4th of July

 Happy Birthday America! 

 We spent our Independence Day running here and there, and had a wonderful time!  In the morning, we headed to Show Low to enjoy their annual parade.  I don't understand it, but nearly every year I am convinced that the parade starts at 10am, yet it really starts at 9am.  So, nearly every year we are rushing and hurrying out the door to make it on time.  Maybe I will remember next year, we will see.  The parade was nicely done with some good floats.  The kids liked Zorro on a horse, Ronald McDonald, and of course, the Smokey the Bear float.  It was HOT, and they threw more candy then any one person should ever consume.  Every other float had the 'good idea' to hand out Otter Pops.  After eating at least 2 or 3 a piece, we still ended up taking about a dozen of them home to put in the freezer.  Also notice the UN-patriotic colors we were all sporting.  In my defense, there were tons of activities and things planned all the weekend before, and the kids, and David and I had already used up all our red, white and blue stuff.  Sorry!  =)

So, after the parade ended, we headed back toward home.  We planned a very impromptu picnic at our house, on the way home and had Eva, Mathan, their 4 kids, and Andrew over.  We stopped and picked up a few pizzas (gotta love Little Ceasers), Eva and Mathan got a couple sub sandwiches and we had a thrown together, yet nice spread of some yummy lunch.  The kids had fun spending time with their cousins running in and out of the house.  The weather had cooled off, and we enjoyed some cloud cover, and even a few sprinkles. 

We all sat in the shade and talked for a couple hours, and then the Tenneys and Uncle Andrew headed home. We met up with our very good friends the Stradlings at Pioneer Park and had a BBQ with lots of friends. {No pictures, sorry!}  The food was DELICIOUS (it was a steer that they had just butchered), and the company was great.  We love the Stradlings, and the kids just LOVE playing together.  Such a relaxed, real family. 

Straight after the BBQ at the park we headed toward Holbrook.  We set up a blanket and a few chairs right off the highway and watched a fun fireworks show.  We met up again with Eva, Mathan and their kiddos, and had some fun together.  With firecrackers now legal in Arizona, there were TONS of them going off all around us.  It was LOUD, but fun for the kids. 

Here is Aubrey and sweet baby Lilly.  She is just 3 weeks old in this shot and such a beauty!  Don't mind Aubrey's hair.  It had been a big day.

After the fireworks, we loaded back up, and headed home.  The kids were ALL asleep before we hit the Woodruff turn off!  (That is only about 7 miles, for those of you that don't know).  It was a BIG day, full of fun, sun, rain, friends, candy, food, and family!  Just as it should be...

Hope you all had a great 4th,

and God bless this wonderful nation!!