HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!!

The Fourth of July is one of my MOST favorite holidays - right after Christmas. My family has always had such fun traditions. The only times I've ever missed it were when I was on my mission and honeymoon. (If only those could forever be the only times!!!)

 

The celebrations start out the night before. This holiday is for all the Wood side and the Jeppson side. People come and set up their tents in the back yard and we have a barbecue that night with lots of traditional salads and desserts.



Then when it gets dark we light sparklers and dance around the lawn with them, spelling our names, taking pictures and other shenanigans.

 
 

Then we move to the front yard and watch an amazing home-firework show courtesy of my cousin Kirk. In the last 10 years the little kids (and yes sometimes us big kids) start dancing in front of the fireworks.

 

Then we sleep over and wake up to a breakfast of egg souffle (that we only get for this holiday), pumpkin and chocolate chip muffins, and cold cereal. We then go for the best home-town parade ever in Huntsville, and then stay for the carnival after wards.

 

Growing up in the middle of the day we would have a huge water-fight which was always thrilling and chilling but no one's been up for it in later years, but this year we went up to Perception park and tubed down the river. Brrr!

   

Then that night we go back to Huntsville Park for a hoe-down and a firework show. The cool thing about this show is that you're right up close and personal to the fireworks. Literally! One year we kept having ash rain down on us. But they're amazing. I'm so glad Varian was here to celebrate with me and my family for this wonderful holiday.