Fourth of July Week

Being August third I decided I better move it and get my Fourth of July post done. This year our Fourth of July celebrations lasted all week. We had a party on the fourth, sixth, and eighth. We were excited to hold our first BBQ at our house for the Fourth. Usually we hold at Barry's parents. Barry made his famous ribs; I think they as good as the ribs served at most BBQ and steakhouses. I won't divulge his secret but I can give a little hint. The secret is not in the sauce but in how he cooks them.

After dinner, Barry's brother Steven lit off some fireworks for the kiddos. We lined them up so they could pick out a firework, hand it to uncle Steven, who would light and throw it in the street. Squeals of excitement followed as the firework went off. Thankfully there was only a couple of really loud, annoying ones.

Grandma Vest loving up on Emma who is all decked out
to celebrate her 1st Fourth of July. She's wearing the hair bow 
I made (I'm not proud of my work, am I?) 

Then we headed to the Menan fireworks. I've been to the Melaluca Freedom Celebration in Idaho Falls several times. Just to get a good viewing spot you have to stake out your place that morning. Plus I'm not too fond of the huge crowd and the traffic afterwards. 

We left home just 15 minutes before the Menan show started and got a prime spot. We were so close that the car alarm of the van behind us kept going off due to the explosions. I have to admit I wasn't expecting much of a show from a town smaller than Rigby; I'm not exaggerating when I say the show lasted 45 minutes! Just as a round of fireworks finished, one of us would say, "That's has to be it" and then another round would be fired off. After the show we made it home in the record time of 15 minutes. After the Melaluca fireworks we were lucky to be home an hour later.

Great Grandma Olsen loving on Emma. 
Emma is her only great granddaughter.

On the sixth, we celebrated my Grandpa Olsen turning 80 this June. Since my aunt Julie from Colorado, my uncle Rob from Washington, and their families were going to be in Idaho over the Fourth, we waited to celebrate his birthday then. It was great to see my cousins that I haven't seen in ages. I also really liked how each of us shared a memory or two about Grandpa. There were things I'd forgotten and it made me appreciate my grandpa more. 

Owen and his new friend Scout

My uncle Rob brought his dog Scout along. Owen's initial reaction was a "classic Owen" one (he freaked out and screamed). He is scared of dogs mainly because he doesn't like them jumping up on him and he is allergic to them. Being a typical old dog (12 years old), Scout was very mellow and just laid there while Owen built up the courage to touch him. We've noticed his allergic reaction is not as severe. No more hives or swollen eyes but his eyes will get red, itchy and watery if any fur or dander gets near them. We've told Owen that he needs to wash his hands after touching a dog to avoid touching his eyes. Thank goodness for Claritin melt tabs. LOL.

P.S. Thanks Dean for taking these pictures and thanks Julie for emailing them to me.

The sixth also happens to be my Grandpa Clinger's birthday. He turned 82 this year. So we made a special visit on the eighth to see him. He was doing so well that day that you wouldn't know he has Parkinson's disease; some days the Parkinson's Disease debilitates him to the point that he can barely talk. He loved seeing Emma and talking to her. He kept telling her she was such a beautiful girl (I wholeheartedly agree!).

After our visit we headed over to a surprise party for our nephew Noah who turned 7. The poor boy endured a whole day of being told by his mother that she had not planned a party for him. Boy was he surprised! Even better, Grandpa Vest tried out his Cotton Candy machine (his anniversary present from Mom)  for the first time at the party.