THE FREEDOM FESTIVAL & INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

July 3rd - July 4th

For me and Brian, the 4th of July is a very special holiday. We love to celebrate the birth of our country. We love to celebrate the freedoms we share living here. We enjoy reading about how our country was formed, and the sacrifices that were made to bring it all to pass. So on July 3rd, I went with Brian's family to the Provo Freedom Festival. (Unfortunately Brian had to work during the day). They had set up a mock colonial town with different people doing different things to sustain the life of the town. The lady pictured here was weaving baskets, and she was an expert at her craft! She actually teaches basket-weaving up at BYU. I have always wanted to learn to weave baskets, so this was quite a special thing for me to see.




















This young woman is the 28th great-granddaughter of Pocahontas. She was there giving a demonstration on what settlers had to pack, and the types of supplies they traded with the Indians once they got to the new world. She was really cool.





And speaking of cool, Vaughn decided to play it cool by wearing Grandpa Higginson's cool shades. What a stud muffin!
















Brian's sister Linda came down from Boise for a visit. She came with her husband Danny and their three kids. Yes, you heard it right. This is Linda after having three kids. Doesn't she look fantastic?!?! And she has the longest, prettiest hair ever. It is amazing how long it has gotten. She's definitely a hottie.











The next day we kept our tradition of attending the Provo City 4th of July parade. It is a fun event for us, and especially for Vaughn. This year wasn't the best as far as the parades went, but we really enjoyed spending the time with family. This float was one I particularly enjoyed. I've always felt a deep reverence for those who died in the 9-11 attacks. I think it is something we should always remember.



One of my favorite parts of the parade is when a local ROTC until marches by holding several dozen American Flags. Everyone stands up and puts their hands on their hearts. It is so patriotic, and so respectful. I love it!





This is something you'll only see in the Provo City Parade. Since the LDS Missionary Training Center is here, and much of Provo is Mormon, they have the missionaries walk in the parade. It is quite a sight to see all those men and women proudly representing their church. They get a good reaction from the crowd, and especially from the children.





Not everything that is in the parade is exactly patriotic. Some of the giant balloons are just plain fun.
















This was Vaughn's reaction when he saw the Garfield balloon. He loves balloons, so when he saw Garfield, he was in heaven!








Here's Brian's sister Amy and her son Sammy. Yes, this is the Amy that I do most of my bottling with. And yes, she happens to be one of the funnest people in the world! She looks calm and relaxed here, but she is also one of the most energetic and funny people I've met. She loves to have a good time, and I'm so glad she is my friend!









Amy's daughter Kimball is one of Vaughn's very good friends. This is the same Kimball that participated in the "Thirty Second Hug." Vaughn adores Kimball, and as you can see, they are quite a pair! Kimball is always watching out for Vaughn, or trying to comfort him. She is quite a special little girl.











Here's Kimball again with her sister Riley. Riley, I would like to point out, is a very good little actress. She is also just as spunky and fun as her mother. She is a real riot.









Here's Linda's husband, Danny. He'll probably kill me for putting in this picture, but I thought it was really funny. Danny looks like he's having a really good time, doesn't he? He likes to call me "Reesta." Danny is a lot of fun.

















And speaking of Linda, here she is with her daughter Lorna. Lorna is quite the cutie. She loves The Little Mermaid. In fact, when they were here, Brian drew Lorna a picture of a mermaid, and she carried it around the house with her for the rest of the day and into the evening. It was adorable! When I call Linda, she puts Lorna on the phone and tells her to say Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, and other Disney names. It is so cute to hear Lorna try to imitate Linda. My favorite is when Lorna tries to say Sleeping Beauty, and she says, "Seeping Booty."











And what's a parade without Uncle Buns? Yes, I call Brian's brother Robert "Buns." If you want to know, ask Robert for an explanation.
















Danny and Linda's youngest child is a little boy named Alvin. Here's me holding Alvin, and I'm in pure heaven! He is so fun and cuddly! We like to call him "Little Lamilly, Alvin, Simon, Theodore." Again, if you want an explanation, you'll have to talk to Linda. What a cutie!





I love this picture of Vaughn and Julie (Brian's sister). I want to point out that Brian and I had been trying to get a picture of me and him with Vaughn for forever, but he wouldn't sit still. They Aunt Julie put him in her lap, and he turned and looked at Brian with that expression on his face. It was as if he were saying, "Dad, I'll have you know I'm in charge here, and I decided when I will or won't pose for a picture!" It was pretty funny.





We tried to meet up with Laura and Ben and Emily and their two girls at the parade, but we couldn't make the connection. We found out later that we were sitting across the street from each other and never saw each other! What a bummer! I bet Prairie and Autumn were adorable! And it would have been nice to enjoy the parade with them as well.



After the parade, and later on that evening, we met up at Brian's parents' house for dinner. Then Danny and Linda and their kids, and me and Brian and Vaughn went to the Stadium of Fire. They have LaVell Edwards' Stadium pretty much sold out every year. They invite a musical group and have some cool performances. Then they have the coolest fireworks in the country. It is so cool! The tickets are really expensive, so we just sat outside the stadium on some grass, and our view was great! To the right, from left to right, are Alvin (in the stroller), Danny, Kalel, Linda and Lorna. Don't their kids have the coolest names? I love them!

And here's me and Brian and Vaughn enjoying the show. I think it's funny that Vaughn looks so dead in this picture, considering he was totally hyper the whole time. He loved the fireworks. In fact, when a particularly loud firework went off, he jumped up into the air and practically landed on Brian's back and held so tight to his shirt. It was pretty funny!

We really had a wonderful 4th of July celebration. And it was so nice to share it with those we love!

Love, Lisa