July 4th, Marlene & Grandma Visits

Wed. July 3, 2024 

We miss the big convenient fireworks show of Wellington, CO. We have yet to find a really good one here. Pat really wanted to make a day of it: drive to a good show... get there really early... and picnic and play until show time. But with family visiting, they all were not up for that. I didn't really want to spend the whole day separated just for a fireworks show (...and if I'm being honest, I wasn't too excited about all the work that would entail for me. Getting food, finding bathrooms, keeping kids (and myself!) entertained outside for that long. I'm kinda a party pooper and it's hard for me to put the work into things that might be uncomfortable/"unfun" for me).

We found a happy medium when we heard that you could watch fireworks from the field next to the church. I didn't love that the show was on the 3rd (honestly who does that?!?), BUT it was free & close! We were not prepared though for how many people showed up! Fortunately we got there with enough time to find a parking spot. I should've realized that easy free parking right next to the field where you can see fireworks attracts HUNDREDS of people. It was a little stressful finding a spot (Pat is particular about where he wants to sit, but I get nervous just plopping down in front of people who had been set up and waiting there longer than us). The show was fine. Not nearly as good as Wellington, but it was festive and helped us feel like we were really celebrating the holiday.

Thurs. July 4, 2024
 Lots of cousin game playing. I'm glad they get along because this is the whole reason we moved to Idaho! They can play with more than siblings, but I don't have to set up play-dates and drive long distances.

Making pancakes with Grandma. The children request pancakes when my mom visits, so I suppose it's now a tradition. It's funny how traditions are born. Often they're not very intentional. It's just something one does repeatedly at a certain time or with a certain person. I told mom that I bought a Kruteaz pancake mix because I thought they were really yummy at our ward camp out. Using the mix, my mom declared that she is going to use that from now ON; it was so much easier for her to make pancakes for a crowd of tweens.

 

Mom & Randy staying in a hotel for their visit. They were excited that the hotel had a pool and wanted the kids to come swim. It was a small pool, so it got pretty loud in there, but they had a lot of fun and it was good to get all their energy out.

Grant's sunburn "mustache" was hilarious.

I don't know who came up with this game (I'd imagine Grant?), but the kids played it a lot: The Color Game. Everyone in the pool things of a color. The person standing on the edge starts to call our different colors. If your color is picked, you have to make your way over to the other end of the pool. You want to get there before the caller jumps in and tags you. This is done by swimming as quietly as possible. Otherwise the caller knows they called someone's color and can jump in and tag them. They play variations with shapes, etc.

"Let's get a picture of everyone jumping into the pool!" haha

For the ACTUAL night of the 4th, our neighbors put on quite the show! So many people had really impressive fireworks that they set off in the neighborhood streets or the real ones that flew up above the houses. I really do feel a sense of community and patriotism as everyone cerebrates. Perhaps because what they buy for themselves actually ends up being shared with others.

 

Chase really wanted to set up a Sweets Shop, complete with choice of many-flavored snow cones and cotton candy.