4th of July :: Backwards

I'm gonna do this post backwards, with all the fun stuff first.

Look at these cute boys.  I feel like 4th of July is one of those holidays I need to document for the sake of keeping track of how quickly these boys grow up.  One day we'll be comparing pictures like this from throughout the years and I know we'll just crack up.  Please ignore the fact that many of these pictures are super "off"... I was not on my A game that night.  I'm not sure what was going on.  Haha.

Tyler was loving the sparklers.

Same with Marshall.

We tried watching the fireworks from our house this year and I'm nearly sold on the idea.  The neighboring trees block some of the lower fireworks, but you can basically see the majority of the show.  I really love the way the sounds of the fireworks echo off the cliffs to the east of us.  It is a loud, deep rumble that I just loved.  It was also awesome that I could just run in the house and get the kids some food and grab some pillows to make our watching experience that much better.

This is what Marshall did the last half of the Hurricane vs. La Verkin softball game.  He could care less about Daddy playing in the game.  All he wanted (ALL DAY) was to see fireworks.  So he spent some time gazing through the fence of the upper field watching families light off their fireworks.  The whole rest of the time he was wrestling with his friend Bridger Johnson.  They honestly were wrestling their guts out and I kept worrying that they would end up crying, but after each big fall/crash they'd get up laughing.  That was pretty fun to watch.

This was a pretty hilarious part of the day...  During the home run derby (which Colby took second in, on account of the few foul balls that went WAY over the fence) Colby hit this car and left a major dent.  Now, for the record, we all felt pretty bad for the owner of the car, but seriously... who parks out past left-center field during a softball game and a home run derby.  So, officially, SORRY TO THE OWNER OF THIS CAR.  I HOPE MY NEXT FEW COMMENTS AREN'T TOO INSENSITIVE OR OFFENSIVE :)  Well, Colby nailed this car and left this enormous dent.  It was really big.  After a while the police were called and pulled up beside the poor injured vehicle.  I ran down to Colby as he was coaching 3rd base and told him we all decided he should hit another one over the fence at the cop's truck (since he was so smart to park in such a dangerous place).  He chuckled and said he'd give it a try.  Sure enough... he did.  He smacked it over the fence, but it was foul and a little ahead of the truck.  So he got to try again and the opposing team was all on board for the challenge and Colby was given the perfect pitch and he hit another one over the fence directly at the truck.  It bounced exactly in front of the truck and bounced over it.  After that, the police officer and the owner of this car moved their vehicles away from the "danger" and we all had a good laugh about it.

This is one of those "tradition pictures."  We've taken one since our cousin Karter came along.  Brigham (Karter's little brother) was missing from this picture... so we'll have to be better about it next year.  It seems like he was not having the whole "let's take you kids' pictures right now" idea, if I remember right.

This is a photo we had snapped after the parade Monday morning.  I cracked up when I looked at them... I'm the only one looking at the camera, but I'm not the hero or anything since I'm totally cheesing it and all.  But seriously!!!  The family of a photographer should not struggle this much at getting their pictures taken.  Haha.

Marshall's spoils from the parade.

The three bigger boys with Aunt Carly getting ready to catch as much candy as they could.

And... best for last, right?  The composition of this photo is obviously not the best, but I loved the way it documented the moment.  I know one day I'll love the way we looked when we were 20 something and I'll laugh at the way the kids always had a mind of their own when the camera was on them.  I love my little family and feel so blessed that I have them and we live where we do and have the freedoms we have.

Happy Independence Day!!!