That One Day Where We Celebrate Freedom...

It's called Independence Day.

It happened a whole month ago, you know.
And it was lovely.

Here's what happened in my world on that day:

• My Brookes and I rode our bikes to the parade.
• We watched the parade, which kind of seemed like a bust,
  because nobody threw out candy, like, at all.
  I'm not sad for me, of course. I'm sad for the children.
• We rode our bikes to a place called Dixie Diner
  where I ate a salad (in the name of health!)...
  and then I ate an order of Idaho Nachos
  (which I split with Brooker, in the name of health).
• A big group of us went to Firth (which is rural, even for Idaho)
  and played wiffle ball, where each of us were required
  to Slip 'n Slide our way between 3rd and Home.
  It. Was. Awesome.
• After a bit, we decided wiffle ball was slowing us down
  so we extended the Slip 'n Slide and had all sorts of fun.
  (Yes, our group was made entirely of adults. What's your point?)
• We had a BBQ where Jason taught me how to grill meat.
  (I asked him to do it for me, as "it's a man's job"
  but he insisted that I learn to do it myself.
  I must say, either Jason's a good teacher, or I'm a natural at grilling.
  Or maybe a combination of the two?
  My steak was amazing!)
• We went our separate ways, mostly to shower
  and get ready for the firework show.
• We met up and waited for the firework show
  while we played Five Crowns and talked and ate
  and truly enjoyed everything it means to be an American.
• We watched the firework show.
• We got home kind of late and tried not to cry at the thought
  of having to be to work at 8am the very next day...

Lookey, lookey...

Riding to the parade:
Brooker and Brookie

At the parade:
FIREMEN IN KILTS
(Need I say more?)

At the parade
Trista, Brookie, Gina, Brooker

IDAHO NACHOS!!!
(PS That's salsa up front, not ketchup.
Ketchup does not belong on nachos, Idaho or otherwise!)

Slipping and sliding...and totally shocked that my spine didn't snap.

When we lengthened our slip 'n slide
I had a hard time making it to the very end of the slide.
Skyler and Jason tried to help Jami and me by using their weight
to drag us to the very end. It almost worked...

Hello, Keri!

Strike a pose on the trampoline:
Janae, Gina, Jami

Taletha!!!

Waiting for dusk...
Brooker, Brookie, Ashley, Jordan,
Jill, Gina, Carl

Part of the Five Crowns crowd:
Me, Skyler, Jill

So. Happy belated Independence Day, everybody!
I sure do love my country and my life of luxury!