Independence Day

Usually we love to go eat breakfast at Eden Park on the morning of the 4th of July, and then the kids decorate their bikes and ride around the block and it's cute and festive and fun and done real quick. But then we had covid which knocked out a lot of the old traditions. I wasn't sure if anything was happening at the park until the day before, which meant we had made other plans for the morning, but we did have time to grab some breakfast right at the start. It was simplified from years past, but it was still festive and tasty, thanks to the Vauses and Gerritsens for keeping the thing alive!

Our "other plans" involved meeting up with most of the Elwoods in Hyrum for their main street parade. Ever since last year when we watched the Hyrum parade and Sam saw the kids run by for the Main Street Mile before it started, he has wanted to do it, too. He even made a goal this year to "run a mile" and what better time to do it than on a straight, mostly downhill course with a huge crowd to cheer you on? So we got him signed up the morning of the parade and he hung out at the starting line with Gregg (it was near where the fam had staked out some shade) while I booked it a mile down the road to the finish line to meet him at the end. He was cookin'! He ran it in 8:55! I was so impressed. (And he was stoked, too!) He grabbed his ice cold water bottle at the finish and then we headed back up the mile he just came down to be with everyone to watch the parade (and gather candy). What a guy!

And he's off!

And he's pumped!

Cousins ready for the parade to start!

Here he comes!

This man, who happens to be Michael's old
scout leader, is the man behind the Main Street
Mile. He was calling out the time and cheering
the kids (and adults) over the finish line.

YES!

He's off to turn in his name tag sticker
and pick up his water bottle.

After the parade, we headed back to my parents' house for a backyard picnic, where we stayed for the rest of the day. We made rootbeer, and ate yummy pulled pork sandwiches and salads. The kids splashed in the pool and we moved around the tree with the shade. We talked and laughed and ate again. Then we went home before dark. Gregg and I watched the Liberty fireworks from our bed - haha!

While I was waiting at Macey's for dry ice I just had to laugh
at this giant (and very patriotic) display of canning lids. Remember
2020 when they were impossible to find?! Shouldn't be too hard this year!

Sam, Sam, the rootbeer man.

Candy queens.

Pool party!

Bedside fireworks. Perfect.