4th of July!

I love the 4th of July! It has been my favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. I grew up in Oakley and I don't know any place I'd rather be than there on the 4th. Lilly's numbers were high enough that we felt like we could at least go to the parade. I told Lilly she couldn't pick the candy up off the road because it's too dirty, so we brought our own candy instead. We couldn't go to the patriotic program or the rodeo because of the masses of people and also dust/dirt at the rodeo, but at least we got to do a little bit. For that I am grateful. 

This is Lilly's cousin Sydnee. Her family came to town for the 4th and Lilly has been so excited to spend time with her. My sister and her husband stayed home from the parade because they drove all night from California the night before to get to Utah for the 4th. 

Mom and Me

Our little sunshine!

This is the way to pop "pop-its" per Emery... By gently placing them on the ground and then stomping on them!

Selfie. 

Our TRUE colors. ;)

Later in the day we caught up with some friends we hadn't seen for a while. And they happened to have their horse out and asked Jay if he wanted to take the girlies for a ride bareback. Of course!! What city girl wouldn't LOVE THAT??

This little girlie wouldn't come near the horse. He was too big for her. 

Later that afternoon we met back up with my parents and had lunch, and then we went over to my old bishop's house. We wanted to see how big their baby horse was getting since the last time we saw her... It was our lucky day! The girls got to ride a horse AGAIN, but this time in a saddle by themselves! (being lead by another horse) 

The baby's name is Honey and the mama's is Sugar. 

Love this picture.

So much fun! Sydnee told bishop her name was Sydnee Austrailia! Silly girl.

Em watched the bigger girls ride the horse and she kept saying that she wanted to ride too. 

And then we got on the horse and she got really nervous. But, Jay told us to go around the field anyway because she would feel bad if she didn't. And he was RIGHT! She cried a lot, but she just wasn't sure what to think... We went home shortly after the horse ride and Em fell asleep quickly because she was so tired. She woke up a few times during the drive home and would say, "Em... Ride... Horse... Mama." And then would fall back to sleep. She was dreaming about it!! She's still talking about riding the horse every day! I'm glad she had a good experience. 

Honey, the baby horse, loves to be out in the field with her mama. She runs and runs and bucks and plays. It was fun to watch her. Lilly was in heaven. It was a very special day for her. 

That night we were invited over to our Stake President's house to watch fireworks from their backyard. They have an AMAZING view. You can see from Bountiful to the point of the mountain. We saw hundreds of firework displays all at once. Awesome. 

Em is trying to blow out her sparkler like her birthday candles!! :)

Even though we didn't get to do everything we "normally" do on the 4th of July, it was still a good day. I'm grateful that we live in a free country and I'm so thankful to all the service men and women and all they do to protect this beautiful land that we live in. God bless America, land that I Love!