Keeping Up With Us Jones': Fourth of July 2014

a fairly unusual question is to ask someone what their favorite season is, and an even less common question is to ask someone what their favorite holiday is, mostly because, everyone knows 90% of the time it's either going to be Christmas or their birthday. so why ask? one time in my college apartment complex i met this girl, (her name is Audrey if you really must know.) her favorite holiday was the fourth of july. i was baffled, i thought it was as weird as saying your favorite holiday was harbor day or national brush your hair day. anyway, i was lucky enough to celebrate the fourth of july with her that year, and let me tell you, it truly was her favorite holiday, everything decorated in her apartment, she was dressed to the nines in red white and blue, and while she was always a happy person, on that day she just glowed. i still don't know what it was about the holiday that made her love it so much, but every fourth of july since i have thought about her and her positive attitude and genuine love of that day.

i guess that's because the fourth of july was definitely not my favorite holiday.

my older brother was born on the fourth of july. so... the day was always spent partying and celebrating, and that's great! but... we always did these things for him, and the things that he wanted. the fourth was a day spent celebrating with family, but when i was little i wanted to celebrate the fourth without my brothers input, i wanted to go with my friends, or go to the lake, or sleep in.

now that i am older and wiser, and maybe it's all because of meeting Audrey, but my opinions of the holiday have drastically changed. the fourth of july is now not only a birthday for my brother, but also a birthday for our country! what a wonderful thing to celebrate! everyone gets all patriotic and shows the world how much we love being Americans, and how grateful we are for those who have been wounded or died defending, and protecting it and it's values.

This year, we spent it doing what we have done almost every year. but for some weird reason, it didn't feel monotonous, it was as if i was doing these activities for the first time. viewing the fireworks with childlike wonder, and being amazed at the hot air balloons being blown up and taking off. eating hot dogs and hamburgers that were so delicious and juicy that you didn't care about the shirt you were staining with spilled grease from your lips. and finding so much joy from the "pop" explosion that came from throwing down a tiny paper sack filled with the smallest amount of gun powder to scare the person sitting next to you. watching little kids eat watermelon and the permanent red smile that comes from drinking a glass of cherry kool-aide. it's all just so quintessentially summer.

i really don't know what changed, maybe i am starting to see the world again through Bayli's eyes now that she is old enough to learn about it and to ask questions. but this years fourth of july was wonderful, and if i could, i would love to re-live this happiest of birthdays over and over and over again.

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i only took pictures of our trip down to provo to see the hot air balloons take off at the crack of dawn, the rest of the day i relaxed and wore overalls and didn't worry about social media and just soaked all of the sunshine in. but, here are some pictures of our morning, and honestly, it's the coolest thing! these pictures are pretty awesome, and they don't do it justice. i highly recommend going next year if you can.

^^ it starts off at 6:00 with the alexander balloon taking off, carrying the flag, we all listen to the star spangled banner, and then as it comes back down to give back the flag, all of the other balloons start filling up with air. after the alexander balloon drops the flag off, it takes off once again and starts the race.

^^in this photo you can tell that even before the alexander balloon touches ground a lot of the balloons are already up, or on their way. also, my sister and her husband are the best babysitters while i am neglecting my child because of these pictures. :)