***Our first Rexburg 4th of July ***

I don't even know how long ago it was that my family started going to Bear Lake every year for the 4th of July. I was maybe 12 or so. After Curt and I got married we just continued with the tradition because it was a great time for all of my family to get together, almost a family reunion type thing (it started as the Thorson family reunion but that has since changed). This year my family couldn't all make it on the 4th, so we're going the weekend after. That meant we were able to experience what Rexburg has to offer! We had plans of going to Hamilton, but after losing Curt's wallet we had to be flexible!!! still looking for it by the way....

This is a million pictures, but basically we just went to the parade with some friends, the Telfords, and then ate pizza at the park and played volleyball and then cooked hotdogs, smores, and lit fireworks at my parents' place in the evening. On our drive home the firework show was still going on at the fairgrounds and we caught the last few minutes and finale of that. We had a GREAT day!!

the parade was so huge, and there were probably a million people there. I was afraid we wouldn't get a spot, but it turned out good!

The guys did a great job guarding the spot and collecting the candy from Matthew and Braden as they gathered it :)

Vanessa and I had the hard job, but the best view!!!

I loved this group of horses. How are they ALL the exact same color? Must have been a requirement to get into the club. They also brushed each of their rumps in a nifty checkerboard pattern. That was awesome, and probably my favorite thing of the entire parade.

Matthew would wave and chant "I want candy, I want candy!"

Hailey thought it was interesting, and just quietly observed most of the time in my arms or Curt's. I think she was overwhelmed with all of the people. This was the one time she let me put her down for a minute until an old lady sitting next to us said hello. Then we were right back to shy Hailey

There was a bird in the garden and Curt caught it. Maybe a juvenile Robin? I am not sure. obviously it wasn't a good flyer yet. Hailey was in love. She couldn't stop squeaking. I will post a video at the bottom of her saying bird over and over looking for it after Curt took it back.

the boys loved it too!

sparklers were Matthew's favorite thing of the day I think. He kind of got crazy because he was so excited, but we didn't have any accidents luckily! Just kind of close calls eeek!

here he is scaring us to death

Curt tried to make a sparkler bomb like he used to as a kid but apparently they have since debombifiabled the sparklers, because it didnt' work *sigh of relief* so they had to shoot these fountains at each other instead.

My favorite has always been the snakes for some reason, I think it's so strange to watch them grow. Sorry mom and dad for the black on the steps. We will scrub it out.

I love my little family! It is so much fun to get to celebrate holidays with our kids! Curt and I were talking later that night about how it's fun because it's fun for the kids, even though for ourselves it's not some grand amazing new experience. Isn't that funny how you think as a kid "I can't wait to grow up so I can do whatever I want" and then when you do grow up and have a family everything you want to do is the same stuff you did as a kid because you want your kids to have the best too. If that makes any sense.