We made our annual trek to Beaver for the 24th of July celebration. Luke and James didn't join us this year, they had to attend scout camp. I'm not sure who scheduled scout camp over the 24th of July holiday but it just doesn't seem right.
This year I had the opportunity to attend my class reunion. That's right, 20 years have passed since I walked the halls of my alma mater. Well, I'm sure I went back a few times within the past 20 years but they have torn down my high school and built a new one, so it has been many years. We didn't have a great turnout to the reunion but I was able to reacquaint with old friends that I haven't seen since college. It was fun to catch up on their lives and spend time with them. When you graduate in a class of 54 students, you know everyone. It was exciting to hear of the many successes they have had over the years. There were a few health problems and a couple of financial disasters, but overall, everyone is doing quite well. We even got to ride a float in the parade.
The 24th of July celebration started off with the cannons blasting at dawn. We rolled out of bed and headed for the annual 5k run. I was hoping to skip it this year but Lindsey woke up ready to go so I joined in. It's always amazing to see how the race has grown over the years. The first year there were 15 people. This year was the largest group yet, 193 participants. Lindsey took fourth place in her age group and was awarded a medal.
We showered and headed to the parade which is always an interesting event. The highlight is the final entry which is the fire engine that sprays all the kids. They follow it down the street getting wet. Matthew was a little hesitant at first to stand under the spray but was happy when it cooled him off. The races on the park are always fun. I've decided these are becoming my favorite pictures. Each year I look at the photos and laugh at their expressions and running posture. This year did not disappoint. They all claimed their prize of a Tootsie Pop and Heather actually won a snow cone coupon too. The kids carnival on the park was about what you would expect, hot! The kids had fun at the fish pond, duck pond, etc. The final event was visiting the Family File Tent. This was a new addition. The Church had set up a big (air-contitioned) tent that held displays of various settlers of the area. It was neat to show the kids their ancestors that settled the area.
After the city festivities, we went out to Minersville Reservoir for some boating fun with Mark, Melinda, and their kids. They showed us how to surf, kneeboard, and wakeboard. A few of us tried it but we weren't nearly as good as they are. I think they get a lot more practice.
We ended the day with the traditional family barbecue at Jim and Alison's home. It is always fun to hang out with everyone, eat, play volleyball, and watch the fireworks show. It is awfully nice of Jim and Alison to open their home to all of us. It seems to grow every year. I know it is becoming a tradition that we all look forward to attending. It has become my favorite part of the day. We went home that night, tired, full, and happy. (For more pictures visit the photo gallery).
