Weekend

We had a joyful Independence Day celebration.  Emma came on Friday and she brought a gluten free cake she had baked.  We went to Smoked Taco for lunch then everyone went swimming except me.  I went to the grocery store for rations.  I had a good conversation on the phone with Enoch while I drove and part of the time while I shopped, but then I had to get off the phone because my list was on my phone and I was wandering aimlessly.

Braeden and Anna made Korean bowls for us for dinner and they were delicious.  So was Emma's cake.  She had QE help her decorate it with strawberries.  First QE drew a plan with crayons on a piece of paper, then executed the plan.  Everything she does delights me.

In a surprise to no one, I went to bed early.

On Saturday morning, QE and I were stationed in my office looking out the window and waiting for the big flag to be unfurled.  Adam and Braeden joined us.  In the past (we haven't been around for the past two years, so maybe they haven't done it for a while), fighter jets would fly over our house in conjunction with the Dawn's Early Light program.  We went on our deck and waited, but it never happened.  I felt like Linus on Halloween, hoping his pumpkin patch was the most sincere.  I guess our deck wasn't sincere enough.

We had oven pancakes for breakfast with strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.

After our late breakfast, Adam, Braeden, QE and I walked over to the canyon to see the flag.

There was a party atmosphere with lots of families there, wearing red, white and blue.  A firetruck was even decked out.

QE called it a flag parade; they had all the iterations of the American flag leading up to the big one.

Adam ran into Elder Cluff, who served in Finland with him.  I have long heard Elder Cluff stories.  Braeden remembered the stories as well.  Elder Cluff said, "Oh, no.  I'd better correct the record."

His wife said, "He's calmed down a lot."

I think his name might be Jason?  But his wife called Adam Elder Davis so I guess we're in the same situation.

We took a picture.  I don't know if they've seen each other since Finland and they were so happy to be reunited.  I loved it.

After soaking up the patriotism and hot sun (!), we walked back home.  I snapped this picture of a bumper sticker on the back of the firetruck.

I said, "I do too."

Braeden said, "You strawberry PG?"

I said yes.

Anna had been getting everything ready while we went on our walk.  They packed up and we hugged and kissed and hugged and kissed and sent them and their adorable beloved little ones on their way.  They are going to Anna's parents for the week and then we'll see them again in Nevada on Friday when they are driving back to California.  We enjoyed their visit.  QE just gets better and better with time and we loved getting to know the Young Prince.  He is pretty calm and content and he seriously is the most charismatic person I've ever known.  He has this smile that makes you feel like only good things will ever happen to you.

Adam and Emma and Mark all went to get their cars washed.  Adam tried to cajole me to take Joan and Emma said, "Let that woman rest."

Then I took a nap.

We played Parcheesi and made the onion dip that Janet introduced our family to (it also makes you feel like only good things will ever happen to you).  I loaded some dishes in the dishwasher and Mark lectured me for doing it wrong, because apparently he has a system. (I will gladly stay in my lane on that one and leave him to it.)

We had hot dogs for dinner, like you do, and I was going to make s'mores brownies, but I was tired so then we were going to have s'mores around the fire pit, but we were all tired so we just didn't.

Emma showed Adam her Spain pictures.  Fireworks were banned because of the drought and big fire danger.  They had a show for the city, but our neighbor's tree--that just keeps getting bigger every year--blocked the view.  It was fine (also I appreciate the shade).

You'll never guess what I did?  I went to bed.

I wore a bright and colorful dress to church on Sunday.  My friends told me they liked my dress and I told them I liked their dresses (it was true).  It is nice to have friends.  A few of us were chatting after church about our recent visits with grandchildren.  We all agreed that we loved it and it was tiring.  Marie Louise said, "I don't know HOW I did that all the time with six children."

We decided we were younger so we could handle it, but it wasn't as fun as grandchildren.

Besides that, Adam and I took a drive on Sunday afternoon, Mark made fried rice with leftovers, I tried and failed to find anything meaningful doing family history and I failed to maintain much interest in the World Cup. (Although Adam told me later it was an exciting game.)