4th of July in Kaysville

So, on the way to Idaho for the 4th of July weekend, it occurred to Ruby and me that we should check on the parade, to make sure Dance Company was signed up to be in it.  I had a sinking feeling that we'd dropped the ball.  Sure enough, the deadline for registration was the previous Friday, and no, DC wasn't magically signed up to be in the parade.  That was President Ruby's job.  Evidently, all previous presidents had had moms who knew that.  Oops.  Ruby called the city and the guy was comically rude.  He laughed at her and said essentially that they had been planning the parade for months, and DC couldn't just expect to be allowed in at the last minute.  (Even though they're in it every year, and it's the worst parade ever.  Not that I don't love it, but that's just because it's mine.  But I digress.)  The guy shut Ruby down completely.  There was no room for argument.  The parade wasn't happening.  I considered extreme measures, like calling the guy and begging, but due to his rudeness, that wasn't an option.

Plan B:  hurry and message all the dancers before we lost cell service in Cub River Canyon and tell them that we messed up and the parade wasn't happening.  And then, as a consolation prize, invite them all to breakfast on the 4th.  There was no time to organize people to bring things.  This was on us.  It was our mistake and we owed the girls some humility and some muffins.

Most of the girls came and we had a lovely breakfast.  I caught some of them on their way out.  It's going to be a great year with all these girls.  A lot of them are new, and Ruby doesn't know them.  The beautiful thing about dancing together is that they can go into it knowing and assuming that they'll be fast friends.

After breakfast, the parade.  I admit, it was a relief not to have to borrow the truck, decorate the flat bed and send the girls into the blazing sun to pound the pavement for 3 hours.  Why do we even do parades?  That said, I love this parade.  Don't ask me why.  Maybe it's the Kaysville Theater popcorn or the sense of community.

Freestone has a new thing where he looks as ridiculous as possible for pictures.

The Fifes are our people for the water parade. 

I secretly asked the kid holding the city hose if he would ambush this group while I took their picture.  It was so funny!

The water parade is our reward for sitting through the long, boring regular parade.

'Merica!

And then the pool

The older kids were somewhere.  I can't remember where, but it could have been somewhere with air conditioning and couches.  Scott and I took Tziporah and Ptolemy to Oakridge and discovered a bouncy house, balloon creations and free snow cones.  Pretty much heaven.

Our regular spot for fireworks.  Except next year, we're going to try out the stadium.  You know, the actual venue, instead of a parking lot where there are street lights shining in your eyes.  The best part about our regular spot is that the Fitzgeralds are there.  You can't beat that.  And Michelle brings glow sticks for all the kids, including the ones whose mom didn't think of it. :)

Great street lights!

And somewhere in there, we stopped by Nana's.

And Obama says hi.