And so it begins...

Okay- here we go with part one of the July 4th saga. Hold onto your skirts kids!

So, Kevin's family has big time 4th of July traditions. They have an outside dinner at Uncle and Aunt's house, swimming and water stuff for the kids, followed by a volley ball marathon until you can't see the ball anymore, fireworks at the near by park, card games until midnight when they order pizza, sleeping out in sleeping bags on the lawn, big outside breakfast, and the parade going right by the house, more volley ball and kids swimming. It's quite an event.

I know I'm going to get a bunch of flack from the Webb family reading this for admitting this out loud. Just hear me out. I didn't grow up with these things, and really don't enjoy volley ball, card games, swimming as a general rule or sleeping outside. I'm glad that they enjoy these things. And I am grateful that we have a family that is so close- all 80 of us. And I am grateful that I can come every year to be a part of the family tradition.

This year I was thinking about the holiday and how I never look forward to it anymore and how sad that is. I realized that I can't change the tradition that has been set in stone for decades in Kevin's family. But I can add my 4th of July traditions to the mix.

Growing up in Provo, I was spoiled with the Freedom Festival. We never had money to go to the Stadium of Fire or anything, but that was the only time that my family really did anything. I would say that July 4th is the only time we had any "traditions". We would go either on the 3rd or the 4th early in the morning and see the Hot Air Balloon Festival. Then on the 4th, get up and go to the Scout breakfast fundraiser led by Brother Sanchez and his boy scout troop. Then head over to my mom's office on University Avenue where we would watch the big parade, and then go over to the festival and walk around all the vendors to window shop. At night we would go behind the hospital to get the best seats to see the Stadium of Fire firework show. We would sit on the hood of the car and ooh and ahh with everyone else and feel like a normal family. I loved 4th of July.

So, I decided that this year, on the 3rd, we were going to the Hot Air Balloon Festival. I thought it would be perfect since Thomas is OBSESSED with balloons. Kevin was really excited about it. We booked a hotel in Provo and went down Thursday night to avoid a 4:30 AM wake up call. We were able to bring Chewy with us too. We went to eat at Carrabba's Italian Grill. Always so good. Went back to the hotel and got our swimming stuff on. While Thomas usually loves to swim, he was a little off and wasn't sure he was down with it. We switched from the hot tub to the pool a couple of times. Kevin and I took turns swirling him around. He wasn't digging it much, so we went back to the room and an anxious Chewy. We jumped on the bed and snuggled. None of us slept really well, but I guess that happens when it's not your bed and when you are trying to share it with a toddler.






We got up in the morning and went to Fox Field where the balloons were. Kevin didn't realize that you got to walk around in between the balloons as they were blowing up. You can literally reach out and touch them. Thomas was a little groggy, but was amazed with what he was seeing. Could balloons really be this big? There are always at least 20 balloons at the festival. Balloon pilots come from all over the country to participate in the festival. It's really cool. When we stepped onto the field, I got all nostalgic and shed a few tears. I felt like I was being transported back in time. It was wonderful. As the balloons were all inflated, the first one took off. Poor Thomas wasn't happy. "B'loon! B'loon! Get it! Momma get it!" He didn't want it to fly away. We've told him that if he doesn't hold on to his balloon, it will fly away and never come back. Way to go Mom, give the kid a balloon complex. Once he realized he could still see the balloons and they weren't going to fall off the planet, he enjoyed it.

To wrap up part one, we went to breakfast at Einstein's Bagels, back to the hotel for more jumping on the bed and packed up to go home. It was a great outing. Kevin commented that he enjoyed it and we should do it every year! Hooray! hope you enjoy the pictures!