This week marks the TEN YEAR anniversary of My Taylor Tales.  I remember when I hit my ten year wedding anniversary and thought, “man I’ve stuck with this a long time”.  But somehow it seems like a more emphatic “man! I’ve stuck with this a long time!

Fourth of July brought some of our favorite visitors and a lot activity.  Before they all showed up.. we headed up to Park City to go “on an easy downhill mountain bike trail”.  It was very hot! We bushwhacked across the top of our lot carrying our mountain bikes.  Then we biked/hiked about a mile and a half of switchbacks up to the top.  The kids had no problem getting down the mountain on “the flying dog trail”.  I, however, had no business being on that trail. I’d only been on a mountain bike twice in the last year.  I kept trying to remember all the skills that our guide in Scotland had taught us but when I came into a tight curve I hit both brakes (big bad no-no) and flew over the top of my handle bars.  I was lucky that I only received humiliation in front of B, one bruised leg, one bruised palm and wicked dirt-filled road rash on my elbow, that I had the joy of scrubbing out while soaking in Epsom salt water.  It was quite the eight hour adventure when all was said and done.

This was the only photo I captured before we started up to the trail – TT’s stylish helmet hair.  The scrunchy makes the look.   Okay so this was not taken on the 4th, but I thought it goes well with the “hair theme”…Lelu straightened TT’s hair one night – I think it has a very Jennifer Anniston look to it?  Then we had a BBQ with Dave, Michele, their little guys, Gma and Gpa, Melinda, Drew, Porter, Becca, Scott, Kamala, Sherisse, Brenna, her husband Jake, Braiden, and the Entwistles were in town and came over too.  It ended up being a very memorable night for Ari and Chase (wink,wink).  After eight years of mutually having a crush on each other – they are now officially a “long-distance thing”. (She asked me what could really ever come of a long-distance relationship and I told her she wouldn’t exist if not for a long-distance relationship).

The next day, Ari had to leave to go off to cheer camp.  Michele and I picked her up on Saturday and watched her perform.  Her team placed 1st in every single category and took home five trophies.

The next day we all met for dinner at the Blue Lemon in Highland. Lelu and I took turns holding this yummy little sweetheart, Sagan’s baby Jane.  I could have played with her all night.

I can’t help but look at this photo of these two beauties and wonder where all the time went since Lelu was that size and so innocent, tiny and delicate. I wanted to stare all day long at her, it was almost painful with the overwhelming protective and hopeful feelings that would come up wondering who this little person is and what her life had in store for her. (and with all of my kids)  Thank heavens those kind of memories sear into your brain and most likely just enhance with grandkids.  Lelu and TT went down to Bridal Veil Falls with these fun little dudes… They definitely love their cousin time.
On Friday night, Michele’s brother Matt got married.

Saturday night we hit the Draper Rodeo..for about a half hour until the lightening, thunder and ginormous rain drops made their way over to us.  By the time we ran to our cars, we all looked like drowned rats, except for Lelu who was the only one smart enough to bring an umbrella.  On the bright side, the clouds made for a lovely somewhat ominous looking sunset.