Tyler and Jamie: it's independence day.

We started Independence Day (otherwise known as "the fourth") out bright and early at 6 o'clock in the morning. In the morning! On a stormy, overcast day! We drove over to the Brad and Helen's house for a patriotic program they put on every year.

Brad was my old boss at BYU for a couple of years and is an incredible man. Someone I have come to look up to and respect. He's a friend to all and has the most incredible work ethic of anyone I've ever known.

Brad was also in the military before he worked as my boss at BYU. He's a true patriot of the United States and proud to be an American. He loves his country and he gets very emotional about the freedom and rights that we have.

Which is why his Patriotic Program is the best we've ever been to. He sets up flags galore and all of his community and neighbors rally together to donate time, talents, equipment, and anything else that they can to make the program run smoothly.

Members from the American Legion were also there. This year, they even had a cannon and a 21-gun salute. They also did the flag ceremony and explained the folding of the flag. I had no idea that they folded the flag 13 times because of the 13 colonies. Every fold stands for something. I was impressed with how often God was mentioned in many of the folds.

It increased my love for my country and for my religion. It makes me proud to live in a country where I pledge, every morning with my students, to "one nation, under God." To be a teacher that can teach my second graders the meaning of every phrase in the pledge of allegiance. And it is my firm belief that every child should repeat the pledge every morning while they're in school. This country is our gift from God and it is our privilege to live here and take care of it. I'm not one for politics, but I do know that even the little things help improve our country. Picking up trash while walking, helping out a stranded neighbor or stranger, or being an all-around good american.

And now I'll step down from my soapbox and onto pictures from the day!

{Cloudy. With a chance of ~~meatballs~~ rain.}

{The program in Brad's front yard. Beautiful property!}

{Printed program with the best compilation of songs for any program.}

{Ready and seated for the program to start at 7!}

{Toad and Brain went too. Brain worked for Brad while I was there too. I introduced the Toad and Brain.}

{The mama and pops.}

{Beautiful flags and banners were all over the place.}

{Flag-folding by the American Legion.}

After the program, we headed home to play a couple rounds of Mario with Toad and Brain before heading over to the Freedom Festival. We caught the last of the parade and roamed the different booths at the festival. There were some neat ones this year!

T bought me a ring out of a spoon that I had been eyeing. It was one of those things that was a definite "want" and not a "need" so I had put it down and decided to leave it. He turned around and bought it as a special gift for me. What a charmer I married. Sometimes, it's nice to have a husband who notices the little things. It wasn't necessarily the ring that was so nice, it was the thought behind it. Which means I'll treasure it even more.

We also buy sunglasses every year from the $5 Sunglasses Booth. You can't beat a pair of sunglasses for $5.

Then it was onto the annual BBQ at Grandma and Grandpa Billings! The day turned into a beautiful, overcast day with a slight breeze. Perfect for the fourth.

{all of the sons-in-law on the Madsen side. That's what happens when you come from a family of all girls!}

{all of the sisters.}

{Me with the best-grandma-in-the-entire-world. Really. That's her real name.}

{Three fabulous ladies in my life that I love and adore. I don't know what we'd do without them! The Toad and I got to spend an hour or so over at Becky and Lynne's house the other day catching up with them and browsing cast-off baskets together. It was the best. These women aren't just friends of the family. They are family.}

{Mel and Damon. They just celebrated yet another anniversary!}

{the Hoffmans. Minus Jonathan.}

{Myst and Pete.}

{Myst and Uncle Todd.}

{Twinners! Aunt Karen and the Mama.}

{Wearing our Red, White, and Blue!}

What's the Fourth of July without a day packed full of BBQ's? So we had another one for dinner with the Hoffmans before we did fireworks!

Once the fireworks started, Lady ran to the door to be let in and hid underneath the table during the whole show. Even going deaf she can still hear the squeal of the fireworks.

Poor thing.

Too bad she missed out because the fireworks were awesome this year! Auntie Sheila put on quite the show with the fireworks this year. There were a lot more rockets and not so many squealing ones with Jonathan on his mission this year.

Boy were they a sight!