4th of July

Happy Birthday, America!

What a fun 4th of July we had!  It actually started the night before, when the girls all went to a movie under the stars in Clearfield.  The boys stayed home - they didn't want to stay up too late -  and went to a park. 

We saw Dolphin Tale.  We had so much fun eating treats and cuddling up under lots of blankets.  While we were waiting for the show to start, a huge military tanker jet kept flying overhead very low.  It was awesome!  I've missed being close to Hill Air Force Base.  I LOVE jets!!!

Here's Nicki and I waiting for the show to start.  While we were waiting, there was lots of music and dancing and prize giving, etc.  You should have seen Nicole shake her tail feather!!!  What a great night!  We got home close to midnight.

The next morning, we attended the Kaysville city parade.  It was SMOKIN' HOT!!!  We didn't know until it was too late, but after the parade is officially over, the whole town (grown-ups and kids alike) pull out an arsenal of water guns and other squirting devices and have a city-wide water fight.  Even the city's fire trucks get in on the fun and go up and down the streets soaking everyone.  We didn't stay long because we were defenseless, but we'll be prepared next year!

Josh was in-and-out for most of the parade, but he still had a great time. He had more fun eating the licorice I brought and squirting the pavement with a squirt gun we brought to help cool ourselves off. 

Bronson and I in the street.  As soon as the parade started, everyone took to the streets - not just kids.  If you wanted to see anything, you had to stand up. 

We chose the Kaysville parade because it was one of the few local parades that still allows candy.  What would a parade be without kids running out in the middle of the road almost killing themselves for a tootsie roll!?!?

We had a bit of a sad moment when someone swooped in on a Frisbee that was obviously meant for Nicole.  She got over it eventually, but she still gets mad when she thinks about it.

After the parade, we came home for an all-American lunch, complete with these cool red white and blue drinks!!  The bottom is cranberry juice cocktail, the middle is diet Gatorade (blue of course) and the top is Sprite Zero.  The different sugar content in each drink allows them to sit on top of each other instead of mixing.

We also made red white and blue strawberries to bring to Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

We had a great hamburger cookout at Grandma and Grandpa Smith's house that night!  We had delicious food and tons of fun!!!  Katie's family was there and Kristin's came a little later - they were just coming home from a family vacation.  I love this picture of the Frisbee coming right at me!

We just hung out for a while, chatting and playing and eating - always eating... Dave had to work the next day, so he volunteered to take Bronson home for bed, but the rest of us stayed.

Then we went to the front yard and started watching the neighborhood fireworks.  My parents live in a great neighborhood!  Many families came out and watched each other's fireworks.  They shared their sparklers and pop-its with our kids.  My mom set up a card table full of red white and blue drinks and tons of candy and cookies and the whole neighborhood stopped by for a treat.  It was great fun!

We sat on the lawn and watched the neighborhood firework show.  I'm not sure all of them were legal, but it was a pretty amazing display for a neighborhood!  My sisters got a kick out of Alison.  She said, "Wait - we're going to watch fireworks in the dark?  I've never seen fireworks in the dark!"  It's true - we usually do a couple of small fireworks early in the evening, then scoot everyone off to bed.

I love this picture of the cousins! 

My aunt Sue and her family came over as it was getting dark.  Then, we all sat out in the street on lawn chairs and watched the REAL firework show.  My parents live in a great spot.  The Farmington fireworks go off literally on top of their house! It was GREAT.  Josh and Nicole only half-watched.  They were having more fun playing with their cousins and new neighborhood friends.  We let them stay up late to watch, but they were only slightly impressed.