Happy Birthday, America!

I have very fond memories of the Fourth of July. It might be my favorite holiday. When I was really little, the Fourth of July seemed like a day full of excitement. First there was the parade in downtown Provo which I saw with all of my extended family. There were motorcycles, a canon, jets flying overhead, and all of the fun that a parade brings. After the parade, we would wander over to the craft fair in front of the courthouse, then go to the picnic at Grandma's house. At the end of the day, the party moved to our house. Since we lived on a hill, we had a perfect view of the Stadium of Fire. We barbecued and lit fireworks while huge fireworks lit up the sky above. It sounds idyllic, but it really happened that way.

The Fourth of July isn't as full of events any more, but it's still a lot of fun. We don't usually go to the parade any more, but we do go to the Balloon Festival.


There's always a picnic, and there are always fireworks. Most important of all, it's always full of one thing that's really important to me: my family.

Now that I'm in Indiana, the Fourth of July doesn't quite feel the same. That's partly because it's rained both times, thus making it hard to watch fireworks, but I think it's also because it's missing the family element.

Before we all get too depressed, there are things I use to compensate for what I'm missing. I do have fun plans with a bunch of friends today. Also, I'm trying out the ice cream maker that I got for Christmas. I'm making strawberry ice cream. Yum! There's also this clip.



And no, I'm not saying that I want to punch America in the stomach. I just think the song is funny. With all that said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! I'm grateful to live here, in a place where I can pursue my dreams. Happy Independence Day, everyone!