767
📱 Follow them on Facebook

The city of Rexburg — and most of BYU-Idaho's campus — sits directly on top of a shield volcano. Seriously. It's not expected to erupt anytime soon (Yellowstone and Island Park are the more likely candidates), but the volcanic soil is a big part of why this region grows some of the best potatoes on the planet. There are lava fields just west and south of Rexburg from open fissure eruptions about 2,000 years ago. You can see the most dramatic evidence at Craters of the Moon, just down the road.

So next time someone asks what's special about East Idaho — you're literally living on a volcano that grows world-class potatoes. That's pretty hard to beat.

We're working on something fun — a deep dive into the best-kept-secret breakfast spots in the valley. The places locals swear by but never post about. If you have a nomination, reply to this email. We want to hear it.

Also: Hot Wing Challenge recap content starts dropping if anyone survives the Thermageddon.

Rexburg Community Theatre
Live theater in the heart of Rexburg · rctheatre.org

Complyn
Compliance & Business Services · complyn.com

Rivend Studio
Creative studio specializing in website development · rivendstudio.com

Know someone who'd love this? Forward this email or send them to eastidaho.com to subscribe. Free forever.

That's Issue #001. See you next Saturday morning.

Hit reply if you have a tip, a recommendation, or just want to say hey. We read everything.

— Nathan & the East Idaho team