The Fourth of July

Ah! The Fourth of July.  Practically my very most favorite holiday.  The kids too.  It means fireworks and swimming and fireworks and junk food and the parade and late nights and fireworks and cousins and fireworks.  We started fireworks early this year, and if the children had their way, we'd do them every night until school started (and likely beyond).  Below are some pictures of small fireworks we did in the front yard, nothing too grand and not too late at night, and on July 2nd.  But we let the children light them, flame and sparks and high pitched noises came out, so everyone was thrilled (except Kent, who doesn't like fireworks and wishes I wouldn't ever buy them).  

This is an example of attentive parenting.

Brandt is doing the boy's dance of delight around the flaming pyre.

I know it's not a pyre, but the expression on our boy's face is the same as it would be if this was a pyre.

Blythe is watching from a safer distance.

This is the huge pile of dirt currently in our driveway.

The neighbors down the street are building a house and this is some of the dirt from their excavation.

We got it to help with our deck/patio project.

Turns out we don't need any dirt.

Kent is going to post on KSL classifieds "Free Dirt" and hope someone will come and haul it away for us.

In the meantime, it's a huge plaything for the children and creates a mess in the house every single day. 

It also holds fireworks.

Last year I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning reserving a parade spot on Center Street.  Some neighbors have their business down there and generously invite anyone in the ward who wants to come sit with them to do so.  They have a snow cone machine and people bring treats to share, and it becomes a big party as the parade goes by.  This year I did the same again.  In company with Maureen Ogles, Elizabeth Elder, and MacKenzie Drake, I sat from 11pm to 3am chatting and playing cards.  Although it is in the middle of the night and makes me very tired throughout the day, I love having a great parade watching spot, and I love spending time with my friends.  We really did have a good time and all vowed to do it again next year.  Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking entirely clearly and forgot to take a picture of the four of us.

After a bit of sleep, we all went down to the parade.  Eugene and Sharae and their kids joined us, as well as many neighbors.  The kids were delighted to be with friends and cousins, watching the parade and eating snow cones and donuts and chips and the occasional grape I was able to force on them.

Neighbors to the left of me and 

neighbors to the right of me.

MacKenzie Drake (who played with me during the night) in in the middle in purple.

This was Brandt's favorite part of the parade.

The actors from Studio C all came by on scooters.

Brandt got to High-5 Matt Meese, and we heard all about that all day.

That's Jason in the red shorts.

And the Matt Meese High-5.

Matt is short so you can't see him very well.

Hailey Helquist was doing Frozen face painting on all the little girls.

[insert squeal of delight]

This city police officer gave all the kids a High-5.

Again, so exciting, although not as exciting as getting one from Matt Meese.

And a biker policeman too, but still not as exciting as Matt.

We heard all about Matt for a really long time.

And here we are, a happy family, on the Fourth of July.

Don't we look festive (or silly) in our matching flag shirts.

I wanted a picture of Brandt in this shirt.

He put it on just before we went to the parade, at 8:30, and here it is, filthy, at 11:30.

We went home and I threw it in the wash.

After the parade and a bit of lunch, we went over to Grandma Sue's to spend the rest of the day swimming and eating and fireworking.  while we were there, Brandt lost a tooth.  I had been wiggly and loose and sticking out at a funny angle, but Brandt likes to take the whole tooth thing slow, so it has been hanging around (literally) for a while.  Today, it just fell out, but it happened in the pool.  Brandt called to me to tell me it came out, but it was lost in all the water.  Miraculously, he found it later while swimming around.  I don't know how that could be possible, but it was recovered.  Unfortunately, Brandt didn't give it me and it was lost again, this time for good.  Oh well.  He didn't seem particularly heartbroken that the Tooth Fairy won't come.  (Just as a side note here, do you think the Tooth Fairy should come?)

Lost tooth number 4

After swimming and delicious food--including homemade vanilla and raspberry ice cream--we did fireworks.  Lots and lots of fireworks.  This year Christopher has run several firework stands, so there were five enormous shoot-offs of amazing stuff that shot over our heads and were very noisy.  The cul-de-sac filled with people all in immediate danger of being blown-up, but no one seemed to care.  Brandt, of course, LOVED it, as did all the little boys.  Well, all the big boys too.  So much firepower all in one spot.

Getting the fireworks show ready.

Here I am with my mom and siblings.

Dad's absence is always felt particularly strongly on the Fourth of July.

He loved this holiday and having all his people (and lots more) around him as we swam and lit up the night.

I miss him, but sure am glad I get to celebrate with these people.

Let the show begin!

Brandt was looking up at the explosions, 

then something fell and hit him on the forehead.

I can testify that lots of stuff rained down on us, and from not so far away.

As soon as the show was over, we leaped in the car and raced for home.  It is terrible to try and fight the traffic all involved in the Stadium of Fire, and if we stay for the Cul-De-Sac of Fire, we are on the wrong side of town.  We made it in good time and the children were cooperative about getting to bed, and as tomorrow is Saturday, we've instructed everyone to sleep late.