Traditional Independence Day!!

{This post represents 2-4 July!!}
Saturday was spent trying to get the float ready.  And when we ran out of the butcher paper I had bought I headed to town for some more... only to find that the ONLY store in town that sells it was CLOSED for the holiday weekend.  Boo.  So... I searched and searched... and then came to the realization that we would simply have to use something else... and then FINALLY came up with another idea just in time to scurry home, get my mom and Colleen to help cut the plastic I had bought and hurry to get ready!  I had a DATE with Gma Liebhardt!  She is so nice and often asks me to escort her to a play at the Shakespearean Festival if she has tickets while I'm there!  LOVE IT!  We saw "The Music Man" in the Randall L. Jones Theater!  And as much as I loved and enjoyed it, I did find myself drifting off into oblivion a couple of times... you know darkish theater, and sitting in a padded seat... when I hardly ever have a moment to sit down... =SLEEPY!  But... I did get to get a little dressed up!  Yay!  I did wear jeans, but with heals, jewelry, and a cute top!  That is what you call SAD... when jeans included with ANY outfit is considered a little dressed up.  So SAD!
Then we picked up Caroline and headed over to see Mom and Dad before they headed out on their Alaska adventure!  (My mom and Colleen watched my kids during the play and since they were in town doing some shopping for the holiday they took the kids to say goodbye.)  And though Mom wasn't there, (she was at a baptism for one of the kids in her Primary class) we did find NICK there!  Yay!  So... we kidnapped him, took Gma Liebhardt home, and headed out to Kanarra for some serious float WORK!  (Why aren't there pictures of the work?  Hmmm... I should have thought about that, huh??!)
We set up the tent and I slept out with the kids.  Caroline had to settle for coming back the next night (when 9 a.m. church wasn't in the way) and Nick came then, too!
We did work on the float on Sunday, but called it as our Family Home Evening for the week!  I had to have it ready BEFORE the very last minute because I had to be at the parade lineup at 9:20 because I was asked to help my friend, Paige, with it!  I have to say that I was EARLY!  I was READY, the float was READY, and I was EARLY!!!  Believe it or not... I WAS!  And I even had my music with me for the program after the parade!  I was asked to play the military tribute because Cheryl's husband had just had triple-bypass surgery (boo... she plays SO well and just by ear... doesn't need music, and she's done it for so long... it just belongs to her!)

Putting the last sparkling touches on our float!  Lexi and Caroline

The theme was "America the Beautiful" so we brought a little California to Southern Utah with our float!  From "sea to shining sea!"

We had a giant wave and patriotic beach theme!  And thanks to Dad for the silica sand that he gave me!

I think we may be going back... like waaay back... to the wagon brigade next year.  This is so much work!

Uncle Nick is so fun(ny) to have around!  I gave tattoos to all the kids and this is where he chose to put his!  Haha!

Cute boys and cousins!  Hunter and Conner

This is the parade route!  Wow... so desolate just 1/2 hour before the parade!  But it's totally packed all the way down when it's time!!

Ronni hitched a ride and made sure our precious cargo made it to the parade lineup safely!

Ryne and Hunter

All the riders on our float!  In the back are Hunter and Ry's friend, Conner ducking behind Braeden, Ambre', Ella, Caroline, and Lexi!

Part of the lineup!

This is one lazy, patriotic goat!

Nick and Joy running to make sure they don't miss the parade.  (In all fairness... it is over in just a matter of minutes!)

Enjoying the parade!

Everyone cramming into the Town Hall (really the old church recreation hall) for the program!

I have lots of pictures with Conner and Ella on the shoulders of others!  Lazies!  Haha!  Conner and Eldon waiting for the next class act in the program!

Ronni holding Ryden.  Ronni was MADE for little babies!  If there's one around... she's holding it!  :o)

Gma Pam, Braeden, and Ella, also Angell and Chelsea... all enjoying the program.

