I love the month of July!

July is one of my favorite months because it means picnics, bar-b-q's, fireworks, and--best of all--rodeos! For the past several years I have gone to one of my favorite towns in the whole world, ShowLow Arizona, for July celebrations. My best friend Kristi Adams lives there and her family has become a second family to me. I love going there, and I adore their house--it is absolutely picturesque looking out the kitchen window to acres and acres of cow pastures! Kristi and I have a whole day of traditions on the 4th. Often we start out by the night before sleeping on the trampoline. We wake up and get all dolled up in red, white, and blue and head out to the town parade where we join her family (who don't sleep in like us, and have a nice spot saved for us). Then we head out to the store and get some hot dogs, buns, chili, nacho cheese, and IBC creme soda in glass bottles for lunch. Driving around town with her is one of my favorite things too because it entails windows down (I love windows down while driving, and this time of year driving with windows down in Phoenix is a miserable choice!) and singing at the top of our lungs our favorite songs. We are flexible with our afternoon, but it often consists of playing with her nieces and nephews, or going down to fools hallow and swimming in the lake. Dinner is always an extended family bar-b-q, then we head out to the rodeo in Snowflake and watch the fireworks there. I love it! I love small towns, good food, great friends, and getting all dressed up to watch some crazy boys jump on bulls.

Kristi and I dressed up for the parade, standing in her back yard.

Every year I make a jello-poke cake decorated like the American flag, it's one of my favorite things to make!

This year I broke down and bought myself a pair of cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat. I've been searching for years (literally, like 6 years) for the perfect pair, and I finally found them and I LOVE them! I really dig the hat too. This is me just before the rodeo in Taylor for the 24th of July.