OUR 4th of July

I started out the morning with a 5K Run, with some friends. Here are a few (right-Jodi, my good friend and YW president in my ward; left-Jamie, my cute friend and neighbor...she's a BIG time runner, so this was a breeze for her; and then her sister-in-law came too).

Last year I walked the 5K and felt much better about running it this year.

I couldn't believe how many people from our small city of Riverdale ran it.

I would guess somewhere around 200.

I thought it was actually a FUN way to start my day of celebration!

After the run was our BIG city parade (it lasted just about the perfect amount of time-40 minutes or so). The kids LOVE getting lots of candy and seeing a few familiar faces pass by.

We headed down to Utah county later in the day and spent the evening with Quinn's family.
Ame and cousin, Ella


Momma and her boy

Ash loved grandma's old small trampoline

And once we started lighting fireworks...the mischief began
(can you just see it in his face)

He kept trying to get to the firecrackers, from EVERY angle

all the kids took turns CHOOSING which one they wanted Uncle Kaleo to light next

Once in while Kaipo took a front row SEAT to check things out

We had tried to (last minute) get stadium of fire tickets, but had no luck.

The BIG draw this year was Miley Cyrus. Ame was VERY bummed she didn't get to go!

But we still had a FULL day of FUN, with friends and family.

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I tried to take a few minutes and explain the importance of this day with my kids,

why we celebrate and what FREEDOM really means. It is a huge concept for kids to understand, and appreciate.

I did a little googling and researching, myself, to spend a little time contemplating this

momentous day and its oh so important meaning.

Here are few thoughts that touched me:

The story of the birth of the United States is thrilling and inspiring,

full of heroes and their words and deeds.

With these memorable words, Thomas Jefferson, at the age of 33, laid the cornerstone of

the United States of America.

We hold these truths to be self-evident,that all men are created equal,

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,

that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

John Adams said this in a letter to Abigail Adam:

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore.

AND SO WE DID!

To all those We love ... Hope you had a Happy 4th of July
(we missed you Grandma and Grandpa Asplund-WE LOVE YOU)