Independence Day

Are you ready for the most photos you've every seen on the fourth of July? 

Because today was a long, full day.
[Aleksi and Cassie, both, advised me not to post them all - but let's be realistic]

 We woke up at the butt crack of dawn to start off the fourth of July celebration.

6:00a.m. 

That's like asking Hermione Granger not go to the library for one day.

Incredibly difficult and unlikely. 

However, we managed to leave on time.

Our first scheduled festivity was to watch the hot air balloons of Provo launch. 

We parked, walked to the launch site with half the population of Provo, and picked a spot to sit.

We bought doughnuts last night for this morning.

Krispy Kreme. 

Come delizioso!

At first there were only a few, 

but one by one hot air balloons were slowly coming to life. 

Remax. 

Bank of America. 

A pig. 

Coca-cola. 

and my favorite, 

Darth Vader. 

It was really cloudy, 

we were mostly worried that it would start to rain. 

But rain wasn't the issue. 

Wind. 

After all the balloons were blown up, the national anthem was sung, 

and everyone was excited for the big launch,

it was announced that it was too windy for the balloons to take flight. 

So bummed. 

It was cool to see all the balloons, 

but seeing them take flight would've been incredible.

I got these photos the other day, 

Aleksi woke me up early because she saw them in the air. 

I should've taken more. 

Oh well. 

You see why this is the story of our lives. 

From the launch site, 

we walked to the Provo Fourth of July Parade area. 

It's just American to go to a parade. 

We almost argued with a very nice lady who was saving a spot for her no-where-in-sight friends, 

but for the sake of the celebration, 

we bit our tongues. 

Which was good because we found a pretty good spot across the street from her. 

So we could give her dark stares and roll our eyes, 

but we didn't. 

 Remember way back at the UF Homecoming Parade? 

Well, I thought I took a ton of photos then. 

That's got nothing on me now. 

Nothing.

It's the new lens, I swear. 

Now, not only do I take an overwhelming amount of photos, 

but I keep a better half of them, 

instead of taking and deleting like I used to.

[and yes, there was a pre-parade for the grand parade]

The hour long intermission was over,
and so the Grand Parade began.

 

We're models alright.
No, Cassie and Aleksi will probably hate that I put these up.
I've given up trying to please them,
it's just as likely as Hermione learning to fly a broomstick.
They're were tons of detailed floats, 

but my favorite was the army of Star Wars clones all holding flags of the fifty states.

Maybe it's just because the Star Wars series are in my top three favorite series. 

[Next to Harry Potter -obviously - and X-Men]

 

We all loved seeing the little karate kids,

 movie characters [Harry Potter and Ron?! - they didn't come close to us, so they weren't my favorite],
hula dancers, the bag pipers, and the missionaries.
Yes, only in Utah would all the missionaries in the MTC be in the parade,
pretty awesome though.

I'm telling you, this parade was the real thing.
Horse trick girl.
Every school band in the county.
and Uncle Sam.
Believe or not we left before the end,
what can I say - I like taking photos.

Phase three of our Independence Day celebration,
Barbeque with Cortney's family and Hannah.
We got the grill fire roaring, watermelon cut, beans baked, and corn sweetened.
It was a mouth watering, American summer meal.
Only fit for the day.

We grilled our hot dogs, ate our watermelon, and appreciated
being in this great free country.
What a blessing it is to have been born in a country where we are given so much.
God bless America.

Our feast was grand.
Cortney's sister-in-law, Krystyna, made a dessert tart that was supreme.
Her and Tyler's baby, Saron, was the life of the party.
Such a funny baby.

Such blue eyes.
She'd cry, then laugh.
When I held her, she was silent, no expression.

 After waking up so early and having such an eventful morning,
we were all exhausted.
One by one we fell asleep.
We woke up to go have another BBQ at a neighbors and then left to see fireworks at Thanksgiving Point.
We drove there, I pulled out my camera, and you'll never guess what I forgot.
My chip.
I've lost count how many times I've done this.
But on the fourth of July, before the fireworks.
It about killed me.
So zero firework photos.
It was a spectacular show with many beautiful, sparkling fireworks against the mountain side.
Can't win'em all.

We came home,
some more disappointed than others,
but what better than a thousand sparkler photos to help cheer up.
"Max, you can't tell me this doesn't just make you happier."
I can't lie, it really does.

 "Initials!"

 "MTC"

 Happy Independence Day!

 "Light post in Narnia"

 "Hogwarts!"

 "Birds?"

I love my family.
I love my freedom.
and I love my country.