Pioneer Day

We had a super busy and fun Pioneer Day today.  As has become tradition in our ward, we had the Primary pioneer day parade followed by pancake breakfast.  Kent was helping with the breakfast over at Sertoma Park, and he told Brandt (while I wasn't around) that they could go over to the park together and Brandt didn't have to march in the parade.  Because he was going with Kent, Blythe insisted on going with Kent too, so neither of them marched.  I wasn't happy about it because I feel strongly that we should support church activities, so I took pictures while the paraders marched by and then walked over to the park for breakfast.

The kids have stopped to pick up candy being thrown my a neighbor.

Breakfasting youths Brandt, Jarom, Sam, Blythe, Evan  Runia (in blue bandana) and Quinton Drake

Kent and John McClurg

After breakfasting and visiting with our good neighbors, we went down to North Park for Pioneer Day festivities.  They always have lots of booths and kid friendly activities, including face painting, hatchet throwing, panning for gold, butter churning, and rope pulling.  We took a "wagon" pulled by a 4x4 ride, and listened to a musical group perform.  We toured the pioneer village and passed off a cub scout requirement by visiting a "historic spot" in our city.  All in all, a rather delightful event.

At the face painting booth, we ran into our sweet neighbor Lily Stice.

She painted Blythe's face!

In the afternoon/evening, we gathered with the DeMartinis for swimming and a barbecue.  Eugene and Sharae and their kids were not there because they were at a Cleverly family reunion, but all the rest of us swam.  It was fun to be with everyone, and we all had a great time.  We love being with family.

 

Mom did dinner preparations while we swam.  

She watched Cora and talked to us as we splashed around.

Even the dog swam.

Following are pictures of "tricks" into the pool.

We made Donovan wear floaties to swim with us, 

and he had a great time.

He swam all over the pool with the big kids, and was on all the big floats too.

Off the trampoline!

Mikayla took these pictures of me jumping into the pool.

I take great comfort in knowing that all of three people read my blog, 

and one of them is the sister who took the pictures.

They aren't the best photos of me ever.

I hit my bum on the bottom of the pool.

Ooch!

I was relaxing on the watermelon when Blythe swam over and flipped me off.

So I threw her away.

Then we got on together.

I love my mischievous  Miss B!

After swimming and a delicious dinner--barbecue chicken, corn on the cob, fruit, homemade rootbeer--we had a very small fireworks show.  The boys were able to light everything, and we adults sat on the grass and watched.  Much, much, much smaller than the Fourth fireworks show, but nothing burned to the ground, so it was all good.

 

This is as wild as it got.

Happy Pioneer Day!