Our 4th and being Grateful

I have been in awe that it is already July. I'm not ready for 2011 to be half over! So much has happened in this past year, I can't believe it! So much has happened - period!

I had a great 2nd and 4th of July, but, the odd days were not so great. I had a couple of stress and anxiety attacks. The 2nd and 4th were filled with fun and family. On the 2nd, Dallin and I woke early to go Volunteer with an adoption event with No More Homeless Pets (where I have been volunteering at since March) and I wanted Dallin to come to see a little bit of what I do and to see my doggies :)

This is one of the dogs, her name is Reba and I absolutely adore her! Dallin is sitting behind her. I wish I could take her home. 

We were at Liberty Park for the event and we has a Paw-rade and everything! I thought it was a great way to start our 4th weekend! After we got home, we got ready and went to Rivertons fair where we played BINGO for some prizes; that pavilion was PACKED! The Ford's had great luck! There where easily over a hundred people in there trying to win awesome prizes and my hubby won, his older brother Jae, my mother in law Denise won something and my father in law Kevin won twice! I got close many times, but, never did. They won gift certificates to restaurants and such - there were great prizes! Then we came home again, we packed up Kevin's van, or as the boys like to call it, the "crap-mobile", and we headed to Provo to go eat at The Creamery and off to the Stadium of Fire. (Denise gets discounted tickets through her work and goes every year with the fam.) The boys aren't fans of country music, so, there was a lot of bickering and fighting during the concert, so, it was relief when the fireworks started and it was a great show! My favorite part is after :). They always park in the field next to the stadium and while everyone is honking their horns and impatiently waiting to get out, we pull out or lawn chairs and our cooler full of snacks and pop-a-squat on the grass and chill and play tag and catch :) everyone watches and wishes they thought of it, too. I LOVE watching Dallin playing with his family :) They can fight hard core, but, when they are having fun - they HAVE FUN. Dallin's dad is SUPER healthy and fit and for a man in his 50's, he sure can keep up with the boys! They laugh and have so much fun and its fun to watch :)

 On the 4th, we had a family get together at my grandma's. She lives right by a big park and the Peace Garden's are pretty much her back yard in Salt Lake. So, we had great parking and view for the fireworks at her place. After the city fireworks, I get a phone call from Candice and her BF just broke up with her. Some of the reasons he said were some of the biggest deuche bag excuses I have ever heard and I am glad that they are over because I think he would have screwed her over more if they stayed together longer. So, she came to meet me at my Grandma's house where my family was starting to wrap up our 4th celebrations and she just cried while I held her. After she was able to calm down a bit, she let us blow up her fireworks that she had and the boys probably had too much fun with them, but, it started show #2 and people stopped to watch :).

This is us at my Grandma's. This is the only pic I took of us and its AWFUL quality; this is the best I could do to 'save' it. 

Before everyone took off to go home, I pulled my brother aside (This is the first time I have talked to/seen him since he moved and since 'we' have been 'feuding')  to talk to him to explain why I was upset and how he hurt my feelings and apologized. I missed my brother, but, I'm done being taken advantage of, so, to me, this was necessary. I'm glad we are on talking terms again, though.

Yesterday, Candice and I celebrated her birthday since she was out of town on her birthday on the 1st. I was happy that she able to be with her family on her birthday because she NEVER sees them. We went out and had some ice cream and talked and met up later with Dallin and a good friend of ours, Jared, and the 4 of us had a quick bite and laugh at Applebees and then went and saw the new Transformers. It was AWESOME! Transformers is Dallin's favorite childhood comic/cartoon and he was SO excited to finally see it! After the movies were over, I starting drooling over the Harry Potter posters and hugging them :D I can't WAIT to see it 9 days!!!! 

Between the 4th of July, apologizing to my brother, a blog I read, and a conversation Dallin and I had last night, I am very grateful for this country (though I still STRONGLY dislike our government and politicians), the gospel, and family; 3 things I love but definitely don't express enough gratitude towards. 

I'm grateful that we were commanded to forgive others. It's not an easy thing to do, but, it keeps us humble and we are step-by-step turned into better individuals and it helps us to stop ourselves from judging others. 

Hope you all had a fun and safe 4th and are doing well on your journey in becoming more Christlike.