4th of July 2013

We had the best 4th of July in Gackle.  Last summer we stayed for the parade and then headed off for the weekend, so we didn't get to experience a full Gackle fourth of July.  For being such a small town, Gackle does a really good job with all the festivities.  

The night before my mom and I painted our finger and toenails patriotic colors.

My nails weren't pretty, but if you didn't look too closely it was fine. 

Mom did a good job on her toes.

We took lots of patriotic pictures with our flag.  I totally bribed my boys for this picture, but look how cute it turned out.

Family picture.

I just love my mom, she is the best.

We started our day doing kids crafts at the Lutheran church across the street from our house.  They colored beach balls and crowns, and made necklaces.

I love coloring too, so I made a crown.

 My kids love papa's scooter, the "red devil".

After crafts we headed to the American Legion Hall for a dinner (lunch) of BBQ (sloppy joes).  Along the way we stopped at the new Gackle library.  The library was having a grand re opening that day since the old library was torn down last summer.  I love the Gackle library.  We went there weekly last year, so I have been anxiously awaiting the grand opening.

After that we headed home and put the kids down for naps.  They don't usually nap anymore, but I knew they would be up late watching fireworks so we made it happen.  They both slept for close to two hours.  When they woke up we hurried them to the childrens parade.  In Gackle they do a children's parade before the town parade.  The boys rode their bikes.  They were introduced as the Miller Honey boys.   

After the kid parade, Jason took them over to the Miller Honey jeep where they got to be in the big parade and throw candy.  

The parade had 37 entries this year.  Since the go down main street and then back again it is more like 74 entries :)  Willie and Dolly were the grand marshals.  

 The parade.  I think that tractor could run over me standing up. 

 Jason and Ryan.  Jason wearing a bee veil and Ryan wearing a bee hat.  

This was an interesting entry.  

The honey hub has been hopping the last couple of weeks.  We had a couple guys who stayed two nights and took the 4th as their rest day.  They spent the day enjoying all of Gackle's festivities.  Later, three more cyclist showed up and joined in the fun.  Our garage has been full of bikes.

We take pictures with almost everyone who stays with us.  This was the crew on the 4th.

Later on there was a free supper in the park for the whole town.  They had a band "Raw Sugar" (back by popular demand) playing country music.  Supper was hot dogs (with toppings like sauerkraut, due to the German influence in the area), baked beans, potato chips, pop, water and ice cream cups.  

Next to me in the picture below is Konrad.  He is 16 years old, visiting us from Germany.  His family keeps bees as a hobby (although they have 200-300 hives).  He saw the documentary "More Than Honey" which followed Miller Honey for a couple years and wanted to see beekeeping on a larger scale.  He is spending his summer holiday (4 weeks) in Gackle working in the bees.  He is staying in one of the houses that Miller Honey owns, but hangs out with us most nights.  We have really enjoyed getting to know him more.  

Ollie's newest trick on the swing.

After supper we came home and lit off a few fireworks of our own.  Our boys don't like loud noises, haha.

Then we had birthday cake for my mom (her birthday is actually the 5th but we were going to be driving a lot of that day).  With the cyclist there it felt like she was having a party.

 Later on we headed to the baseball diamond.  John signed Jason and my dad up to help light the fireworks.  They weren't too sure about it at first, but my mom snuck down to get their picture later and I think their grins say it all.  They thought it was pretty cool.  My dad just kept saying he could never do that in CA, which is totally true.  

They had all their fingers before the show :)

We parked on the hill above the baseball field.

The fireworks really surprised me.  I think because we were sitting so close, they were HUGE!  The show was awesome.  It was just such a nice day.  Having my parents there with us made it so fun.  Jason said to me as we were going to bed that it was the best 4th of July he can remember.  It was so nice to just walk everywhere (instead of packing up the car and kids, driving, finding parking etc) and come home in between each event.  I don't think we will ever plan to be anywhere else on the 4th.