4th of july and other july things.

look at this! actually updating in the same month as the events. miracles happen. probably it's that i'm avoiding filling out an application, packing for our trip tomorrow, and cleaning the kitchen. so you know.

also i'm on a huge high from finally completing a bouldering problem i've been working on all month and i ran five miles tonight, the furthest/farthest i've ever gone at once! maybe i really will survive this half marathon.

anyway, summer is treating us mighty fine.


we had a run of 100 degree weather and weren't brave enough to leave the house's AC, so pool days outside.

again, the heat keeping us inside, so playing at the mall's indoor playground and then train rides! 

just creeping on sleeping travis. it took about a month to get used to sleeping with someone else.
travis claims i have kneed him in the mouth multiple times. 

MOAR POOL DAYS

views from runs around the lake. 

all of june remy and i were running together until i finally wised up and realized it's so much easier to run without pushing an extra 40 pounds of child and stroller.  and i did manage to run 3 miles in 25 minutes pushing this kid. *brags.* 

beautiful views though. 

remy loves "kitties." we found this guy on the way home and remy so wanted to keep him. 

some incredible sunsets lately with the smoggy air. 'MERICA. 

several days before the 4th of july, travis went in for a routine dentist appointment and was told he had an abscess and needed surgery on a front tooth he chipped years ago. poor guy can't catch a break with his teeth.

so remy and i took one for the team and went to the pool to keep the house quiet. tough times.

travis's swollen mouth, my wild child. 

the 3rd of july is the annual charles family fireworks at my grandparents' home located on a golf course. travis's mouth was still swollen but he survived. we enjoyed the barbecue, live music, and sparklers with cousins.

remy's face during fireworks.  "no thanks, no thanks! that's enough!" 

loved sparklers though. 

the 4th of july we went in to murray for travis's family's annual breakfast, although we slept through the parade, oops. then we napped all afternoon, as we hadn't gotten home until midnight the night before. yikes, we're old, if that's a late night.

went out for mexican food. remy drank his weigh in horchata. 

we joined the jackson family for fireworks in riverton. to be honest, i was not impressed at all with the firework show and it was waaaaay too crowded for my taste. the whole time i was just freaked out that remy would get lost/kidnapped, and it doesn't help that he is the friendliest kid and walks up to strangers without a second thought. next year we will probably do something different.

another beautiful lake running view.

had liana and her kids over for sparklers the next day, but after remy almost lit millie's dress on fire, we opted for popsicles instead.

kissin' cousins. 

snapped a few shots with my real camera. 

my mom turned 51 and remy helped blow out the candles.
he sings all the words to happy birthday. 

travis dug out the grass and planted all these flowering bushes in our little backyard. 

always reading. 

cousins and pools. 

love living close enough to walk. 

went on our first date since travis has been home. red iguana, duh. 

remy getting brave and sitting on uncle zane's motorcycle. 

3 moms, 5 kids. GET BUSYYYYY

oh that smile. 

being a firefighter like daddy. 

remy is so into musical instruments. we've been working on being able to name the instruments
just by listening and i'm always amazed at how smart he is. 

red mango, what else. 

okay, i've had a few requests for my recipe for this chicken.

i took chicken thighs with the skin on them, smothered them in olive oil and then seasoned both sides with garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper, paprika, thyme, rosemary, and sage. when i say season, i mean really dump that stuff on the chicken. put some extra olive oil in the bottom of a glass pan and then bake uncovered at 400 degrees for about half an hour.
(the rice is black rice made in the rice cooker with coconut milk instead of water. you can add chicken stock as well. for the green beans, put a scoop of coconut oil in a nonstick pan and get it really hot, then add the beans and let them cook until they are as crunchy or soft as you like. i like crunchy.)

we finally bought a brand new couch! peace out hand me down! (that we were thankful to have.)

backyard popsicles in the evening. 

preeeetty excited about all my new patio furniture. 

love this mama and learn so much from her.  she is so great with her kids
and i copy her parenting methods on the daily. 

hanging at scheel's shopping for stand up paddle boards. 

 saw death cab for cutie!!!!!!!! they played one of my all time favorite songs, passenger seat. felt good to be taken back to when i obsessed over transatlanticism back when i lived in hawaii. music is the greatest.

and travis is the best. he insisted i go to the concert even though he had a big PT test the next morning. it felt wonderful to be able to leave the house and know remy was with his other parent. and i came home to a clean house, sleeping kid, and homemade banana bread.

 whelp, that's been july so far.
tomorrow we leave for the charles family reunion in island park! maybe i should go start packing...

xo.