So Lucy woke up with a puffy eye that morning! ): Poor thing! She looked like Quasimodo, or the kids said she looked like Sloth from Goonies. We think she got a mosquito bite by her eye, but it was so swollen, she looked so sad!
They had a fire engine and fire fighters to talk to and Em and Cal loved that! Thanks to all of the firefighters in the west who have been working non-stop lately to get all of these wild fires under control!
Then Grandpa Scott, Grandma Di, Amber, Mark & Mayela came and we played with glow sticks and talked until the fireworks show started. It was a great show and lasted a long time. Forgive the pun, but it was more bang for our buck!
The mornin' of the Fourth, we woke up and ate baked blueberry french toast, and then went to the Centerville Parade. The kids love parades...and who doesn't really? One thing that is getting on my nerves recently though is how commercial parades are becoming. Just like everything else. But,they had many veterans in the parade and I always love standing, clapping and telling them thank you. Without them, what would America be, anyway? They also had some sweet cars and monster trucks, a few good marching bands, and lots of salt water taffy.
Then the cousins came over. We made some little flag/star wands and played. Cal and Kaison had a fun time playing with my phone... (: Those crazy boys! I love Kaison's face in this second picture.
This year, thanks to all of the wild fires, fireworks have been banned in our area. So, we decided to do a mentos fountain instead... They can ban our fireworks but can't ban our fun!
That afternoon, it was up to Aunt Lois & Uncle Keith's for swimming and a BBQ. Emma's now really loving water and becoming less afraid. Cal's always been that way and kept trying to jump in without anyone to assist him. Lucy even loved swimming this day, unlike last time! The kids had fun swimming with Amber and Grandpa. Mark tried teaching Mayela how to swim, so that was cute. Dave and I did our usual races (I won, I won!) and then we even did some cannonballs, much to the delight of the kids.
Then we had a classic BBQ with hot dogs and hamburgers, salad and fruit, chips, and Grammie's root beer. That night, I started getting sick and I got pink eye - yikes! Then Dave and my mother-in-law Sue all got some nasty thing, probably thanks to me. I have no idea where I got that but it was bad!
After that, we were off to meet the Ryerses at Davis High School for the best firework show, ever! I love it! We ran into some old friends, the Stratfords, and it was fun to see them. We played games, ate the real deal peanut butter popcorn, talk, and played with glowsticks like usual. I love summer traditions!
The Sunday after Independence Day, we went to my parents ward. A sweet 8-ish year-old-boy sang "America the Beautiful". It was so sweet and clear. As he was singing, I was thinking, he is what America is. The children are what America is. They're our future. Don't we owe it to them to keep it beautiful and good and dedicated to God like it should be?
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!
O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
