Scooters, broken legs and fireworks...

...can only mean one thing...

Happy Independence Day from our family!

Our day started out like most other summer Mondays at our house:

 Scooter happiness and joy!

 Big smiles all around!  (0:

10 minutes later there was a minor crash

and...

Rachel hurt her leg.  She kept saying "Take me to the doctor!  Take me to the doctor!  Take me to the doctor!".

So I iced her leg for half an hour and let her calm down.

Then we trucked over to the ER.

Maybe I should let you know...

We live in a 2nd floor aparment.

So, I carried my 8-year-old up (iced her leg), then down the stairs,

walked past the other apartments to the parking lot,

then finally found my van.

THEN we trucked over to the ER...

 Entertaining themselves...

 So, Ms Rachel broke both her Tibia and Fibula.

(This picture makes me laugh.  Rach was pretty happy most of the time, but Richard held up the picture to her face and she scowled!)

Rachel started with a splint below her knee which worked ok for the first few minutes.

(notice the happy face)

But after an afternoon of excruciating pain, she was given a wonderful Priesthood blessing that helped her finally calm down and sleep.

(I am so grateful for the power of the Priesthood!)

Richard and I decided to take her back to the ER the next morning to get a longer splint.

They sent us over to the orthopedist who agreed that she should have been splinted higher.

MUCH, much better!!

Richard was always taught to splint the joint above and below, why these guys didn't do it at first, who knows?

On Independence Day we went to that Ward Breakfast and kids parade.

 Thanks to the Hebertsons for the wagon!

 Go Sarah Go!

 Thanks Daddy!

 Emma and Carver enjoying the morning.

 Fun to get together and celebrate!  (0:

For FIREWORKS that evening we went to Richard's office.

He works on the 31st floor of a building overlooking a river they do HUGE fireworks..

While we waited for them to start,we played Skip-Bo in the waiting room.

We were SO HAPPY to have the Tanise and Kaia Colvin come down and visit for a few days!

And they are quite the Card Sharks!!!!!!!!

But we love them anyway!  (0:

(this is a picture of Tanise laying down her winning 4)

God Bless America,

Land that I love.

Stand Beside her, and guide her

Thru the night with a light from above.

From the Mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam.

God bless America, My home sweet home.

 Thank you Heavenly Father, for this choice land!

Independence Day & "See You Later, My Good Friends!"

We hurried back into town from our super fun family trip, we were invited to spend to light off fireworks and play with sparklers for Independence Day with some great friends of ours!
~They were getting ready to move later that week, so we were so glad to be able to hang out with them!


Sarah catching fireflies and Rachel whistling to call out more fireflies!


Sarah hamming it up for the camera!


Emma and Rachel lovin' their sparklers!!!!
(notice the tongue!)


The girls enjoying the show!!!


Me, Tara (I miss you already!), and Molly!


Trevor and Richard. Great friends and Home Teaching Companions!


Oh little girls! We are going to miss you so much Ms Taislyn and Ms Taylorann!!!
(and the boys, too. Teagan and Trayson)

We are so glad to have had you in our lives!
Even if it was for FAR TOO SHORT A TIME!!!
We are so excited for you and your new adventures and we love you!!

Independence Day...

Independent- adj. 1. not influenced or controlled by others: thinking or acting for oneself. 2. not depending or contingent upon something else. 3. not relying on another for aid or support. 4. refusing to be under obligation to others. 5. possessing a competence.

Independence- n. 1. the quality or state of being independent.

I love our country and I am so grateful to live in the United States of America.
I read this letter and wanted to share part of it with everyone:

At some point during the day, I hope you'll take time to think and reflect on what it is we're truly celebrating on the 4th of July -- our Independence Day. Of course the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4th, 1776 but it's so much more than that.
On this day, 233 short years ago, a small group of men dedicated themselves to a higher purpose, an ideal they believed in so greatly, they signed their name to its expression and in doing so put their very lives at risk.
Never has a simple act of signing one's name carried such weight, such a profound commitment. By signing the Declaration of Independence, 56 men stood in direct defiance of the British government. They became marked men, and willingly so.
As I was doing some research on the significance of July 4th, I came across some interesting facts about these men.
Today as we all enjoy the freedom our forefathers guaranteed us, join me in honoring the extraordinary sacrifice of 56 extraordinary Americans.
Of the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence: Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes burned to the ground. Two lost sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, and two more had sons captured. Nine fought and died in the Revolutionary War.
If you ever feel like your lone voice can never be heard, that the political system isn't set up for "regular" Americans to change the course of history, remember: The signers were flesh and blood, mortal men with a divinely-inspired aim.
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists, eleven were merchants, and nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were well educated, smart enough to know that by signing the Declaration of Independence, they were signing their own death warrants.
They did it anyway, and God bless them for it.
As we enjoy our liberty on this 4th of July, or any day of any month, we must never take that liberty for granted. Too many have given too much. In the words of the Signers themselves,
"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
Their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor -- I think that's a price paid worth a few minutes of reflection, don't you?
But let's not be solemn in that reflection. I say rejoice and share this information with your friends and family, especially your kids. The Signers asked for nothing in return for their pledge, but I say that we show our thanks with a pledge of our own: To remember, to be grateful, and to carry on in their spirit. America is the greatest country this world has ever and will ever know, and it will stay that way so long as "we the people" remember that just like in 1776.

Happy Independence Day, and God bless America.
Glenn Beck

Please, remember who we are and where we came from.
Happy Independence Day!!!
-Becky