Pioneer Day!

Warning: 

****Major Photo Overload!****

As many of you know and for those who do not, July 24th is a HUUUUGE holiday here in Utah. It is the day we celebrate our Utah ancestors and therefore refer to this day as "Pioneer Day"! When Brigham Young stood on the hill and pointed to this valley and said, "This is the place!" He wasn't kidding! Little did they know that the locust filled fields they once prayed for would one day become the major route for one of the finest parades around!

We started the day off by attending the parade downtown. We arrived a few minutes late thinking we were going to get crappy seats. Low and behold, there was an area taped off for police officers and their family members, which we just happened to be. Thanks to good ol' Sgt. Dan Holmes! We sat front row under a nice canopy! 

Let's get started! The police motorcade is always at the beginning of the parade. They ride in sync and do all sorts of cool tricks on their motorcycles.  I love this part!

Crazy clowns freak me out. He was no exception.

Wes is helping Emerson get a good look at all the festivities or possibly trying to draw his attention away from crazy clowns.

Me and E. He thought the parade was wicked awesome, just like mom and dad!

I want to sit atop a huge caterpillar with a flower hat just like this kid!!  No fair!

Aren't these floats great!? It takes a huge team of amazing people, a boat load of money and a lot of time and patience to put something like this together. 

I guess they won't be asking me to be on the committee any time soon.

After we hit the parade, we traveled over the river and through the woods to Wallsburg, Utah to meet up with Colett and her family, my parents, and Ralph and Jackie's family. It is a small town hidden between Heber and Sundance and is the home to Ralph and Jackie Yarro's vacation home. Even though they are my brother-in-law's (Matt) family, they feel like my own! We do many things with this family and even find ourselves spending most of our holidays with them so we felt it appropriate to spend this one with them too! The town does a great celebration with a parade, BBQ in the park, kid games, rodeo and talent show! There is nothing more American than a small town celebration! 

The whole town gathers here in this park to kick of the Pioneer Day events!

Emerson being center of attention!

This game was hilarious! They released a bunch of chickens and bunnies into the rodeo arena and then let the kids loose! Whoever catches a chicken or bunny can take it home as a pet!

Nick didn't catch one, but someone gave him their chicken. It is living a peaceful and happy life at the Yarro's place in Wallsburg.

Isabelle and Amelia participated in the "dress a goat" contest!

Isabelle taking a much needed sugar break. I don't think a celebration is complete without cotton candy!

Amelia was adorning us all with the foam stickers she had won from playing the kids games. Stickers on the face meant that you were a princess!

Oh so pretty!

Nick and Tanner dared to go down this death trap. I think this slide and the rest of the playground is circa 1914. It was also about 200 degrees. Toasty buns Nick?

Hanging out in the shady grass. 

Amelia and Sydney eating flavorless snow cones. They were free and who doesn't like something for free?

Sooooo cool in fun foam glasses!

After the Wallsburg adventure, we all packed up and drove to Provo to go swimming at the Yarro's house. There is something about a pool that makes you feel like a kid again! The water was so refreshing after being in the hot sun all day. 

Wes and Nick in a water fight. Wes can seriously plug his nose simply by pressing his upper lip against it! Crazy!

E. in the kiddie pool! He did o.k. until someone would start splashing, then panic 

mode would set in! Toughen up, dude!

Sitting at the pool house and taking a break from such a hard day!

Colett and I having a handstand contest in the pool!

Wes sporting a good look and a sweet farmer's tan!

While at the pool, my sister Colett and I decided to show off our polygamist hairstyles. It is Pioneer Day after all! How did she get so pro at this?

THEN....after a good swim and some delicious pasta, we said goodbye to all the Yarro's and my parents. We ventured back to Salt Lake to meet up with our friends Andrew and Holly. They had just flown back into town after a long vacation in Hawaii! Lucky!  We had dinner at our special place and then headed to Liberty park to see the fireworks. It is a spectacular show and if you can brave the tremendous amounts of dirty people who enjoy beer bongs, not visiting the dentist and combing their mullets, then you are one of us! Seriously, we were outside in a park and my hair reeked of cigarettes! We were a minority in every way, shape and form! It was quite entertaining!

I could not resist taking advantage of this sweet opportunity. On the walk to the park, I noticed this swing in someones tree! I think I need one now!

This is Wes and Andrew throwing what they believe to be "gang signs". 

They felt the need to fit in with our surroundings! 

Can someone please tell me how to take a good picture of fireworks?

So tan and refreshed....straight off the beach! 

Our little family! It was 11:00 and Emerson was calling it quits.

BFF! Nuff' said!

It was seriously one of those days where you lay in bed at night with a smile on your face because you can't stop thinking of how perfect your day was!

We are so lucky to be part of this great state and for all that our ancestors sacrificed. What strong and dedicated people they were and we are very thankful for all they endured to make a better life for themselves and their posterity!