Jubilant July

 

Homemade fruit pizza (fruit, cream cheese frosting and sugar cookie crust) 

It's a good thing I've continued to take pictures - even though I don't take very good ones - they are they only thing that can remind me of what we've been up to.  Otherwise I'd just be posted crazy titles and not having anything to back them up with. 

 

Homemade flag brownies (ok box brownie mix but made with love flag stencil)

I love that I live in America.  I love that was fortunate enough to be born in these The United States of America. I'm not sure what I did in the pre-mortal existence to be so blessed to live in a free nation but I'm very thankful for it.  Most likely not nearly grateful enough as I've never had to the opportunity to live outside the United States borders so I don't really know what it's like but I have a pretty vivid imagination and sometimes I let my mind wander.  So very grateful.  So very lucky.  So very indebted.  I was trying to come up with a 'J' word for a synonym for proud or patriotic but there was only one and it didn't really say what I wanted to so that is why I went with jubilant. (the word was jingoistic)

However I do get teary eyed and super proud every year in July - of course because we celebrate the founding of our nation on the 4th but also because here in Utah we celebrate the founding of our state on the 24th - we do fire works all month long.  And when I say we I mean other people because we don't really do them at our house normally but apparently this year everyone in the state did them every day of the month that they were legally and/or illegally allowed. 

At West Bountiful Parade with neighbors - and yes that is Elizabeth wearing a sweater in the middle of summer - she wouldn't take it off (and yes that is Chris holding Olivia's ears, she doesn't like loud noises).

We were busy.  Making chalk alphabets.  Swimming in the pool. Feeding ducks.

 

 We were busy. Going camping.  Going to the library.  Going to the zoo some more.

 

  

We were busy.  Making playdough potato heads. Making splashes.  Making memories.

 

  

We were busy.  Making fires.  Watching rainbows.  Painting bathrooms.

 

 

I really like this poem - I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear, Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong, The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam, The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work, The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat, the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck, The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the hatter singing as he stands, The wood-cutter’s song, the ploughboy’s on his way in the morning, or at noon intermission or at sundown, The delicious singing of the mother, or of the young wife at work, or of the girl sewing or washing, Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else, The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.

It doesn't seem like enough but the words that I wish to express are thank you...to the people of my Grandpa John and Grandpa Sam's generation.  For so much we owe you, our very lives and liberty. And to the Grandma Marges and Grandma Barbaras who also sacrificed in ways I can't imagine.  Thank you for helping make me who I am and for helping make America what it is.  A nation where we can live freely and where we can make wonderful memories.  Thank you just is barely enough...

Grandpa John

Grandpa Sam