Just a little Mo': 4th of July Fun

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays! I love everything about it: fireworks, feeling of patriotism, summer weather, traditions, parades, ice cream, homemade rootbeer, and above all being with family, including extended family. The 4th is a big holiday for the Nielsen Family and I am glad that we were able to see so many cousins and relatives.

Here we are waiting for the Logan fireworks to start on July 3rd. I love going into the stadium for the fireworks so I'm glad that everyone went inside this year. It was pretty windy and we were nervous they would have to be cancelled.

My mom buys all of the grandkids matching patriotic outfits for the grandkids so they always have to endure a photo session.

We always go to the Hyrum Lions breakfast the morning of the 4th and it's typical that we show up at the tail end. This year they had ran out of food by the time we got there so we had to go elsewhere. We ended up going to the Cracker Barrel in Paradise for breakfast and it was really good. Some in the family think that should be our new tradition but I am pretty resistant to change. The Lion's breakfast is really not very tasty, but I'm all about tradition. It did feel pretty patriotic being in the small town and the Cracker Barrel is a classic.

Anderson Kids

Beck Sisters

Budge family

Waiting for the Hyrum Parade to start with Jenna and Trevor.

Waiting for candy, doesn't Griffin look protective of all his cousins

The Nielsen clan gathered at the parade. A tradition of the Nielsen family that is many, many, years older than me. In all my 29 years I've never missed the Hyrum Parade. As I was talking to my Grandma she doesn't think they have missed a parade since they started going decades ago and wishes that we had documented it somehow, so I might go on a little quest and try to find pictures of us gathered at the parade each year. I know the parade really isn't very good it has become more of an advertisement parade than a float parade and some of my cousins have decided to quit coming, which I get, but I still just love being there for the small town celebration with family and fighting the crazy crowds for candy and especially trying to stake out a parade spot the night before. Getting a parade spot on the square requires some stealth work especially for our large group.

I just had to post this awesome picture of Jeremy since he was so generous to be the photographer. So typical.

Making the kids get another photo at the square.

After the parade we all gathered at my Grandma and Grandpa Nielsen's house for a picnic. I'm glad that so many came I'm thinking that it needs to become an official reunion, like it used to be when we were kids but now just the R. Lynn Nielsen family.

Mandy brought over the slip n' slide for the kids. We'll have to plan it better next year so everyone can have a swimsuit (it is fun to see Payson in his underwear but he might out grow that soon).

Ella on the slide

Taya going on her belly

Griff was a speed demon, watch out below

Chloe running for another turn

Sydnee, I love this of Brandon who stood at the bottom drinking water. He's a cutey.

That night it was also the Cache Valley Cruise In' main street parade. My brother-in-law Mike A. restored a VW bus a couple years ago. This year he finally decided to enter it into the cruise in' I think mostly for the parade. I wish I knew all the details about his bus, but I do know that when he bought it it was basically just a rusted frame of the bus. He really did an amazing job restoring it. It took several years and he still is always looking for ways to improve it. He loves to take it on family camping trips.