The traditional "Let's GO!" with the wave of the flag to the tune of the fiddlers!  John has taken his father's place, and included his little dancer, Brooke, in it!  Yay!

I conned Colleen into helping me peel music away for each of the military hymns!

Uncle Dale is my Gpa's brother.  Not only is he the oldest living Christensen EVER (well... in this family, I mean,) but he's also the oldest living veteran of the 222nd!  He was recognized at the end of the program and stood up and told us a little bit about a very scary time of war!  They ALL made it out!  ALL of them!  And the 222nd has a very wonderful history... for many reasons, but 2 of the best are that it never has casualties despite the danger, and it was one of the few started by religion.

I love this girl!  We have been friends FOR-E-VER!  Paige is my childhood friend and someone who is always fun to be around when I go home!  (Except that she's exceptionally prettier than me... )

I actually have 3 pictures taken BEFORE this at different times during the morning of Ella perched on Nick's shoulders, but here... he looks to be getting tired and sore from her wiggly little body!

So... she runs off to find Amberie to swing her around in circles until they are both ready to fall down with dizziness!

Hmmm... Braeden is scaling the pillars that used to be the fence posts for the dance floor at the Cobble Crest.  It's now a much more FAMILY oriented place.

Kellan isn't sure whether or not he likes a pickle!  ;o)

Awwww!  He is so cute, don't you think??  He is really a small copy of Cody!!

This is a regular scene for us.  Lexi in a tree.  And Emma is behind collecting sticks!

"A Day At the Races" takes on a whole new meaning when you're in Kanarra for the 4th!

Go, Go, GO!!!  Can you spot Braeden?  What about Great-Gma Liebhardt, Clint, and Christie??

This is serious business!  If you just race you get at least a popsicle!  If you win, you get a prize!  When I was little the consolation prize was Cracker Jacks and the winner's prize was usually a $1 bill in a sealed envelope!

Adults can NOT be left out of this much fun!

And you'll notice that Tyler is in front, but Clint makes it across just ahead of him!  :o)

Good job, Clint!  Yay!  I know he got a prize, but I have no idea what it was!

They don't do "places" for the parade anymore.  The judges (who will remain anonymous) just pick their 5 favorite, whether floats, walking, horses, etc. and they give out the same giant box of fireworks as the prize for those 5 winners!  (Paige and I had gotten a really good deal on them and had gotten boxes of sparklers for ALL the participants in the parade!  A tradition!)
Don't worry... we did win one of the boxes!  Yay!  And I was NOT a judge... nor was anyone in my family!  Plus... we really did have the best one, you know!
And the rest of the day was so fun!  The 4th of July is really my very FAVORITE holiday!  What can be better than summertime fun with all the family, where no gifts are required (except for the baby showers!), lots of fireworks and various types of bombs, canons, parade, program, water fights, HOMEMADE ICE CREAM, etc.  I can't think of anything better than that!  I love it!  Always have!  And I've only been away from Kanarra ONE year my entire life!  ONE!  I don't plan on making it any more than that any time soon, either!

Gunny sak races!  Notice the two kids crossing the line... OUCH!

Ella would NOT race.  Would NOT do anything.  But wanted a popsicle and whined about it for a good LONG while...

...until someone saw her and offered her one!  Chocolate and popsicles seem to be a great fix for just about anyone!  Along with Aunt Colleen's lap!

A little nervous about racing other kinds of races...

Love it!

We were so happy that Gma Liebhardt decided to come and join us for the day.  Damian's parents were in ALASKA... FISHING with her family for her father's 80th Birthday Celebration!!

Tug-of-War with the fire hose!

Kay and Tyler are the two adults who start and keep the water fight going pretty much every year!

Lexi on the WATER slide!

SPLASSSSHH!

Everyone agrees to do it!  Ella, Nick, Lexi, Nick's friend Joy, and Braeden... waiting in line for their turn!

Colleen wants NO PART of the water slide!  But she'll watch!  With Gma Liebhardt and Sam!

