A spectacular extravaganza!

Today was dedicated to amassing the most fireworks and setting them off, in honor of our freedom. Daniel has been telling us for years how spectacular it is, but it is even way more than he said! The men and the kids went shopping for fireworks and I won't even say how much money they spent...and on top of all that, the kids each bought their own fireworks. When everyone was finally finished shopping, Josh and I went back one more time to get stuff for s'mores and punks (lighting sticks that they use instead of lighters.)He is a very confidant, careful driver.

Nathan, grilling ribs for our holiday dinner. He invited the missionaries (one of which is Elder Hulse from Mesa. He graduated from Gilbert High, but his parents now live on Southern and Higley)a non-member friend and Shauna's parents, besides the 16 of us who also invaded their home.

After the fireworks shopping trip, here are the proud shoppers.There is more artillary here than we ever had in St. Johns!









Is pyromania inherited?

Before the main event, the kids all set off the fireworks they had individually bought at one or two of the many fireworks stands all around. They really had the most fun doing their own show, I think. They set them off in N&S's cul-de-sac, and the neighbors, who also had family and friends over, set off fireworks too. It was wild and crazy, watching all the fun and at the same time trying to keep the babies out of the street where all the action was. Connie had to put ear plugs in Jonathan's ears.





We had bomb pops,











We had socks,

We had glowsticks,


And hats


We even had s'mores. N&S brought their fire pit into the front yard and everyone cooked marshmallows while they watched fireworks.


One of the coolest things is you could sit in front of the house and look all around, 180 degrees (probably 360 if the house weren't in the way) and see fireworks in all parts of the sky. Of course I couldn't get it on camera very well but I was amazed. The sky, everywhere I could see, was lit with bright, colorful lights.

This fountain display was amazing. I thought it was an inadverdant explosion. I didn't know it was deliberate because we did have one explosion when a neighbor's parachute bomb fell on the fuse of one of our big explosives and we had a five minute show on the ground!!!

There is no way to show how spectacular the fireworks were. There were so many and so amazing, every bit as professional and beautiful and amazing as the shows the cities put on. I couldn't possibly take pictures of every display and the ones I took don't do them justice at all.










And when it was finally all over, everyone was tired and ready for bed...however, some got tired later than others. It's amazing how late they were still raring to go!