250th American Anniversary Weekend

Our 4th of July was really a good one.  Here are some of the highlights.

Saturday morning, I was up very early, at 5 p.m., to pick up my granddaughters and take them to the Freedom Festival July 4th Parade in Provo, Utah.   Getting up early paid off and we were able to get good seats to watch the parade.

Here we are together in our front row seats getting ready to the see all the fun parade action. 

Here are some scenes from the parade that, I have heard, is rated as the #1 July 4th parade west of the Mississippi.  It usually draws quite a crowd - about 300,000 spectators, according to the city of Provo website. It was a fun parade and I enjoyed being there with  my granddaughters. 

After the parade, I took my granddaughters home, then went home to rest.  After rehydrating and taking a short nap, Josh and I went to another fun July 4th event in our community - the Colonial Heritage Festival.  

Josh's bishop (pastor) was one of the directors of this event, so Josh had been wanting to attend since he heard about it. 

The entire event centers around reenactment of colonial culture.  There were lots of "soldiers" and military reenactments. 

There were all kind of interesting colonial period exhibits.  

There were also some lectures and talks about the history of that era. 

Later, we went to our daughter's home for a special 4th of July family dinner. This is my son-in-law and daughter. They are a lovely couple and are raising a wonderful family.  

There was lots of American themed food, including this fun fruit salad that my granddaughter made to look like a flag. 

We enjoyed eating and visiting over a very  delicious July 4th dinner. 

After dinner, we played badminton and cornhole in the backyard.

Jumping on the trampoline looked like lots of fun.  I wanted to try it, but I also didn't want to break something. 

It was so much fun to have a fun evening with these people that we love so much. 

No fireworks for us on July 4th because personal fireworks were banned by our governor due to recent wildfires in our state.  Our community's fireworks and patriotic drone show took place last month, and while there was a big fireworks show in Provo, it could not be seen from our house.  Josh really wanted to see the WWII movie Lucky Strike, so he and Charly went to a late showing of that. They both liked the movie and said they would like to see it again. 

Sunday was a low-key day.  Because our 4th of July was so busy and Charly got home so late after going to a movie with Josh, we did not go to our Sunday morning worship service.  I really miss church when I don't go, and I look forward to being there to worship next week! We had to go to our old house again Sunday to take the garbage cans back to the backyard after garbage day. Back home, we had a restful day, mostly inside because it was 99 degrees outside. Our Sunday dinner had a summer Independence Day theme - hot dogs, baked beans, macaroni salad, and chips.  Josh came over for dinner and we enjoyed eating and visiting with him. 

After dinner, Charly and I settled down to watch another American history series about Ulysses Grant on Netflix.  It is a very good series.  

When we finished the series on Ulysses Grant, we started another one about George Washington.  I love history and found the series very interesting. 

Later, when it was a little cooler, I went for a walk around the neighborhood. 

Weekend Gratitude:

• Living in the United States of America. 
• Having a wonderful weekend celebrating this nation's birth. 
• Spending time with our children and grandchildren.

Praying For:

• Our nation. 
• My children and grandchildren.
• The sale of our home. 

Looking Forward To:

• Lunch with my cousin this week. 
• Seeing our daughter and her family again next weekend. 
• Getting our house sold. 

That's all for now.  I hope you have had a good weekend and that the week ahead is a good one for you.

Until next time

😊Deb💖

 

The End of June and First Part of July

We have ended yet another month, and it's already the 250th anniversary of our independence as a nation!  Happy 4th of July to all Americans who celebrate this amazing country, and it's beginnings.   More about that later.  Now it's time for another catch-up about the end of June and the first few days of July.

Here are a few more highlights of our belated anniversary/summer getaway to Las Vegas. 

We had the opportunity to get BOGO (buy one get one free) tickets to this place, The Sphere of Las Vegas.  I was very skeptical because the tickets were expensive.  Even with the special deal we got, it was $200 for both of us to go.  Charly really wanted to go, and we were, after all, on vacation, so we went. 

Seeing The Wizard of Oz at The Sphere was one of the coolest and most unique entertainment experiences I've ever had.  It was awesome.  For anyone visiting Las Vegas, go see it!

After we returned to our room, we ate dinner, Charly needed to get something from a nearby 7-11 store, so we took a little evening walk along one of the major streets near the resort where we are staying.  

The hotels on The Strip looked pretty all lit up.  It was a very warm evening, but with the sun down, it was not as hot as the 106 degrees it had been earlier that day. 

Las Vegas ended up being way more fun than we remembered from our last visit.  The city seemed to be cleaner, safer, and more family friendly than last time we were here.  People were polite, kind and helpful. We had a really great time.  I think we will have to go back!

We stayed in St. George one more night to break up the drive back home to Utah County.  We stayed here at this very nice Ramada.  We used accumulated "points" we had so it didn't cost us a thing, which is always nice. 

We got back home about mid-day on Sunday. I was very glad that the sprinkler timers we had set for our little backyard garden worked correctly and the plants survived!  

