July 24th Celebrations

Well, after a rough nights sleep (thanks to Austin) Ryan and I got up at 5:45 am and once again ran the Speedy Spaniard 10k. I was feeling especially grateful this year that I didn't have shin splints. As a result I pushed myself much harder and ran the first three miles faster than ever. I ran with my good friend Emily again and we were thrilled with how well we were doing. (I have to be honest, though, there were a few grandma's that we couldn't catch up to.) Nevertheless I was happy, until around mile 5 where I lost all my energy. I definitely slowed down for the last mile but still finished about 6 min faster than last year which I'm thrilled about. And once again, I'm just happy I did it. It's hard to explain but that sense of accomplishing something personally challenging is very rewarding.

Ryan headed back in a crowded car with a friend to get our van so I started walking and told him he could pick me up on the road home. I made it almost a mile and a half before he met me. I was still feeling like I could function, though, so we took quick showers and then headed back downtown with the kids for the Fiesta Days Parade.

It's not very often that you get to see a tank driving down the streets of our small town. The only way we could explain to Austin what the gun on the front was for was to call it a "poomer" his word for shooting, hitting, or exploding things.

I bought the kids all hats a few days ago which came in really handy.

The best part of the whole parade was the candy people would throw out as they rode by on their floats. Austin clued in real quick and would take off early to grab as much as he could. Often he would find pieces other kids missed well after the float had passed.

This guy was getting ready to throw candy but Austin was standing so far out in the street he just held out his hand and the guy handed him a few pieces.

It was almost as good as Halloween.

You can't have a Pioneer Day Parade without a few pioneers and some missionaries.

And you can't have a parade in our town without some 4 x 4's, ATV's and Monster Trucks!

After the parade I walked the kids a few block to the city center to get snow cones. Then we headed back the four or five blocks (uphill) to our car. About 3/4 of the way there I noticed Austin's hat was missing. I told the kids to wait in the shade and ran all the way back to the snow cone shack before I found his hat ('cause I hadn't done enough running already). When we got home I was pooped.

That afternoon we headed to my sister Jacque's for a BBQ. I was still so tired I fell down her stairs (two whole steps). I decided to spend most of the rest of the night just sitting. But the kids had a blast playing with their cousins.

Austin especially enjoyed Grandma's cupcakes.

Dallin finally earned enough money (by mowing our lawn and babysitting all summer) to buy a Nintendo DS. We picked it up the day before and he couldn't resist bringing it to the party. We bought him his first game as a special "thank you" for all his hard work and help this summer. He's been great! (That's what's in the bag by the way).

We did fireworks a little early that night. Jacque's son Alex doesn't enjoy the loud noise.

But the rest of us had a good time.

I have to add one last thing. When I woke up the next day I was so sore I could hardly move.