Fourth of July, West Yellowstone Style

Every year Matt and I try to be in Montana for the 4th of July. It is the best place on earth to celebrate everything that is great about Small Town America. We went this year to our Cabin with all of my family except for Cam and Traci who couldn't make it ( We missed you guys) and it was a blast again this year. The kids have so much fun with all of the cousins, and there is always some crazy thing going on . . . the zip line in the back yard, shooting bb guns off the porch, catching fire ants and seeing who can go the longest with out being bitten, riding bikes until the sky is pitch dark and the mosquitoes are eating you alive, or carving sticks with the new pocket knife you just got at the dollar store. It is a little boys paradise. The parade is clearly the highlight for me. Every year we let the kids be in the parade, and they love it! This year we didn't do a very good job of planning so we didn't have decorations for the car or the four-wheelers, but they did have candy to throw, and B.J. came up with the idea of squirt guns. It is always crazy, and funny, and this year was no exception. B.J. and Matt thought that it would be a good idea to just send Hyatt and Parker on the four-wheeler (with Carson in tow in a wagon) all by themselves through town to the spot where they line up for the parade. Stop signs, crossing the freeway, what ever, no big deal! Men! That did not work out very well, so Kris was a good sport and drove the little tiny four wheeler through town for them. The parade was so funny, complete with royalty in a Mackenzie boat, I love it! No one was injured this year, and that is all I could hope for. My kids don't even know what a big parade is like, so they think this one is the best, and they get to be a part of it, so even better. The whole town comes out to support each other, and the "floats" are so low tech, it's hilarious. Every year I get about half way through and then I cry. I don't know why, but it just makes me feel so happy to be in a place where life is simple, and being surrounded by the people you love is the only thing that matters. West Yellowstone puts on an amazing fireworks display in the forest up over all the pine trees. It is so perfect, we just pull up the truck and everyone spills out at 5 minutes before 10 and then we get to watch the fireworks in a dark Montana sky. Summer is the best in Montana.

Griff loved all of it, except for his hat, that he hated!

This guy makes it all possible, and we all love him for it! Thanks Dad ! Not pictured, but also making it all possible is Mom. Thanks Mom! You guys are the best!

This is the cake I made for dessert. It looks pretty good huh? Looks can be deceiving. I forgot to put the baking soda in it, so it was more of a brownie than a cake. My family was so nice, they all ate it and pretended that is was good. Oh well, you can't win them all!