Braeden's turn makes an even...

...bigger SSSSPPPPLLLLAAAAAASH!

Nick's face shows that he KNOWS what's coming... and that water looks disgusting!  Ick!

Yep... Ick!

Joy did it, too, but I missed a good picture of it!  They were so fun to have with the kids.  Always willing to participate in the fun!

Ella's turn!

Nick waiting to rescue if needed.

Woooo!  It's cold and icky!  But... oh, so fun!

Ella is serious about dunking someone... but... misses!

But Braeden didn't miss.  He got 4 in a row just to make sure that he got a chance at...

...dunking Lexi!  Haha!

And he didn't disappoint!

Brrr...  That's some cold fire hydrant water!  Poor Lexi!

And his name is Teegan!  I'm so late getting this posted that he's already born!  Yeesh!

Christie:  Expectant Mother for baby #2!

Christie and Lily... and Ella!  I have to admit that I stole this and the next two pictures from Mega.  I wasn't there for the baby shower (I was picking up Damian at the airport) or the water fight there... I was over at the town park for the races.

Fill up, run... and shoot! 

Emma is so cute!  And so is Jenny!  Jenny is quiet, but is always ready for fun!  And Chelsea was so nice to sit there and fill balloons and water guns!

Lexi's first order of business when Daddy got there was to show him her expert driving skills on the 4-wheeler!

Ella and Emma... crazies on the swingset!  Hunter is behind with Jenny making sure he stays clear of them!  (I should note here that he did get on the glider with one of the girls, and totally almost went FLYING off!  It was a CLOSE call... Yikes!  Good thing Jenny was still there for the rescue.)

Aunt Tamie scaring the kids in the back of Gma Pam's truck!  It was HILARIOUS... it went on and on... OH, the SCREACHING!

Everything's fun and games until someone's nose gets smashed!

Tamie cracks me UP!

And despite the pain the Cornell was in because of his hip, he joined in the fun!  It's just too hard for grandparents to resist!

Kellan with Megan!  So cute!

Damian instructing on how to make a good dry ice bomb and plop it in a hole filled with water in Gma's back yard!  Blowing stuff up is HIS tradition!  I actually love it... even though we haven't had toilets to explode for several years.  ;o)

One of the many reasons I don't have many pictures of my mom.  She was so busy making dinner (yummy tacos and nachos) and ice cream that it seemed like I hardly even saw her!

And Amberie approves of the yummy ice cream!  Y-U-MMY!

And... as if we haven't already eaten enough junk, here's Tamie making snowcones for everyone!  And Colleen made scrumptious cream puffs and shared them, too!  No wonder I gained some weight on this trip!

Um... Ella...  The top of Gma's truck is probably NOT the best place to enjoy your snowcone!

I better just test it... before I take a giant bite out of it!  Hunter

Captain Destructo!  ;o)

There were SOOOO MANY ladybugs at Gma's house this year.  Most of them were in the aspen trees by the driveway.  Lexi and Braeden had such a good time... for days... catching them!

Cornell, Tiffy, and Christie... just waiting for yet another loud explosion!

Nice hit, Braeden!  Ryne is the pitcher!  They switched positions after this and then later in the evening Ryan taught Braeden how to really pitch!  He's going to be amazing... that's just my prediction!  He's been practicing ever since, and it's starting to get a little scary!

Clint and Ella!  He's so great with the little ones!  And his Lily was taking a nap, I think, so he played with the other little girls!

Clint, Ella, and Emma!  Wow!

Wheeeee!  Clint is so fun! 

BACK UP, Lexi!  Though she already knows what's coming... thanks this time to Nick!

Kaboom!  Yep... she approves... and wants MORE!

Gma Colleen will always be there to hold you tight and comfort you when something is SCAWEY!  (Scary!)

Yay for Daddy being here... at least for part of the day!

If you weren't in the back yard during this, you really missed out on a good {circus} show!

