This year we started the celebration on the 2nd with the annual Riverton parade. Ever since my family moved to Riverton, we have been going to the parade. It is a big deal and people line the streets with their chairs a week before the parade to get the "prime spot" to watch the parade. My great parents go and put up the chairs to save our seats, so that we are on the front row and in the shade for most of the parade. All of my siblings and their families come and participate. The kids love the parade. There is candy that gets thrown out along with small toys of some sort. They always leave with a bag full of candy and toys.
Kali getting ready for the parade to begin
Jarel, Tyler, Makena and Kali
Makena enjoying the parade
Tyler watching the parade
Tyler taking a rest, getting a drink. It was a hot day.
Tyler looking in the cooler for ice. He wasn't interested in the parade, he just wanted the ice to eat.
Makena posing for the camera
Kali watching the parade
Watching the parade go by
Tyler eating a piece of taffy
Ryan enjoying his treats
Gretchen
At one point in the parade, a radio station came by and Ryan got up and started dancing. It was very cute
Grandpa and Kali
Tyler eating ice
Grandpa, Kali and Makena enjoying the parade
Horses from the parade. Makena loves the horses, and watching them go by.
After the parade ends, which is usually about 2 hours long, we head on over to Grandma and Grandpa Boyack's for snacks and fireworks. We had yummy watermelon and ice-cream and when it got dark, the fireworks began. Makena and Tyler loved the fireworks, but Kali hated them. She didn't want anything to do with them and just wanted to be held, hide and plug her ears.
Tyler showing me his snap
Kali plugging her ears while the fireworks were going on
Tyler popping the snaps with his feet
Makena doing snaps
Tyler stepping on snaps
On Saturday the 3rd, we woke up and I made breakfast. The girls were surprised when they got red pancakes and blue milk. At first, Makena didn't want to drink her milk, but with some encouragement she tasted it and found out that it was yummy. She drank it all up. They loved getting colored pancakes and ate up their entire meal!!
Makena and Kali with their breakfast
Kali and Makena
Tyler eating his breakfast
That afternoon we went to the Riverton park to play some BINGO and do the haystack dive. BINGO is huge at Riverton Town Days. There is always a big crowd that shows up to play. We played for 2 hours and Jarel and I both won. I won a gift card to Artic Circle and Jarel won a big squirt gun. It was a lot of fun. Grandpa and Grandma Boyack didn't have the luck that we did.
After the BINGO game, we headed to an animal show to see reptiles and then we went over to the haystack dive for the kids. There were alot of kids this year ready to get treats and toys. The girls got their bags ready and when the fire engine sounded, they were off collecting their treats. They were really cute at helping eachother get candy and when they had enough, they came out and let the other kids get more. It was crazy to see some of the parents getting really mad at their kids because they weren't picking up candy fast enough. I just let my kids go and do it on their own and they know when they are done. Kali came out smiling and was so happy to get gummy hamburgers and Makena was happy she got taffy and some flag balls.
We couldn't pass up on the cotton candy or snow cones while we were there. I love going with my parents to the parade and park to celebrate!
Makena at the haystack dive
Tyler asleep in the stroller. He was awake the whole time of BINGO, but once the fun began, he fell asleep. The girls did share their treats with him when he woke up.
Makena looking for treats
Kali putting a treat in her bag
Kali searching for treats
On July 4th, we went to Jarel's parents to visit and do fireworks. This year, Kim and Courtney and the kids were in town and Makena was thrilled to go see Allicen. They play so well together and had a great time. Everyday, Makena would wake up asking if we were going to see Allicen. So we planned some time for them to play and Makena also got to sleep over at Grandma's so that she could sleep by Allicen.
Grandma and Tyler watching the fireworks
Makena and Allicen
Allicen and Makena
Kali hiding in the blanket from the fireworks. She was better with these fireworks, but still didn't really enjoy them. She was brave at one point and ventured out of the blankets to go by Dad and pick out fireworks that Courtney lit for her.
Makena and Allicen
We finished off the fun weekend on Monday with a trip to see Toy Story 3 with Grandma and Grandpa Hathaway, Brent, Chelsea, Zoe, Jenn, MacKenzie and Hudson. The kids saw the movie the week before with Grandma and Grandpa Boyack, but they didn't mind seeing it again and were so excited that Dad got to come and watch it with them. They did great during the movie and sat there and watched the whole thing!
Makena and Kali in front of the Toy Story 3 set up
After the movie we went to Chick-Fil-A for dinner and let the kids run around in the play land.
Kali decided that the "wet floor" sign was much more fun than the toys were.
It was a fantastic weekend. I am grateful for the freedoms that we have, for the wonderful country that we live in, for the men and women that serve our country so that we can enjoy our freedoms and for our awesome families!
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