I love the 4th of July. I love the history, the traditions, the celebrations, the excitement, pretty much everything about it. And, to top it off, I spent my 4th of July in Provo, UT. I've said it before, but Provo KNOWS how to do the 4th of July. I've never experienced a 4th of July quite like it anywhere else. There is so much hype and excitement you just can't help but feel proud to be an American.
I mean where else can you do fireworks pretty much the whole week before and after, including, for the first time ever, aerial fireworks! This year was the first year aerial fireworks were legal in Utah and people went kind of crazy with it. I think Utahans probably spent a collective bazillion dollars on fireworks this 4th of July.
And, where else do people camp out for the 4th of July parade? I don't mean set out some chairs the night before and go home and sleep in your comfy bed, in your air conditioned house. I mean CAMP OUT. With tents and air mattresses and barbecues staking your spot roadside. This picture is from last year early on in the day before the parade - trust me it got even more intense. Whole families sleep out on the street in their tents. It pretty much turned into a city wide, night long party right outside my building, because I live on the parade route.
And don't think I didn't participate, even though I think it's delightfully crazy, because I definitely participated. On Saturday night I watched Stadium of Fire from the roof of my building after climbing up a precariously placed stack of tables and a ladder. On Sunday I played games, did sparklers, talked, laughed, went to Denny's at 1 in the morning (you know when you're tired and everything is a bazillion times funnier...yeah), watched The Sandlot in a tent, and finally collapsed into bed at 4am. After a full 3 hours of sleep I was awakened by the cheering for the Freedom Run. Personally, I thought everyone making noise should have their freedom revoked, but that's not what America is about...I guess. Monday was full of parade watching, resting on the couch, fireworks buying, barbecue preparing, eating, games, explosions, and celebrating.
We (meaning, Brooke, Kelsie, Elsa, Brian, Brandon, Matt, and I) had an awesome barbecue at Elsa and Brian's house. Brooke, Kelsie, Elsa and I all decided that it made us feel very grown up organizing our own barbecue. We had good food, played Scattergories and Pit, did fireworks, and made smores.
Overall it was an amazing 4th of July.
This is also from last year. They handed out newspapers with a "name the presidents in order" activity. And, I did it without any help. I just needed to make sure the world saw the documentation of my success.
(I'll add more pictures from this year as soon as I get them from Kelsie and Elsa...probably)
