The 4th of July was a wonderful day for us. As I mentioned yesterday, work has been going very well for me, but it has also been super exhausting. I’m doing better work than i’ve Ever done and it is appropriately exhausting. So the 4th of Jujy was amazing. The kids largely cooperated by sleeping in so Lily and I got to sleep in amazingly until 9:30. After waking up, we got everyone ready for the day and went on a jog in Nunn’s Park. Ammon and Clarissa were in the double stroller, Lydia rode her bike and Mary was one her theee wheel scooter which is now way too small. She doesn’t want yet to transition to the two wheel scooter that fits her. It was a beautiful day and an incredible time. I want that Tom be a Fourth of July tradition every year.
Lily and I were feeling exhausted after the jog so we napped afterwards while Clarissa slept. When Clarissa woke up, it was off to the Darais family party.
I love my fourth Of July family parties. I’m so busy these days that I just don’t see my family that often. The party is a gathering under the same shady cluster of trees every year in a park north of the Provo temple. We alsways have ham or turkey sandwiches, fruit, soda and desert while we all visit. What I remember most about this year is visiting with Leland Stout, a neighborhood legend. Legendary for his strength. He shared stories about him lifting 55gallon containers, lifting the engine side of a VW bug with Mark, etc. He is now older, with a snowy white beard, and has difficulty walking so he uses an electric wheel chair to help him get around.
What impresses me the most about Leland Is not his legendary physical strength, but his incredible pluck, and strength of Spirit. He had us all roaring with laughter with jokes like, “what is the last thing a redneck says before he dies, he guys watch this.” And “I was driving on the freeway and my wife called in a panic telling me to be careful because she’s watching the news and the are reporting that some nut is driving headon to traffic down the wrong side of the freeway and for me to be careful. I said, one? There are hundreds of them!” Leland has had a tough life, but his spirit has proved to be so much tougher. I want to be more like him.
After the Darais party, we came home and put Ammon and Clarissa to bed. Lily was exhausted so she unwound on the couch with me while I did the budget and then went to bed while I went to fireworks with Lydia and Mary.
We went to a firework show that was one coldesac east of ours. It was hosted by Moroni Hair, the neighborhood famous Jack-Sparrow impersonator with a jack sparrow ship to boot.
Every year Moroni hosts a firework show for a hundred or so friends, family and neighbors.we brought or monetary donation which he requested, and it makes sense that he requested it because it was an incredible show.
First there was a bike parade. Lots of kids had flags and ribbons on their bikes. My kid’s bikes were I decorated, but I think they had fun riding around. One kid had transformed his wagon into an army tank, and he was able to blow smoke through the gun nozzle.
There was also Carmel and regular popcorn and fresh strawberries with melted ice cream which cream you can buy by the gallon at maceys.
The actual show was incredible. Some of the fireworks were almost like what you would see launched from a stadium. Lydia and Mary took turns being in my lap or snuggling at my side. It was a wonderful night. I chatted a lot with Scott Hansen, my former second counselor from when I was Elders Quorum President. It was so nice to catch up.
Upon returning him, Lydia and Mary watched fireworks from our porch. Orem, and Utah Valley in general takes fireworks very seriously so there were shows going on all around us that we could see from our porch. Mary eventually got tired and went to bed. Lydia finally went to bed after coaxing. There were fireworks going off until about midnight.