4th of July Weekend

How what fun it is to celebrate holidays with the ones you love. This holiday weekend was no different. It started Friday night with a community event at the local park. I have lived in West Bountiful for most of my life and this is the first year that I have ever gone over to the celebrations in the park. What made it even better was that I was going with friends and just happened to come across others friends there as well.

At this event they had a local band, which happened to include my bishop, food, snow cones, glow sticks, bounce toys, and lots of people. Melissa, Merissa, Taryn and I arrived at the park and found a lovely spot in the grassy field to lay out our blankets. We made sure it was in the shade and started enjoying the oldies music that was being played by the band. We took a few moments to look around and realized that we knew a few of the other people there. Some of them we new from being neighbors and others we knew from being involved in our new wards. It was fun to seem there and be a part of the community. Our group had brought some food with us and proceed to eat our dinner. Then we choose to play cards. We ended up playing Nerts which is always fun and entertaining. Especially when you are teaching new people to play it. After a few rounds of cards and listening to some great music we decided to move our blankets over to a spot to watch the fireworks. Once settled in we had Maryann come and join us and began to talk about things we could do this summer. There are surprisingly a lot of things one can do if they are wiling to get involved and look into thing in the communities. Things such as concerts in the park, movie at the capital, fairs, rodeos, and festivals. Around ten o'clock the fireworks started and they were fun to watch. My favorite ones are the ones that make the big "boom" noise when they go off. I have always loved them. When they were over we found our way to the car and headed back home. It was a great way to spend the night and one that I would be happy to do again.

Saturday started off with me going to work where I hung out with my students, hung up summer decorations, and played with toys. Not a bad day at work if you ask me. From there I headed home and then headed up to Park City with my mom's side of the family. When we got there everyone was off doing different things. I decided to go to the outlets with Ben and Wendi. We spent the next few hours walking through the stores and buying things for Breckin. The only other person who got something was Ben and he got a pair of shoes. I think we found more joy in finding cute clothes for Breckin then we did for ourselves. After the outlets we went to Micheal's and walked around to kill some time. and if you know me, you know that it is a bad idea to take me to a craft store. I like crafts and projects way to much to ever be set loose in them. You should be proud to know though, that I left the store a while later without buying on thing. I did however take Ben down all 3 isles of cake stuff and tell him everything I wanted and what they all did.

Once we left the store we went back up to the condo and helped get things ready for dinner. Ben was once again in charge of cooking the hamburgers and hot-dogs. The rest of us cut cheese, tomatoes, and onions, cooked corn, cleaned and moved tables, and ran up and down the stairs from the condo to the patio about a thousands times. We then gathered around and ate our delicious food. It is always fun to gather together and see everyone in the family. It was especially fun beacuse our cousins from Hawaii where there this time as well. After dinner a bunch of us changed and went swimming in the pool and hot tub. It was a great evening and one that will be repeated again.

Sunday was a day of relaxing and going to church. It was nice to just hang out and enjoy the weather and the day and not have to rush off to anywhere. Monday was a great day. I started it off with a bike ride on the Legacy Trail. I had never been biking on the trail before and it was fun to go along and see the surrounds and feel the morning air. I saw many fellow bike riders and runners and just smiled because we all choose the same way to enjoy our morning. After my ride I headed over to the church and helped my mom out with the tri-ward breakfast. They help put it on each year and it is always fun to go over and see the members of the home ward that I grew up with. After the breakfast I spent a relaxing afternoon cleaning my room and reading a book. That night I went to a BBQ with Jessica and Taryn at Taryn's house with her family, where I once again ate a Hamburger and laughed a whole lot. After dinner we played Just Dance and then roosted Marshmallows for smores. Then we watched the fireworks that were going off around the neighborhood. From their back yard we had quite a view and had a great time moving around in circles to see them all.

All in all it was a great weekend full of friendship, family, and love. It was a great way to spend the 4th of July and to remember all that we have because of the people who are willing to fight for and defend our freedom. How grateful I am for this country that we live in and all that it stands for. I could never forget the people who died to make it this way.