our celebrations this year started on thursday. bountiful does handcart days right along with pioneer day which is really fun. chels and i started the day by setting up chairs for the parade. we had no idea how everything was going to go down, but we figured we'd use this year as our trial year. it worked out. we already have a game plan for next year.
we had a simple little bbq at jeremy and chelsea's. delicious by the way. then we walked down to the parade and had a great, yet sweaty hot, time. brooklyn loved loved the parade. it was quite a site to be seen. sooo many people. so fun though!
then we packed up our things and headed up to set up for the fireworks. again, we just tried what we thought would be good, it worked out, and now we know what to do next year. the fireworks were awesome too. luckily, the girls love them. it was another late summer night but totally worth it.
the next day, we packed up and headed towards cokeville for the weekend, but not without a stop at beautiful bear lake. the old stomping grounds. i knew kendall and brooklyn would both love the sand and i was right. they were in heaven. haley, and whit/chandler's little family joined us and that made it even better. next year hopefully kayla/judd's little family can come too. we played in the sun, then brushed off the sand, loaded the kids and headed for cokeville. but not before we stopped for shakes. because peanut butter brownie... for life!
we arrived in cokeville with just enough time to get cleaned up and showered up and head over to grandma's for dinner. we've been staying at aunt julie's the last couple years and we've loved it. we get special time with just her family and it's been nice to get to have them "kind of" all to ourselves.
it was a late night, like always. full of visiting and so many people that i love. they really are worth the loss of sleep. the next morning always comes really early. we all hurry to get ready for the parade and head down to our 'spot'. it's been so fun to have kids to add to the mix. they get soooo much candy! the most of any parade we ever go to.
this year, we all wore blue ribbons in memory of uncle tom (elder l. tom perry). aunt barbara rode in the parade and spoke at the program afterwards. she did a wonderful job and it was such a great tribute to uncle tom.
saltwater sandals at the program. not pictured are many more that have slowly joined the family this past year.
after the program is always lunch, naps, and more visiting. we were so happy to have baby judson there this year!
that evening the guys played flag football and all the women went to watch and cheer on our men. we enjoyed another wonderful meal and then another late late night. gosh i love it! the next morning was brooklyn's birthday. she's been asking and asking when it was finally going to be july twenty-sixth. i was so happy to wake her up and tell her it was finally here! she loved spending it with cousins and being surrounded by family,
she got to open her presents from grandma diane and grandpa jerre and she could hardly contain her excitement!
sunday worked out to be a cousin's homecoming and a cousin's farewell all in one. so after the meeting, we all headed over to the elementary school for a delicious meal of cafe rio burritos and tons of desserts. again, more visiting and the kids even convinced the dads to take them outside to play on the playground. keni and brooklyn were in heaven!
before we headed home, we sang happy birthday to brooklyn (with a 3 day old cupcake that the frosting had completely solidified. don't worry, she ate another one later on.)
leaving cokeville after the 24th weekend is always so sad. i hate leaving all those people behind that i love so dang much. luckily though, i was excited to get home and let brooklyn open up some more of her presents and do sparklers before bed. sparklers on her birthday are a tradition and she loves them.
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