It didn't quite seem like July 4th. It hadn't really been scorching hot outside yet, and we didn't take our 34th annual trip to Lake Powell in June this year to get our yearly mega-tan (shhhh! Don't tell grandma Jane), so everyday has been blended in with another. Just another day. But not.
I didn't even get my patriotic swag up this year. I did manage to plant flags all over the yard and embarrassed myself again and even more at church...crying during the entire Star Spangled Banner as I led the song.
Seriously!
I love our country. I am so proud to be an American (no need to sing the cheesy song, please), and I'm thankful for the sacrifices made by so many inspired men, who created this beautiful nation under God. Do I even need to mention the sacrifices of the brave men and women who kept and continue to keep our country free and safe? I think everyone at church learned only one thing on July 3rd...that the Biesinger's are super patriotic.
I think some people wanted to gag!
With my sobbing rendition of the National Anthem out of the way, I could enjoy the other memorable 4th of July traditions.
Family gatherings
Hamburgers and hotdogs
Fireworks
Watermelon
Yard work...that's Will's tradition
and most important (and fattening), homemade ice cream. yum.
Family party at grandma and grumpa Strong's...it's a kid free-for-all. And I love them all!
Autumn.
Jackson
Halle
Emery and Kristy
Jackson and Jessica
Stevio...the grill master! Or should I say, the master of ALL grilled!
Emma and, ymmmmm, homemade ice cream!
Parker, Treven (He is a self-dresser...long sleeves and long pants all year long!), and "victim"...grandma should have 12 of these! The kids spent HOURS rolling each other around and jumping in and on this. Grandma needs a new one now because they spent HOURS rolling each other around and jumping in and on it. It's not as connected as it once was!
Eric and Lilly
Jilly and Lilly :)
Easton, Lauren, Tyler and Lindsay
And I think the trampoline might be on it's last spring with Jay around. I don't think it has that much spring left in it! He's got inches to spare before he's jumping off the ground.
Mmmmmm. Bugs.
Then we went to a park to watch the now-legal-in-Utah-arial-fireworks...it was raining so we watched from under a huge pine tree.
We missed the huge firework display at the Stadium of Fire. Something else that made it not feel like the 4th of July yet...after Will's tradition of yard work, we were very exhausted so we fired up the grill, wished we had some corn on the cob, and enjoyed a well deserved hamburger on the back patio with grandma and grumpa Strong.
Then the F16's flew right over our house after impressing everyone at the Stadium of Fire. That. Was. Awesome! They were so close I could almost read the registration number on the bottom of the plane! ;) Awesome.
I'll end with a paraphrased short story Will told as we were listening to the rumbling roar of the jets as they flew off into the distance up the canyon. A couple of years ago, somewhere in Afghanistan, middle of nowhere, 2 o'clock in the morning, and a couple of F16's flew over their FOB. Literally knocked them off of their cots. Will said that's one time that he was so thankful that they were on our side.
Did I say awesome yet?
And then my dad ended Will's story with saying that in his next life...he's going to be an Air Force pilot.
Go RED, WHITE and BLUE!
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