The last weekend of June was cold and rainy, which was fine with just about everyone, because the state of Utah had several major fires and the rain and cooler temps helped firefighters get a handle on them. We woke up Monday to snow on the peaks of Mount Timpanogos, which is the large mountain nearest to our home in Orem.  Snow at the end of June was actually a blessing to help get the fires out!

Josh had some extra time off of work this week, so he came over Monday afternoon and helped us by trimming our big front yard bushes. They all look great now!

Tuesday afternoon, we went to worship at the temple. You tell from the dark clouds that it was another cool and blustery day. 

Wednesday, we spent most of the day at home, but in the evening, we went to a farmer's market at a park near where we live. We got some fresh baked bread and cookies from one of the vendors to take to our grandchildren.  

Thursday, we went out to the old house to mow and trim. Josh had the day off and he helped us empty the big shed in back. We threw lots of stuff away.  We still haven't sold this place, but we have had a lot more showings lately, and our realtor tells us that there are some people who are considering making an offer.  Obviously, we would like to sell it sooner, rather than later.  

After working at the house for several hours, we all went to lunch, then over to a nearby hospital to see a dear friend who is not doing well at all. He has some very serious health problems, and doctors have said he may only live another 3-6 months.  While that is not good news at all, we did have a nice visit with him, and even got him laughing a little bit at one point.  It was nice to be able to see him.  When he is well enough, he will be taken back to a care center in Wyoming where he lives. 

When we got home Thursday, I was excited to find a package waiting on the door step.  It contained these two t-shirts celebrating our nation and the 250th Anniversary of our Independence.  I had ordered the shirts last week and was afraid I wouldn't get them in time to wear on Independence Day, so I was glad that they came, and yes, I have the white one on as I am typing this post. 

Friday morning, Charly and I went for a walk. When we got home, I hung some more pictures.  I found these cute floral panels at a thrift store and knew they would be just perfect in my downstairs hobby and book room.  I think they look just perfect above the daybed.  

Friday afternoon, Charly and I went to see the new movie that just came out, Young Washington.  It was an excellent movie about young George Washington and his role in the French-Indian War, which really prepared him to command American armies in the Revolutionary War.  I thought the movie would be a great one to see on the 250th anniversary of our independence, and it was!  If you haven't seen this movie, go see it! It was produced by Angel Studios, which is the same group that made The Chosen series.  It is a really good film that is historically accurate and gives the viewer an appreciation for this nation.  It shows that we truly are "one nation under God."

That pretty much catches up the last week, which was another busy one.  I honestly thought I would have much more time to relax, read and blog when I retired. So far that hasn't seemed to be the case.  Last week was very busy, and the coming Independence Day weekend will also be filled with lots of fun things.  It will start out with me getting up about 5 a.m. Saturday to pick up our granddaughters and take them to a 250th Anniversary Parade.  We are then going to Colonial Heritage Festival, complete with reenactments of Revolutionary War Battles. Next, we are going to a family cookout and then hopefully, we will catch some fireworks tomorrow night.  It will be busy, but fun, and good memories will be made!

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by and have a very happy 4th of July, no matter where you live! God bless the USA!

Until next time, 

🎆Deb🎆

"It is impossible to govern 

the world without God. 

It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge 

the Providence of Almighty God, 

to obey his will, 

to be grateful for his benefits

 and humbly implore 

his protection and favor."

~George Washington

 

Much to be Grateful For!

It's the end of the second week of July.  We are well into summer and the year is now halfway over.  Time sure does go quickly.  I have two weeks worth of gratitude and good stuff this week, because I was out of town last week and I have plenty to be grateful for.  Today, I am back home and joining again with Susanne at Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five. 

😊 My first blessing is a bad news/good news item.  The bad news we got is that our excellent tenants have given notice to move out of the house we bought in Southern Utah last year. The good news is that the property manager said we can probably rent it for about $250 more each month than we have been getting.  I am grateful that we purchased this home last summer, because it seems to be quite a good investment.  It would also be a great place to live after we retire. We are now trying to decide if we will move into it, or continue to have it as income property and purchase another house to live in once I retire and we sell our house in Salt Lake City. 

😊 I'm grateful that we had a good and safe trip to Wyoming and Eastern Utah last week. We saw some beautiful and interesting parts of the West and enjoyed being with friends and family. 

😊 We found out this week that our friend Ron, the man we went to visit in the hospital in Wyoming last week, is now out of the ICU.  He's still in the hospital for a while, but his condition is improving.  We've been praying for him and are grateful that he is doing better.

😊 I have more flowers out in bloom and my gardens and our yard in general look great, despite the dry summer we are having.  I am grateful for outdoor space at my home to fill with beautiful flowers, fruit, and vegetable plants. 

😊 I have noticed a lot of bees buzzing on and around my flowers this summer, which is great. It seems to me that we have more this year than in the recent past. We need bees to pollinate so we can have those delicious fruits and vegetables, and I am grateful that we seem to have a lot of them this year!

