Now that we've almost been here a year, it was time we got a Utah license plate for the 4Runner. As you can see by the exclamation point, "Utah!" is an exciting place to live and drive.

We've decided to let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, in regards to Shurik on the website. Well, it helped that a good portion of this roll consist of Shurik pics. We couldn't very well stick them behind the password and leave like three pictures in the new pics, could we? So, here you go - our summer of Shurik.

Shurik has moved in and is in control. Here he is in one of his favorite spots - Jordy's chair. A little tension between the males of the house? You be the judge.

One of the reasons Shurik likes the chair so much (aside from the fact that it aggravates Jordy) is that he can perch and watch the birds outside. "They can't see me, but I can see them," he thinks.

Being Shurik is hard work. After tearing around the house in his patented "Psycho Cat™" routine, it's time to chill in his cat bed (besides, Jordy reclaimed his chair).

Two for cross-stitching.

Soon, though, Shurik decides he's had enough of the stitching part. Time to mess with some thread.

Here Jordy helps train Shurik to help with the laundry. You can see him pushing the cart. This will save us time and energy once the snow starts falling. Good Shurik.

We have this little ritual called "Scoop the Poop" where we clean out the litter box every night. Shurik shows his appreciation of a clean litter box by depositing a fresh "almond Roca" much to Jordy's dismay. Has this cat any shame?!

Jordy was so frustrated...

Nah, but Shurik was quite curious about the weapons of mass destruction that appeared in the apartment prior to the Fourth of July.

You see, fireworks are legal here in Logan and we were going to take complete advantage of it. This cache is what all those inspectors are looking for over in Iraq.

And what better way to blow things up than with friends? Here the fireworks are assembled by the neatly made bed to greet our guests, Owen and Sce who came up for the weekend.

"You don't have any illegal fireworks there, do you?"

"Uh, no officer. Want to look?"

This really happened. He did look, and we didn't have any illegal fireworks. But the people down the block did, and we enjoyed them immensely.

Here Sce, Owen and Anna discuss the strategy for blowing things up.

It's the "Blair Witch Project" meets the "Ya-Ya Sisterhood." No, really it's just Jordy, Sce, and Owen enjoying the THREE FOOT LONG sparklers. Aww Yeah.

The next day we drove out to Fish Haven, Utah on Bear Lake where we had to stop at Le Beau's for their incredible raspberry milkshakes. They're so good that Owen felt the need to document the moment. So did we.

Goddamn, that's good.

It's been really hot here lately, and as a result everyone's plants in the community garden plots are going crazy.

"FEED ME, JORDY. FEED ME NOW!"

The giant sunflowers demand a sacrifice. We'll need another Mormon.

The tomatoes all have little tomatoes on them. They will all come ripe at the same time. Then we will ooze tomatoes from every pore.

Here Anna poses with the plants in the 100 degree heat.

To the left you can see Anna's sweet peas demanding more structure to climb on. And to the right...

...is the bok choy. One of the downsides of the heat has been that everything that could bolt, has. But that's what the farmer's market is for!

We have gotten much mileage out of the wonderful shallots we've been pulling and enjoying.

Notice anything different?

Hot days make for hot summer nights where the moon rises bright above mountains.

Rachel's coming out east next week for a visit, and we've got the camera locked and loaded with a roll of 36 shots.