The JOY of simply "Being"

So often I am asked what my favorite holiday is. Every time I hear the question, I struggle between Christmas and the 4th of July. Well, this year I realized there is no need to struggle... for each of these holidays provide JOY of eternal, yet very different proportions!

Christmas provides a time to feel the JOY of GIVING ... very rewarding, very life changing, indeed!

The 4th of July provides a time to feel the JOY of simply BEING. Being free to do whatever we please, with whomever we choose ... and on this day, we choose those we love best. Oh, what a JOY this day brings!

We begin with a delicious "Mountain Man Breakfast" with The Johnson Family. This is always lovingly prepared by my Dad and all my Brothers. Over 100 people are usually served (anyone who happens to walk past the house or show up to watch the parade). This year the existence of the breakfast was threatened by the birth of Shaun and Emily's baby. We all PANICKED! So, we appreciate my parents waiting until AFTER breakfast before heading to Idaho to see the baby! This is Brady, Craig, Dad and Brandon.

Next we watch the parade with all the family, including many of my Mom and Dad's siblings (and their children). What a JOY... not to mention one of the great (and few) perks of living on Main Street.

Here is Dillon in the parade with his All-Star Team. One of those "Menace Entries" ... you're wet whether you want to be or not!

Okay, Okay ... ONLY IN GRANTSVILLE will you see a float like this. It is the "Abstinence Float". If you notice, there is a bride and groom on top of a wedding cake with the words "Just Waiting" verses, the traditional, "Just Married" on the back of the float. Oh my goodness!! This provided a roar of laughter!! Like I said before ... ONLY IN GRANTSVILLE!!

After the parade you'll usually find yourself a little wet. This is Cutter. He is my brother, Craig's, little boy. If you know him at all, you will recognize that this picture "says it all". He is quite a character! Just what my parents always hoped Craig would get... someone JUST LIKE HIM! Well, he got it!

I am posting this picture just because I'm not suppose to and I want to prove that the oldest in the family has all power (LOL). This is my brother, Jared, with his new friend. Some of you may recognize her ... Hey Em!

After the parade, the boys head up to the park. There you will find games, food and a massive amount of blow up toys to jump on or slide down. Usually this event will break the bank. However, the boys have grown up quite a bit and we got off with just $20. That is a small miracle... seriously!

Come evening, we head across the street to Jeff's sister's house... Jeri (and Kevin's). The 4th of July is her favorite holiday and so she celebrates her birthday on this day every year. It is a great time to be with all of Jeff's Family.

There is always GREAT food. For the past couple of years we've enjoyed eating the way Jake and Taylor did while on their missions ... lots of guacamole... YUM! This is Kevin and Jake. The burgers were delicious Kev!

I love this picture. It is of our nephew Jackson, with HIS NEICE, Baylin. It reminds me of surprises, miracles and unexpected blessing sent to us by Heavenly Father. I hope Jeri won't mind me telling you all what she told me at the party ... but I loved it. I asked her how old she was (since it was her birthday). She explained to me that she was 40 years older than Jackson (her baby) and 30 years older than Austin (the son, she thought, would be her baby). It just made me smile and remember that the Lord is in charge. Jackson has been such an unexpected blessing to our family. I dare say that Baylin would agree!

Of course, who can resist showing the younger kids that you are still as agile as they are? This is Megan proving that she can still do a flip ... notice Tanner's face ... He appears to be pretty impressed OR he is afraid she will be injured ... you decide. Megan is a school teacher at the elementary school, so these 2 boys ADORE her!

Then we head back to our house because we have the best seat in town to watch the fireworks (well, Jeri does too, being just across the street). We had about 50 people join us this year. It's something we look forward to ALL YEAR!

We always light sparklers and a few ... well, not a few, we splurged on the "Big Dog" package of fireworks this year (hey, we saved A LOT at the park, remember?) ... anyway, we light those before the "big show". It's great fun for the little one's because Uncle Jeff let's them take turns lighting the fuses. And the beads? ... a little friend named Decker brought those for everyone. This is Gracie, Jared's daughter and believe it or not ... Jared was wearing those little "pinwheel antlers" earlier in the day.

Craig is the only one smart enough to bring a mattress to watch the fireworks on. This year he needed a new partner so Ty joined him on the soft seat!

Let the show begin!! Grantsville truly has the best firework show around ... and they are RIGHT over your head! We usually have a few visitors from Salt Lake join us. This year one of them commented that they'd never been so close to actual fireworks before. Like I said previously... "The BEST seat in town"!

Alas, the aftermath of a GREAT day!!

Of all the fun this day brings, we are most grateful to spend it with our family ... especially our parents. We are so happy for each new memory we have with them ... and for having the JOY of simply BEING!