So Much Fun

We have had so much fun the last month that I just haven't found time to blog. Really! I know that most of the time I just don't get around to it, but this time we've just been so busy that one activity has come right on the heels of the next. Hmmm. . .so where to begin.

I'll start with our Fourth of July celebration. We chose to enjoy the Stampede parade from the comfort of our living room, watching the first hour on television. Later we made our way to Denver to enjoy 4th of July activities provided by the City of Northglenn in a neat park just a few blocks from Katelynn's house. It was a hot, hot, hot day so we stayed in the shade as much as we could. The girls found a fun splash fountain in the playground area that cooled them down for awhile. Unfortunately, the adults just stood in the sun next to them baking and taking pictures. As we wandered a few booths set up in one end of the park, Mara spotted and begged for a blow-up pink unicorn. My protests went unheeded in the face of two big sisters and Dad pleading on her behalf, so the unicorn joined our family. In the end, it was well worth it just for the pictures it provided. The evening was topped off by an amazing fireworks display while we enjoyed Sonic drinks in the perfect evening weather. Despite some rather unpleasant teens sitting nearby smoking and loudly sharing their large vocabulary of foul language, (I'm sure they just wanted to illustrate what true individual freedom really means,) we were able to celebrate the freedom and riches we enjoy in this wonderful country. We are so appreciative of our forefathers and their wisdom and courage creating this country.

We spent the next day roasting at the Stampede just to get an annual taste of this huge Greeley event. Somehow it doesn't feel like we've really celebrated the 4th if we don't attend the Stampede or the parade. It was dollar ride day at the carnival, so Mara and Ailah got to enjoy some of the kid rides as well as a turn at the Ferris Wheel. Mara enjoyed everything she rode, Ailah not so much. We fondly remember our trip to Disneyland when Mara was this age. She rode the carousel as many times as we would let her and begged for more. Ailah rode this carousel exactly once and when we asked if she wanted to go again, she vigourously shook her head with an obvious look of distaste on her face. These two kids are as different as could be from start to finish. I mostly just enjoyed that stampede food though the prices really are becoming prohibitive. Yikes!

I'm going to end this here just to get something posted. Come back soon for the next installment of Summer 2008, the Stoll family "staycation."