~Vacation to Utah 2012: Independence Day!~

Let Freedom Run!  We kicked off the 4th of July with a race for the entire family.  It was awesome!  I'm so glad my parents and siblings are willing to do stuff like this with me.  

My dad and I ran the 5k together (32.4 minutes!!) and I did WAY better than last year.  My knee didn't even hurt afterwards!  My only mistake was gulping water at a station so the last quarter mile was a little uncomfortable.  Other than that it was awesome!  One of my favorite parts was singing "Mah Na Mah Na" from the Muppets with my dad at the top of our lungs.  Fabulous!  My mom and Erin ran the 1 mile with the munchkins and they were pretty tough.  I was impressed.  Nick and Robert ran the 10K, and it was brutal for them both, but they made it through in great time with those long legs.  I was impressed.

Then we came home to red white and blue crepes.  Yummmm!  Strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream on Nick's crepes.  What a wonderful way to celebrate.

Much resting and relaxing continue on from there until there was an attack by tiny ninjas!

After naps we went over to Grandma Marion's house for a water balloon fight that quickly just turning into a huge water fight.  The balloons were gone within seconds, but old milk jugs make great squirt guns.  Everyone else got soaked.  I took pictures. The kids had a blast!

Then we were off to wait for fireworks at my dad's office building.  We went and got dinner from Pita Pit and The Malt Shoppe, and spread out and played for what seemed like FOREVER.  

I think we got there a bit early this year.  Good thing we had some stuff to entertain the munchkins.  

By the time fireworks were suposed to start, kids were exhausted and falling asleep all over us. I think the fireworks started about an hour later than they needed to.  Curse those late arriving performers at stadium of fire.  

Finally!

We watched for a little over half the show and then I said "How would everyone feel if we left before the finale so we could beat the traffic home?  Last year we were stuck in traffic for over an hour.  It was yucky.  This time we made our mad dash out of there and were home within minutes.  We were EXHAUSTED!  I guess that what a fantastic, early starting, water fighting day will do to you.  

Happy Birthday, America!