Monday, July 06, 2009

My Most Favorite Day of the Year

I love the 4th of July.

It is my all-time favorite holiday and my favorite day of the year. 

Why, you ask? Well let me give you a few reasons:

1. It's in the summer, and I LOVE summer!
2. It's usually a pretty laid back day and doesn't bring the stress that other major holidays do!
3. We usually celebrate outside, and that's my most favorite place to be.
4. It's filled with all of my favorite "f" words--friends, family, fun, food, freedom, and FIREWORKS!

Moving to Colorado has only increased my love of July 4th. 

Why, you ask? Well, let me give you a few reasons:

1. It's not usually hot. Our high for the day was 75 degrees, and it was in the 50s when we watched fireworks--jacket weather!
2. We don't have mosquitos.
3. Our town has a *fabulous* 4th of July parade!
4. Our neighbors have a flag raising/pancake breakfast to kick off the day's events--complete with one neighbor playing "Reveille" on the trumpet. (If that won't rouse you from your slumber, I don't know what will!)

It is just a super fun day all the way around. Here are some of my favorite pictures!






Will snapped this pic...pretty good, eh?


Waiting for the parade to start!





Our parade has a little of everything--kids on bicycles, floats, horses, beauty queens, marching bands, protestors (see the TEA party pics), Shriners in small cars, clowns, firetrucks and SO much more. It's the best small town slice of life you'll find anywhere. It lasts about two hours and has been dubbed the Best Small Town Parade in America! We truly love it!



Click on this picture to enlarge it. My kiddos LOVED these little doggies pulling the wagon!




92.9 is a radio station in Co Springs. They drove this SUV in the parade and played Michael Jackson music the entire time. It was awesome. People everywhere were dancing. Thriller was playing when it cruised past us. Lots of people doing the Thriller dance--so funny!



I took this pic especially for my friend, Lisa. Sorry I was on the wrong side of the street and it's backwards.






We watched fireworks from the cul-de-sac at the end of our street. It rained all afternoon and was still raining when we walked outside so we just drove down there and sat in the van while waiting for them to start! We could see the US Air Force Academy & Palmer Lake fireworks shows. Definitely not the same as being there, but we had thunderstorms ALL afternoon so it was worth it to not be sitting on the soggy ground.
(I love making fun of John and his Harry Potter toboggan. He has a matching Gryffindor scarf too.)




Hope you had a fabulous 4th of July too!

21 comments:

Lauren said...

Soooooo fun! I loved all the pics! And that it is a wonderful family picture of all of you :)

Stephanie said...

What fun memories! The 4th is a great holiday for all those reasons! :)

Carpool Queen said...

Love the pic of you and J - y'all almost blend into the background - what a gorgeous sky!

Next year we're going to a parade. Even if it's a thousand degrees.

Melissa Stover said...

i agree that the 4th of july sounds wonderful in colorado. we didn't have a mosquito problem this year but the humidity was awful! i don't remember sweating so much in recent years. part of it may have been due to wrestling tess the whole time though.

Moriah @ Please Pass the Salt said...

Looks like fun! Great post!

Deidre said...

You had me at 'no mosquitos' and 75 degree weather. We are exact opposites here.

Looks like a fun day! And, that family picture is one to frame. Great family!

Unknown said...

OH I love the fourth of July too! And I love summer, and sparklers and parades.

I also love your new haircut!

Kendra said...

A Fourth without mosquitoes and sweltering heat? What's that? Though we were blessed by a storm front which ushered in cool temps and no humidity for several days. So, it was the perfect weather here for once!

Tell John I love his hat and am jealous of it! I think I may have to knit me one. At least a scarf.

Amber said...

I remember Sarah's shirt from last year!! Didn't y'all tie-die them then? So cute!!

Looks like a fabulous day!!!
So much fun!

And Lisa will be so proud!!

Holly said...

Just after I asked you the question our cadet called us to pick him up for Sunday dinner. He apologized for telling us the fireworks had been cancelled. He didn't find out until they were being shot. Oh well, we heard them at least! :0)

Stephanie Kay said...

What a fun parade!! We watched fireworks from a nearby beach Friday night and then went letterboxing with friends on Saturday. It was a great day full of fun, friends and food. :)

lisa@littlesliceoflife said...

Awww, Mer! That looks like so much fun! I'm jealous of your temps and mosquito-less environment. And thanks for the tea party pics! ;)

Brenda said...

What a fun time!
We usually don't get to see any fireworks displays because we're always on our family reunion up near Salida.
Those Shriners will be in my husband's hometown this Saturday for Missouri Day.

Robin said...

I love the family pic and the pic of you and J. We didn't do a parade this year, it was too stinking hot! But we did see fireworks and I love that the boys still love them!

Jacquie said...

That looks like SUCH fun. Another "F" word that I love about the 4th is FLAGS! I love seeing "Old Glory" waving!!

I liked the part about the SUV playing the MJ tunes! That woulda been fun to see.

Gretchen said...

I always thought John was a Gryffindor. Glad to be assured it's true. ARE YOU READY FOR THE 15TH???? :)

Gretchen said...

Ahem...I wasn't finished. But my fingers were going rogue on me.

Were those new highlights in your hair? LURVE the all the pics, but the first one of the kids, the one Will took of you two, and the family one (hello, Christmas card) are my faves.

Hugs. Okay...Now, I'm finished.

Becca~CapturingSimpleJoys said...

What a fun day, love all the pics! I love the 4th and in particular this year was lots of fun since Colton actually enjoyed it and wasn't afraid the entire time of all the loud noises! It was just a fun family day.

Marc and Charity said...

What a sweet family you have! Cute kiddos!

Jackie said...

Wow, that is an excellent pic of your and your hubby. Such a fun day - I love a good parade.

I think if I lived where you do, I'd enjoy the 4th even more - it's just sooo darn hot here. Maybe that's why I love the winter holidays a little more! :)

Kecia said...

I did have a great 4th of July, thank you! You know it's one of my favorite holidays, too. As much of our family gets together as can, and we buy as many big fireworks as we can, grill burgers and set 'em off. Even when we lived in Idaho, we were usually there for the 4th. Rarely Christmas, but always the 4th. I love it! This year we got rained on, too. I'll have to post my umbrella pics. :)