Happy 4th of July!

The week of July 4th was wonderful for us! We started out on Saturday with a neighborhood party where we ate, and we helped with the snow cones. There was a bike parade for the kids, a bounce house, ice cream and snow cones.

 On Sunday, we went over to Walt and Carol's house and made festive shirts! We had tape and stars to stick on our shirts and then we spray painted them red and blue. It was really fun!

On Monday, we went to Tyler's parent's neighborhood for a party. Tyler, his brother and dad and driven to Wyoming to buy fireworks the previous week. We ate yummy pulled pork sandwiches for dinner, then watched a great aerial firework show that Tyler and some other guys put on. My mom and sister came, and so did some of our friends. It was great!

On the 4th, Tyler woke up and ran the 10K Freedom Run while I slept in because I had a sinus infection :( I went to the doctor the night before and got antibiotics so I was feeling much better on the 4th when I woke up. Tyler went to hang out with his dad and brother, and I went to lunch at El Azteca with my mom and sisters. We got yummy shrimp tacos. At 5, the rest of the family came over and we had a DELICIOUS meal of hamburgers, hot dogs, salad, potato salad, pretzel salad and other delectable treats. 

After dinner, we met Tyler's family at the Stadium of Fire to rock out with the Beach Boys and Scotty McCreary (winner of American Idol this year). They were seriously AMAZING. I loved the jets flying over, the host, Alex Boye, was awesome (he had just become an American citizen in February), and the fireworks were the best I have literally ever seen. They had so many fireworks inside the stadium this year. I always get choked up when we sing the National Anthem because I love America so much and am so thankful to live in this wonderful country! This was the best Stadium of Fire I have ever been to. 

On Friday, I got off work early and went to lunch at CPK in Murray with Jocelyn and my mom and then we went shopping. Jocelyn had to work at Nordstrom at 3 so we visited her there.

On Saturday, we woke up and went on a gorgeous bike ride up the canyon. Despite the weather being really hot this summer, the canyon was beautiful and so green. 

When we got done with our ride, we went to the Parcell's pool with our friends Dave and Kim and read magazines and had watermelon while laying in the sun. That night, we went over to their house for a little barbecue and card playing. 

There's nothing better than the summer!

Lake Powell - Trip 1!

On our way to Lake Powell, the entire wheel came off of the trailer so we have to stop in Beaver for 3 hours to get it fixed! Tyler and Drew decided to try on some of Beaver's finest apparel. 

We got there that night and took the houseboat out the next morning. The week was fabulous! We ate delicious food, went surfing, skiing and wake boarding, went on a hike up to Cookie Jar, read great books, went on a jet ski ride with Drew and Rach to Dangling Rope to get ice cream, built a fire and had s'mores and had weenie wars. A few of Lindsay and Katelin's friends came at the end of the week. The weather was gorgeous and the water was cool, and it was relaxing and perfect! 

Half Marathon and 10K!

The entire Parcell family ran the Utah Valley Half Marathon! I ran the 10K because I have IT band issues on my right knee. It was a great experience! I never thought I would be one to run a race, but now I get why people like it. I was so proud of Tyler! He has been getting into such great shape the past year. 

This was right before the race started. I dropped off everyone at 5:45 a.m. to start their race at 6, then drove down to the Riverwoods to start my race at 7.

This was at the start of the race for me!

Tyler finished before me and he did such a great job! 13.1 miles is a long way!

My mom came and met us at the end of the race to congratulate us on the finish. We went to Kneaders to eat french toast after the race and it was delicious! It was such a fun thing to do as a family.