Stars, Stripes and Sun

I love the smell of summer: sunscreen, BBQs, flowers, watermelon, fresh cut grass, firework smoke, wet dog, car exhaust from the Cruise In, etc, etc, etc.  OK, I guess not all the smells are especially pleasant but it sure does smell like summer is in full swing in Cache Valley. 

It was a great long weekend- and it was perfect weather the whole time!  The holiday celebrations started on Friday and most people are still dragging out their holiday through today.  Today we went to the Hyrum City parade.  I had never been before and it had been years and years for Kole but it was so festive and patriotic- I think we might have to make it an annual tradition.   It had a totally small town, "heart of America" feel to it and I love that.  It was pretty fun (and hot- but hey, that's what summer is supposed to be like) and basically every float and car threw out candy so it was like Halloween early. Good times.

The main fireworks were on Friday night, the annual Cruise In (one of the country's largest classic car shows and parades) was on Saturday and of course Sunday is a day of rest around here so there was basically nothing going on for us but family time. Tisk tisk, they should know better than to let the 4th of July fall on a Sunday in Utah!  Ha.  My Aunt Lori who came to visit from California couldn't believe that we don't do firework shows on Sundays in Utah.  OK, I know that is probably weird for everyone else in the country but around here it seems we have fireworks going on in some town almost every other day throughout the month of July so I think it balances out. 

Now on to the pictures...

We started out our weekend feeding the ducks at First Dam.

Mini pools and sprinklers = sunburns for my albino kids.  Oh well.  SPF 50 is our friend.  Eve is such a good big sister.  Here she is helping Jack get out of the pool.

Eve and her friend Jacqe.  She is such a flirt.  His mom, Lyssa, and I are good friends and we had a little BBQ at their house before we all headed off to watch the fireworks together that night.

Such cute kiddos.  Do my children even know how to look at the camera?  I'm guessing not.

Thanks to my friend Lyssa, we had a great place to watch the fireworks from and we didn't even have to fight for a place at the last minute like we do most years.  It was close enough to the stadium that the fireworks went off right in front of us and the kids were in awe.  And I love that it is only a short walk away from our house and we don't have to battle the crazy traffic.  It was awesome. 

It is important to be a princess every day of the year.

The lady in the bed is my Grandma Louise and hopefully you know the other two are me and my mom. My grandma lives in Southern California but she is going to be spending a couple months in Utah while she recovers from a surgery she had a few weeks ago. My mom and aunt drove her all the way from California in a motor-home this weekend. Right now my grandma is staying in a nursing home but hopefully she's be out into an assisted living center soon. My parents' house has too many levels for her to stay with them and my house is way too tiny. My mom had been in California helping her out and spending time with her for almost a month. I'm super glad she is back and I am also way happy to have my grandma here (even if it isn't under the greatest conditions). I hadn't seen my grandma in about 3 years and she had never met Jack. I am glad to be able to spend some time with her while she is here and I love that she now has the opportunity to get to know her great grandkids a little better.

My mom and my Aunt Lori.

Family picture with Kole's side of the family.

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boys- just being the monkeys they truly are.