Clint's got Ella and Damian's got Emma.  Ready, Set...  Launch to the MOON!

WHOA!!!  And Emma is still on the way UP... look at her hair for the evidence!  It just looks so scary to me!

They totally tired out the old men with the launching-to-the-moon stuff!  So... they grabbed hands and set off for another adventure!  LOVE IT!

Nick is multitasking!  Pushing two little monsters at the same time!  Ella and Emma.

Eric and Ryden.

I wish you could really see the evidence for the good laugh in this picture.  Remember the tattoo that Nick had in the middle of his forehead?  Well... it left its mark... because it was the only form of sunblock on his face!

I see London, I see France, I see Ella's underpants!  She couldn't find anyone to constantly lift her up to the bar, so... she figured out a way to do it herself!  Lovely!

And... when Emma couldn't do it Ella's way, she used her noggin and came up with a much simpler way to do it!  (But Ella wouldn't give in and do it this way... ever.)  Notice Ella's reaction to Emma's brainpower!

More circus acts!

Emma ATTACKING Lexi!  :o)

More bombs!

Cutting the fuse... and getting the gunpowder and toilet paper ready for the cannon!

Bomb Brothers.

Ella and Emma totally know what's coming!

Ka-BOOOOM!

Damian has a lovely lighter in his mouth as he helps the girls get their "sprinklers!"  :o)  Translation:  SPARKLERS!  (Emma and Ella)

I love this picture!  Megan never lets me take her picture, but she's so cute!  Especially when she'll just give in and smile for me, but check out not only Kellan's face, but his hands gripping for dear life on his mommy's shirt!  He wasn't so into the fireworks!

Cody and Nick... very carefully placing and lighting.  It's very serious.  Strategy, light, and run for your life!  ;o)

Damian, Nick, and fireworks.  What else needs to be said?

Enjoying the show!  Starting in the middle with the red hat and coming right are:  Eric holding Ryden, Conner, Ryan, Richard, Ella, and Emma's hands!

Just past Ella and Emma in the previous picture are:  Tiffy, Christie, Cornell, Tamie, and Lily!

The spectator section for the firework show!  Far left and hardly noticeable:  Eldon, Chelsea, then Sam holding Braeden, Amberie, Colleen, Gma Pam holding Lexi, Great Gma Liebhardt, Jenny holding Hunter.

Our family firework show was AWESOME!  After everyone had put in money, plus what we already had, plus what we won... I figured it to be right around $650 worth.  Yay!  We had aerial stuff, too, and it was just so fun to watch.  We didn't have to fight for parking.  We were up close and personal.  The guys got to have their fun in lighting them.  And... I forgot to take a picture of that.  They spent as much time separating and organizing as they did actually lighting them off!  (Yes... I said men were ORGANIZING!!)
Thanks especially to MY MOM who hosts us all every year!  She says every year that we are all on our own for the next year, and that she's not doing anything special anymore... (because it really is a LOT of hard work), but every year... she forgets and gives in!  THANK YOU, MOM!
And thanks to everyone else who made the day so wonderful!  Damian got a flight in at 4:30 and he was able to shoot the canon, teach several young people how to make a dry ice bomb, and make the LONGEST trail of sparklers as a source of lighting other fireworks I have ever seen!  So grateful to have him there... even if he missed a lot of the fun in the afternoon!
And... just for good measure:

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, MOM!!! 
And why there's not a picture of her... at all(well... or not many, I should say!)???  Because she works TOO HARD all day and was in the house a lot.  Goodness... I'm awful.  I'll do much better next year about that!  Last year I got her... in her muumuu!  Sorry for no picture (except the very last one...), but you must know that she is a fabulous hostess!
 And for another good read follow the link below!  It gives another great take on our celebration (from an outsider's perspective, anyway... haha!  J/K, Sam!!  I love it!)
 http://sameats.wordpress.com/2011/07/13/it-still-exists/