😊 I finally got my new glasses ordered, and they should be ready this week.  My old glasses were not great, so I am grateful to have a new prescription, which I hope will be much better. 

😊 Charly gave me this rocking chair the Christmas when I was pregnant with my first child.  It's had a lot of use over the past 43 years. Some of the parts were loose, and the finish was skinned up.  A few weeks ago, we took the chair to an antique furniture restorer who is a true craftsman.  He completely disassembled the chair and put it back together, then fixed the scuffs and scratches that have accumulated over the years.  I am grateful that we were able to get this special chair rebuilt and refinished by a true antique furniture craftsman.

😊 I have been reading a lot this summer, and I usually have at least one book going on my Kindle.  Shortly after purchasing my Kindle at Christmas time, I decided to get Kindle Unlimited, which offers me a vast selection of books for about $12 a month.  At first, I was skeptical that it would be worth the cost, but I have been enjoying reading books available through Kindle Unlimited. There are audiobook options too, which we have used on summer road trips.  I am grateful for all the good books I can read on my Kindle without waiting for them to become available through the library.  I am also grateful that I can make the print size bigger on my Kindle, which makes reading much easier on my aging eyes!

😊 I caught Josh and Charly off guard when I took this picture, but last week, we went to the Utah DMV to officially sign over the old (2015) Honda to Josh.  He's been driving it for a while, and now it's his.  I had been told that it would possibly take up to two hours to do this (with wait time) but, I made an appointment (which we were six minutes late to) and we went right up to the window and had the whole transaction finished in about 15 minutes.  Most people, myself included, don't enjoy trips to the DMV, and I am grateful that this one was much quicker and easier than I anticipated it would be. 

😊 Last Friday was July 4th, Independence Day in the U.S.A.. I am grateful to live in and be a citizen of the United States of America.  I am thankful for the freedom and opportunity that it has afforded my ancestors who came here many years ago, and ultimately me and my family today.  I honestly love living in this country, even with all of the controversies and problems.  To me, it is the best country in the world, and I am proud and grateful to be an American! God bless the U.S.A.!

That's all for now.  Thanks for stopping by to share the blessings!

Until next time,

😊Deb💖

"We can lift ourselves, and others as well,

when we refuse to remain in the 

realm of negative thought and cultivate

within our hearts an attitude of gratitude."

~Thomas S. Monson

Hodgepodge - Independence Day Edition

 1. What does freedom mean to you? 

For me, freedom is the opportunity to believe, say, and do what I want.  Of course, having freedom means that we have corresponding responsibilities, so we must always abide by the law and take into consideration the impact of our words and actions on others. 

2. How will you celebrate Independence Day this year? If you live outside the USA answer this question as it relates to your own country's patriotic holiday, wherever that may land on the calendar. 

We are planning a little July 4th road trip to see friends in another state.  We also plan some outdoor time, hopefully doing a little hiking and enjoying some of God's beautiful creations! 

3. This or that...red, white, or blue? Stars or stripes? Watermelon, homemade ice cream, or blueberry pie? How do you feel about fireworks?  

I'll answer the last question first and work backward.

I enjoy a good fireworks show - professionally done.  I don't like random neighbors shooting off fireworks for weeks after July 4th.  I live in the West where fire danger in the summer is always high, so fireworks need to be closely monitored and regulated as far as time and place. 

I enjoy watermelon and blueberry pie.  Homemade ice cream is a favorite that I used to enjoy making when our kids were little, but I haven't had any for a long time.

I know that each of the colors in our flag is symbolic of something.  Here is the "official" (from USA.gov) information about the flag and what each part symbolizes:

The flag's 13 red and white stripes represent the 13 original colonies. Its 50 white stars on a blue background represent the 50 states.

Each of the colors on the flag has a meaning:

• Red: valor and bravery
• White: purity and innocence
• Blue: vigilance, perseverance, and justice

A star is added to the flag when a new state joins the United States. The flag was last modified on July 4, 1960, when Hawaii was incorporated as a state.

4. What have you purchased recently that made you excited? 

I just ordered some new glasses with a new prescription from my eye doctor.  I have had some issues with my old glasses, so I am hoping that I do better with new, larger frames and an updated prescription. 

5. I'm thankful to live in America (or fill in whatever country you call home) because____________.

I know that I am biased, but to me, the United States of America is the best country in the world!  I know we have many problems and controversies, but I believe that God had a hand in the founding of this great nation and that He watches over it still.  The U.S. is the land that some of my ancestors came to many years ago (some came just after the time of the Mayflower). At least one ancestor fought in the Revolutionary War and another fought with the Union during the Civil War. Other family members served proudly and fought in other conflicts, giving their all for our freedom.  I am grateful for the many, many blessings of living in this awesome land.  God bless the U.S.A.!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Independence Day is a day to celebrate the good this nation has to offer, despite differences in political opinions. I hope we can have a day of joining with others for fun celebrations and memory-making!  Let's leave the protests and politics aside and just be grateful for all we have in the U.S. that is good, and right, and true. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy Independence Day!!

Until next time,

🎆😊Deb💖🎆