24th of July

The 24th of July fell on a Sunday this year so we celebrated on Saturday.  That meant dad got to come with us for the whole day instead of working half the day then coming up.  So we got up early and headed to Enterprise to make it to the parade by 9:30.  The kids love this parade and we come home with WAY too much candy every year but it's so fun.

Alex was ready to gather candy

Mia and Halen had their bags ready too 

A lot of the gang

Bring on the candy!

There they go!

Mia had to keep coming to show me how much candy she got :)

After the parade, we went back to my mom and dad's for a while until it was time for lunch.  We went over to my grandma Simkins' house for some yummy burgers and fixin's.  It's so fun to see some of my cousins that I only get to see on the 24th.   This would have been my grandpa Simkins' 95th birthday.  I can't believe he's been gone for 8 years already.  I miss seeing his smile and hearing his hearty laugh.  He was such a great man and it was fun to get together with a lot of his posterity to catch up a little bit.

Glen, Lamar, Grandma & Kendall eating lunch while Mia made
friends with Krystal's daughter, Evelyn

Then it was time for the races.  I forgot to give the camera to Randy before Mia's race so I had to take a pic from behind. ;)

Mia in the white shirt

Alex would have won but ran sideways to Randy instead of
straight so he took 2nd

Halen in the red shirt

We just hung out at my mom and dad's for the rest of the afternoon and let the kids play then we had a quick dinner and got ready for the rodeo which is always fun.  Alex got in on the chicken chase but I didn't get any good pics of him. :(  They did 2 sets of bull riding so we stayed long enough to watch that then headed for home a little after 10:00.  After nights like that, we really wish we didn't have the 9:00 church but I needed to be there for church so we needed to go back home.  Chalk it up to one more Pioneer Day in the books.  We all had a great time!