An Old Fashioned 4th(ish) Celebration

Since the 4th was on Sunday this year, the city of Menan decided to hold their annual Independence Day celebration on Monday the 5th. It actually worked out well for us because it gave us the opportunity to spend the weekend at the cabin and still be able to enjoy the festivities.

Daddy & I started the day at 8:00am with the 5K Fun Run. I'm glad it wasn't an official race because we were both about a minute off our pace from Saturady. Then again perhaps our bodies were still fatigued from 2 races in 3 days. Either way it really was a beautiful morning for a run and we both had a good time. Since it was a fun run there were no timing chips, or bib numbers or prizes. Just a big group of people of every age, shape and size out for a morning jog. Teenagers in super hero capes shouting "Geronimo!", Moms pushing strollers, Old couples holding hands, Kids everywhere. It was great. And it made it so much easier to justify eating all that junk food later in the day!

And I felt great. Honestly at the end I felt I could have kept going for about 3 or 4 more miles. The reason I look like I'm dying in the picture above is because I was talking to Travis, telling him to put Gideon down and let him run to me. I was motioning and shouting, but apparently Trav didn't hear me over Gideon's screaming. Oh well. He calmed down once I finished.

And then on to the annual pancake breakfast!

The dark haired girl sitting by mom is Amber, one of Cody's friends from Georgia. She's going to school up here and needed a place to spend the holiday, so mom & dad brought her along. After the breakfast, we went home to shower and change and then headed back to the park for the festival

The festival is fun they have games and booths, food & entertainment. Mom was actually asked to be part of the entertainment and in fact was the first performer of the day.

They set up a big semi-trailer with a sound system & get everything from singers, fiddlers, cloggers, and even a harpist to perform throughout the day.

Mom sung a bunch of old show tunes and did a great job.

Gideon's very favorite thing at the festival was the fish pond. We probably had to go there 7 or 8 times (I lost count.) But I think he figured out pretty quickly that you can't lose at the fish pond, you'll always end up with a prize of some kind.

His second favorite stop was the bouncy castle. He played in there 4 or 5 different times throughout the day. And we always had a hard time tearing him away from it. Lots of weeping and wailing!

Grandpa thought that Parker should have something fun, so he bought this darling blanket (with matching bib & burp cloth) from one of the craft booths! Thanks daddy!

And of course Gideon and I went on the "train" ride. It was very bumpy, but he loved it!

Grandpa & Gideon shared some snacks while waiting for the parade to start.

There were more people out at the Menan festival this year than I've ever seen before. It was borderline ridiculous!

BTW - Thanks Cody for letting us use your truck. It made a great place to watch the parade!

Gideon loved the fire trucks most of all. He especially got excited when they blew their horns and turned on their sirens.

Okay I was really taking a picture of the old herse, but this kid in the orange shirt was on my nerves all through the parade. His family was down the street from us, but he ended up more and more directly in front of us as the parade went on. I mean we all want to catch candy, but seriously where were his parents! He's in a ton of my pictures!

OKay I had to get a photo of this because it reminded me of something my brother Cody would do to his bicycle just for fun.

This little dresses were made out of newspaper. I thought it was a terribly clever idea. I only wish you could see them better, (thanks again to orange shirt kid!)

After the parade it was definitely nap time! (The kitten thought so too apparently.)

I bought this bow at one of the craft booths. Can anyone tell how excited I am to be be getting a girl!

Staking out our spot for the fireworks. Idaho is the only place I've ever lived where you have to bundle up like an eskimo to watch the fireworks! It's pretty much ridiculous! Plus, because it stays light so late here, they don't start until 10:15, so you're out late anyway and completely freezing!

And that was our evening. Gideon fell asleep about half way through the fireworks (and it was a pretty good show) but we managed to make it home happy and healthy and in one piece. Today Gideon and I are both a little sore, tired & slightly sunburned, but we had such a fun time, we won't complain.