Independence Day

For people that know me well, it's not news that I have mixed feelings about certain things about Honeyville, and small towns in general. But I have to say, that over the last few years, I've really grown to love their Independence day celebration. In the morning, several members of the Anderson family run the Honeyville 5K, then they have a breakfast, a 10 minute parade (which Josh would tell you he absolutely loves. I think it could stand to be a few minutes longer), and then they have festivities for the children in the park. This year it was especially fun with Meili.

(But before we get to all that,) on the 3rd, we watched the fireworks at Romney stadium from a church close by with Josh's brother, Jake, and his fiancee, Kami.

 Someday, I'll learn how to use my camera better because it has a "firework" setting, and the fireworks were SO cool that night because the moon came up right behind the fireworks. It was beautiful, but this was the best I got.

 The fireworks, like everything else, were so fun with Meili, because with each one, she would say, "Wow!"

 These pictures are from the festivities on the 4th in Honeyville. Our whole family (Josh, myself, and Meili) ran the 5K. Josh decided that morning that he was going to run and he pushed Meili in the stroller, (on gravel, dirt and fields, mind you.) He hasn't run anything over a mile and a half in 3 years, and he ran the entire thing, pushing a stroller! I was so proud!!! I, with the help of Josh's nephew Jensen, and his niece, Chalisse, finished in 25 minutes 50 seconds. Of course, it was not as good as I was hoping to do (the story of my life), but for me, for the Honeyville 5k (which is a cross country course) it was great!

At the park, (the picture above,) they had a fishing pond. Meili wasn't too stoked about that.

 There were also several bouncy houses. Meili couldn't get enough.

 Which lead to a lot of this-everytime we took her out of one of the bouncy houses.

 Too bad little girls need food and naps, or she could have stayed there all day.

 She didn't even need the slide, she just wanted to bounce all day.

 There was also a fishing pond with live fish. Ever since Memorial Day, when we went fishing, Meili loves fish and has no fear. Every time she sees water, she points and says, "Peesh." The kids are supposed to just catch the live fish with their bare hands.

 Too bad Josh sent me in with Meili, because that meant there was no way we were getting one. She may have no fear, but I have enough for both of us. (And she's still a little slow.)

 But in the end, she was perfectly content just playing in the water.

Here's Meili after her very long exciting day. (This is Josh's favorite picture because you can see that she takes after him.)