4th of July Celebration!!!

I love the 4th or July, especially in Delta! Delta has the funnest celebration ever...the only problem is we never have time to do everything.:) This year the celebrating got spread out over the whole weekend so that made it even more fun. One of my very most favorite parts is the Kid Parade. Kinda crazy I know, but I love it more and more every year! I love helping the boys decorate their bikes and seeing how excited they get. It is kinda funny that they call it the Kids Parade because it is actually the Kids Race...seriously. When they say go, all the kids take of as fast as they can to see who makes it to the park first to get a popsicle. Jaygen was talking about it all day thinking he was going to be the first one. He wasn't but pretty close! :) Jaygen


Pace

Then here comes Briggs...and yes Todd too! Todd has always been such a good sport pushing or pulling all the boys until they could ride themselves. This year Todd was hoping he would get out of it. Just a couple of hours before the parade, Todd and I were outside trying to get Briggs to understand how to pedal himself. We have been trying to teach him all summer, but he doesn't really seem to care much about it. Well, all of our efforts failed, so Todd got to be in the Kid Parade for one more year!!! They looked super cute:)

Pace, Jagen, Briggs...they all made it!

After the Kid Parade, we came home and had a little BBQ and then did some fireworks. We had a great time together. While we were watching the fireworks, Pace turns to me and says "Mom, this is the best night ever!"

Watching fireworks with chocolate all over their faces.

Todd can put a pretty good firework show on with the cheapest fireworks I could find at the grocery store...ha ha!!

Now to the big parade...it was a little different for us this year. Todd decided he better get something from the golf course in the parade. So we bought some candy and golf tees and he cleaned-up a couple carts and that was that!! The morning of the parade I think Todd was totally having a change of heart and would have loved to just dissappear..ha ha! We told the boys that they could ride in the golf carts and throw the stuff if they wanted to. Of course they did but then when they realized they wouldn't get to catch candy of their own they were kinda thinking twice about it. But when it came right down to it, they were all about being in the parade. Briggs wanted to stay with me but Jaygen and Pace rode in the carts...and they looked so cute! Pace rode with Todd and Jaygen rode with Ryan.

Pace and Todd
Todd said Pace was pretty funny. He was throwing with his right arm for first part of the parade and then switched and started throwing with his left hand...his arm must have been tired!!! Then when they were done and driving the carts back home, Todd was asking Pace if he had a good time and he said "Yes, I couldn't even wipe the smile off my face!"

Jaygen and Ryan
I know Jaygen had a good time too because when I saw him, he had a great big smile!

This picture makes me laugh! I don't know exactly what Briggs was thinking, but he just sat his bag of candy down on the road and was just staring at it!

My family has come to celebrate with us every year but this year they couldn't all make it. Mel and Josh are trying to get all the remodeling done on the house they bought and my mom and dad are up helping them. So, my mom just brought Mel's kids down for the parade. I am glad she did. They had a good time and Briggs got to hang out with them at the parade!

Braylee, Ty, Briggs

Ty, Braylee, Briggs, Grandma, Treyson

At the park after the parade...Todd's very most favorite part...ha ha!!!

We of course have to ride the horse...it is the most anticipated thing for my boys! They talk about it all year long. Last year Pace had me pack his cowboy clothes so he could change before he rode the horse. He mentioned it again this year but I just kinda brushed it off. When we got to the horses, he wanted to know where his clothes were. I told him that I forgot them and he was pretty bummed. I felt like a horrible mom...I won't accidentally forget next year...sorry cowboy Pace!!!

Jaygen

Briggs
Pace

Goin' for a bouncy ride!

Well, we can totally thank Todd for this next thing! We were just getting ready to leave and Todd decides to hurry and let the kids try to win a fish. Who would have thought they would actually win one, right?! Well when we were done we had three of our very own fish to bring home!!! The kids had to bounce a ping pong ball in to a cup of water to win, and they did!!!! I am sure Mel was even more excited than me when her kids showed up at home with a fish to take care of...ha ha!

Pace didn't get one, but that is ok. The booby prize was a water gun and he was ok with that!
Nice shot kiddos...I think!!!

After all that fun we came home and had a little picnic and let the kids swim before my mom took Mel's kids back home. I think they all had a great day!

We ended our day by going to some friends house for a yummy BBQ and to rest a bit. Then we headed to the derby. We decided we would try it again this year. We haven't gone to the derby for a few years because it is too hard with a baby. I am glad we did...it was awesome! It totally brings the redneck out in me. I could hardly stay in my seat because I was loving it so much and my voice was hoarse from screaming so much! I really don't know how Todd can just sit and watch it with no expression at all on his face!!! And I am pretty sure our friends we sat by will not be sitting by us next year!! What can I say...I loved it!!! We watched the fireworks after the derby and then it was all over...another 4th of July in Delta. I had a great weekend. These are some of the best memories ever to make with my little family!!!!!