Images of July

July is over already. There is so much I wanted to blog about, but so little time at the computer, so here is a somewhat LONG string of photos showing you what's been keeping me away from my blogging.

4th of July festivities, including kids' races

Riding on the Micheli family float in the parade

Running (and winning!) the 5k race

Meeting up with my two best friends from college, Beth and Annie, at the splash park (of course no picture of the three of us--kids only!

Tony and Connor went on a backpack camping trip to Alligator Lake in the Uintas--Connor LOVED his first big hike (3 miles!)

Mylie, Mariah, and I had a girls' day at the Treehouse Museum in Ogden, where Mylie got to be a princess,

AND a rodeo queen, as well as many other things that I didn't take pictures of.

We did come home long enough for a bath here and there. Mariah is LOVING these lately! And she's SO beautiful, I had to post this picture!

A Salt Lake Bees game--our first, but NOT our last! It was a blast!

A visit to the Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple open house.

Our Eternal Family

County Fair

Things we also enjoyed this month, but don't have pictures of: cookouts, climbing at the clay hills, a visit from Olivia, a visit to Cokeville, two volleyball camps, my 10-year class reunion, a trip to Bear Lake, LOTS of softball, a local triathlon (I won again! and Tony took 3rd in the men!), watching the Pioneer Day parade, and a trip to Lagoon for Tony's 30th birthday--just the two of us! What a fun month!

Note(s) to Self

In high school and college, I learned that I learn best when I write things down. So I'm going to attempt to LEARN from 4 situations I've encountered in the past 17 hours.

Note to self #1: When you're in McDonald's trying to carry a tray of food and a baby car seat (she was sleeping!), and someone offers you a hand, ask him to carry the tray, not just open the door to the playplace. Maybe you can avoid spilling your milkshake all over the floor while he sits there just holding the door open for you. You can also avoid the awful guilt you feel when you tell the busy workers that there is a huge mess for them to clean up. Being a mom, you know that there just isn't time in the schedule for unscheduled messes like this!

Note to self #2: When shopping for baby food in Walmart, don't get in a hurry with glass jars. If you slow down a little, you can avoid breaking one and having the guilty feeling (see note to self #1) all over again.

Note to self #3: When you're late getting somewhere (for example, picking up kids from swim lessons), don't speed. Getting pulled over and issued a big fat ticket will not get you there any quicker or ease your conscience about being a bad mom--the kind that is late picking her kids up from swim lessons. You may also avoid a one minute cry, a call to your mother-in-law asking her to call the swimming pool and inform them that you'll be late, and feeling stupid when your 5-year-old asks, "Why didn't you read the speed limit sign?"

Note to self #4: When gassing up the van, when it's full, IT'S FULL! Don't try to put more in. This way, you can avoid splashing gas all over yourself and having your 5-year-old say, "Mom, you stink!"

I'm ready to take a break from learning for a day or two, I think.

Micheli for Governor

My father-in-law, Ron Micheli, is running for governor of Wyoming in 2010. Obviously that is coming quickly, and lots of work has already been done on the campaign. This is very exciting, and will be a major part of all our lives for the next year and a half (and at least 4 years after that, we hope)! I think he will make an excellent governor, as I agree with his politics and KNOW that he has moral integrity. He will do the right thing all the time, and our state needs a leader like Ron!

The latest excitement on the campaign trail is our new website. Check it out at http://www.micheliforgovernor.com/ There you can learn more about Ron, read about his views, sign up to volunteer, and donate money to help with the campaign. Also, if you're a UW football fan, with every $25 you donate, your name will go in a drawing for 2 tickets to the UW/Texas football game this fall!

This is a huge undertaking, and your support will be greatly appreciated! We all know how important it is to have good leaders in all levels of government. Supporting Ron Micheli for governor is a way you can help achieve that.

Growing up WAY too fast!

Mariah is already 7 months old. CRAZY! There are both good things and bad things about this stage, like any stage, I suppose. The pluses: She can entertain herself quite well with toys, she is VERY responsive to people, there is a lot less messy liquid coming out of both ends of her (less scrubbing for me), she is getting into a good eating schedule which includes a bottle (!), and her sleep is pretty predictable. The downsides: She is scooting everywhere and getting into everything, she is a little whinier with the beginning stages of the weaning process, and she KNOWS what she wants now. One thing is for sure, though: She is stinkin' cute! I tried in my very amatuer way today to capture some of that cuteness. Here are the pics. I can't decide which one is my favorite. A little input, please?

RANCH Kids Say the Darndest Things!

Tonight after dinner, the usual happened. Tony and the kids ventured away from the table to the living room for a little rough-housing. This time, Connor and Mylie had a great new game to play: Branding Calves!

Tony would use his legs as a chute to trap their heads, then proceed to vaccinate, tag, brand, and dehorn them. This was done, of course, very rough and wildly, with a lot of tickling. Then Connor said, "Okay, Dad, your turn." As Connor put this new calf through the process, he vocalized each part of it. "Cut off the horns, tag the ear, give him shots, brand him, cut out the testicles." WHAT?!?!?

I instantly, not with anger--just surprise, exclaimed, "Connor!" He looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes, shrugged his shoulders and just said, "What?" Obviously he didn't quite understand the implications such an act would have on the future of our family! I didn't know quite how to respond. I suppose that in most homes in America, the phrase "cut out the testicles" would warrent a major talking to and possibly cause for concern about the child. But not with a ranch kid. I simply looked at Tony, smiled a little and said, "I guess we should have seen that one coming."

Game on! Next calf, please!