My Dad's birthday & The 4th of July!!

After spending 5 days in Colorado we headed to Idaho on July 1st for my Dad's birthday. He turned 61! I can't believe it. He doesn't look or act 61 so I guess that means he's not really that old yet. :) For his birthday he had our entire family home (except for Kelly). We had a weeny roast (as my Mom calls it) in the backyard. We roasted hot dogs for dinner and let the kids roast as many marshmallows as they wanted. They were in heaven.

see...he's doesn't act his age. :)

We didn't have birthday candles so we plopped one big candle (covered in tin foil to protect the cake) right in the middle of the cake and called it good. His cake was german chocolate, his all time favorite. His favorite way to eat it is in a bowl covered in milk. 

On to the 4th of July...Our day started bright and early at 5:30 am to run the annual Firecracker 5k. This was my 2nd year of running it, Jonathon's first. I love the running route because it is right through the streets of where I grew up. So for me it's like a sweet little run through memory lane.

Before the race in front of my parents house.

Heather and I also in front of my folks house. Good ol' 486 12th street. 

The whole crew of us who ran the race. from left to right...Britton, Jonathon, Lindsey, Ashley, My Dad, and Heather.

After the race we immediately ran home (okay, we DROVE home) to get ready for the parade. My parents live in a great spot where we just have to walk to the parade route. When I was growing up my Dad would get up early on the morning of the 4th to go put some chairs out on the parade route to save our spot. But as Idaho Falls has grown people have starting saving their parade spot DAYS ahead. This year I happened to be driving past "our" parade spot on the Friday before the 4th and found that people were ALREADY putting up their chairs and saving their spots. I didn't want to lose our favorite spot so I ran home got some wooden steaks, some string and a hammer and went back to secure our spot.

Lyndon wasn't a fan of the loud firetrucks. 

These guys are in the parade EVERY year.

After the parade we went back to my parents house for the annual BBQ. It was delicious. My Dad grilled hamburgers and hot dogs and made his famous baked beans. YUM. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of it.

After the BBQ we all relax, take naps and chat. Then at around 6pm we head downtown to secure our spot for the spectacular Melaleuka Freedom Celebration Fireworks. Lindsey and Dustin brought a cooler full of drinks and snacks and Jonathon and I brought Fiesta ole' (the BEST crisp bean burritos EVER) for the crew. We all ate and chatted waiting for it to get dark so the fireworks would begin.

Dustin was entertaining the younger crowd.

My Mom brought glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets for all the grandkids.

This is our view, waiting for the fireworks.

What an end to a perfect day. I've said it before and I'll keep saying it until I die...Idaho Falls is THE BEST place in the the whole world to spend the 4th of July.