Fourth of July

The Fourth of July started out early for us. 5a.m. for the hot air balloon races at Fox field. The kids were great sports and promised to take a nap this afternoon if we took them down. (naps, of course, did not happen!) Nate loved being so close to the balloons!

Tradition says sausage biscuits with grape jelly from McDonald's are a must and a family favorite.

We meet up with the Griffiths while we were there and then all piled into Grandma and Grandpa's truck for a quick drive over to the parade route.

Thank goodness for this cutie! Braden you are the best! Thanks for hangin out with the crazies all night for our sweet spot again.

"Let Freedom Ring!"

Stella's first parade. This is how the real cutest baby winners rock the parade!

Still, after all these years the Jet's are our very, VERY, favorite part.

Milo, Lucy, Josie, Gracie, and Emi

Anything from BYU is the kids favorite

Barrett, nice enough to share his hat with Lu.

We headed to Neil and Hilary's for fireworks and BBQ. Neil makes the best ribs ever and this year was no exception!

Water Fight!

Hilary does a fishing pond that my kids look forward to every year. They score big time!

Lucy and Nate love stomping on poppers.

Highlights:

*Balloons with the kids and the ornery lady obsessed with people staying behind the white line!

*Loosing Nate at the parade! NOT COOL. (do you know how hard it is to find your two year old boy in a red shirt at the parade, on the 4th?)

*Lisa's breakfast bars in the shade, lounging on the love sacs. Best seat in the house!

*A quick nap with Ryan

*BBQ with cousins, water fight, catching frogs

*Ryan's yummy red, white and blue fruit salad complete with watermelon stars! Nice job babe!

*The neighbors fireworks attacking us spectators! Also not cool! Thankfully, not too many burns :/

*A million glow in the dark necklaces-and Ethan getting the "glo"  in his eyes!

*Loraine's "seriously-the-best" homemade Vanilla Ice cream.

*Craig and Neil's fantastic firework show! Amazing! You guys impress us every single year!

*Thankful again Ryan won't spend that much money on fireworks.

*Coming home to our deserted street because our area is in a restricted firework zone!

Fourth of July!

(With my camera broken, here's the best we can do for pics for now...)

Tyler, Josh and Emily were brave enough to get up for the Hot Air Balloons at 6 a.m.

Then we headed over to the Parade to join the rest of the cousins. Thanks Braden for sleeping out and getting us the great seats again.

Then up to bountiful for a BBQ with the Atkinson's and the coolest cul-de-sac of fireHilary let Tyler run the fishing pond! My kids love this tradition!

Tyler's Harry Potter impression.The Two Crazy Pyro's! Thanks for an awesome show!Highlights:

*Ryan's Deluxe Hamburgers on Saturday, smoked Brisket on Sunday, Fall apart Ribs on Monday! (were done with meat for awhile)

*Mom's fruit tart dessert and yummy french toast breakfast with strawberries, blueberries and powdered sugar.

*Sleeping on the tramp with the kids

*Broken A/C and not one complaint from the kids!

*Walking to Gas and Go with my Dad for drinks and treats for the kids.

*The amount of people who can be crammed into a McDonalds on the 4th and still able to give fast service!

*Thankful my husband won't spend THAT much money on fireworks!

*The amazing people who serve our country and provide us with the freedoms that we enjoy!