2. It doesn't matter if you go early to the parade to set out your blankets in a good spot, everyone is just going to stand in the street and block both your view and the progression of the marching band. Also, no one listens to motorcycle cops telling them to back up, because there is salt water taffy being thrown from the floats and there are four thousand adults trying to make sure that their kid gets more than all the other kids - who cares about the people who are actually trying to watch the parade?
(This was our view of the parade. And below is my 6'2" sister and 6'5" father who could not see anything, even when they stood on each others shoulders.)
3. I have the capability to yell at perfect strangers.
4. In spite of ten thousand morons choking the life out of the parade, it was still kind of cool to see my kids having fun waving to people while they rode in the parade with the V-Dub Club of Northern Utah. (None of the VW's broke down in the street. I was surprised.)
5. Taking my one-year-old to a restaurant when he has been in the hot sun all morning and missed his nap time by two hours is a bad idea.
6. Having my grandpa come to our house for a holiday meal and fireworks feels a bit like winning. Cause there are commonly six different families fighting for his patronage. Take that, Extended Family!
(He doesn't usually wear those.)
7. Pulled pork sandwiches topped with coleslaw, plus corn on the cob, watermelon, fruit pizza, and apple pie trumps any burger you could grill.
8. My brother is pretty much the coolest uncle ever. He makes my kids weapons and lets them beat him up.
9. I have pasty-white, unshapely legs.
10. I can be the nice mom and buy the kids glow sticks, and I'm cool for about ten minutes. Then my dad buys light-up swords, and I become the cheapskate. That's ok though - grandpas are supposed to be the favorite.
11. Trent really likes fireworks.
What a fun 4th of July! I love the list - we didn't go to the parades this year, and after reading your post, I'm glad we thought Georgia might be too young still. She wouldn't have made it through the day. The firework photo is awesome!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! Not much better on the 4th than family, beating up some family, coleslaw on top of pulled pork (I LOVE that), fireworks, a parade, and a few dumb people thrown in to block your view!
ReplyDeleteYour grandpa is adorable! Would love to see those tall family members standing on top of each other's shoulders....
FSC - I will have to see if I can get a picture of my tall family doing the circus stunts and post it here! And my grandpa is adorable, huh? But he is a very manly man, and if he knew I had called him "adorable" he'd surely not appreciate it. :)
ReplyDeleteCooper - I think we'll skip the parade next year. You had the right idea. :)
Oh, man, you somehow ended up in the crappy section of the parade! We could see just fine from where we were about a block north of you guys. Now, problems with the people next to us "accidently"
ReplyDeletesquirting us with squirt bottles all afternoon and the adults trying to get all the candy before the kids, that's a different story...
People are obnoxious.
ReplyDeleteYour grandpa is awesome, though. He's rocking those glasses!
Can you believe that I did not see ONE firework this year? NOT ONE!
ReplyDeleteWell look at that...your fourth of July was full of all kinds of lessons!! Love it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm cracking up over the glow sticks vs. the light sabers!! I'm the mom who won't buy my kids ANY of those. So my kids would love you!! ha ha
So fun that your grandpa chose YOUR family to party with!! He knows where the good action is!!
It's official. I have to be with my sister Holly or you on a 4th of July. What a wonderful day.
ReplyDeleteThings I learned from your post:
ReplyDelete1. People are stupid.
2. Granpda is awesome (okay, I already knew that, but those glasses put him over the top!)
3. Mom's fruit pizza looked WAY better than mine.
4. Light swords are indeed way cooler than glo sticks - which I also bought my kids... we must be sisters or something... ;)
5. I can't wait to be down there next year so we can celebrate with you guys!
Right now all I want to do is eat a pulled pork sandwich and yell at idiots.
ReplyDelete#6 is my favorite!
ReplyDeleteThe porta potty thing is a sad truth, isn't it? What twisted mind even came up with them. A room to leave your waste in, so it can mix with the waste of others and bake in the heat all day. Nice!
VWs forever baby!!
ReplyDeleteLooks a lot like our towns parade! I am craving funnel cakes with powdered sugar now.
ReplyDeleteAnd - you look great! Very thin and pretty. :)
And this post is EXACTLY why I love your blog!! Fantastic stuff and had me laughing from #1!
ReplyDeleteAnd your grandpa rocks.
I wish you had a facebook "like" option because I would just go through and like everything I read on here. How original am I? Can't even think of a cool comment. Just like your stuff, Bethany. The end.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree about the comment about Grandpa's time. It definitely is a win to get some of his time! :)
ReplyDelete