4th of July BBQ

It all started in Rupert, Idaho. Each year my parents would invite some of our Utah cousins to come to Rupert to celebrate the 4th of July. Some years they would invite my dad's side of the family and other years it would be my mom's side of the family. They would plan a full day of activities. The aunts and uncles would arrive with their cars loaded with desserts and punksters. We'd have a big breakfast on the patio and then head to town for the annual 4th of July parade. It was complete with lots of horses and old cars, along with a couple of marching bands, floats and a few drill teams that our dad affectionately called the "golden butts." After the parade, we'd head home for the BBQ on the patio and then we'd play games all day long. Volleyball, badminton, horse shoes, croquette. One year dad borrowed a little Shetland pony from the neighbors for us to ride. It took off with cousin Scott on it's back and I can still hear the cries of "help me Uncle Earl" as the pony ran off down the lane. If we were really lucky, dad would have his weekly turn of irrigation water from the Snake River. If we had our turn, then the ditches would be full of irrigation water for us to swim in and it would flood out on the lawn and we would play our games in several inches of water. Good, good times were had at these family gatherings.
After eating ourselves sick and then playing all day, we'd usually head into town to attend the carnival that would come to town for the big celebration. My favorite rides were the til-ta-whirl and the Farris wheel. We'd eat a bunch of cotton candy and snow cones and be completely sick by the end of the night. We'd head home for some fireworks and sparklers on the lawn before heading to bed. Sometimes all the cousins would sleep outside on the old army cots either in or outside of our old canvas tent and get about 25 mosquito bites during the course of the night. If we were really lucky, we'd also attend the county rodeo during the weekend celebrations. It was a good-ole-fashion-country-Idaho-good-time. I'd like to go back some year and participate again for old times sake. If only I could get my family to go along...I'm afraid they are too tied to our own 4th of July ways.







We carried on the 4th of July tradition with our own little family years later. We had a few little kids and a small wading pool. We invited our family members to come and over the years the most faithful attenders have been Rick's brother Doug, his sister Margie, my sister Carol and their families, along with Rick's parents.
We'd start the day out right by attending the Provo Grand Parade. Then we'd head home and have a BBQ on the patio, followed by games, a watermelon bust and water activities. Since we didn't have access to a large swimming pool, we would use the little wading pool and a slip-and -slide for some great activities. We started the tradition of the "head dunking" in which everyone including the adults participated. We would enjoy sparklers at night and we would just enjoy hanging out, eating great food and playing with each other all day long. There was nothing better!
Seventeen years ago we moved into our current house where we have a swimming pool and a large park just out of the backyard gate. The traditions still include the parade, the BBQ, swimming and sparklers, but now the group has grown substantially. Rick's parents, his brother Doug, sisters Ann and Margie still attend. Carol and her family have been great supporters over the years as well. We've invited other friends to attend over the years and many of them ask to come back again and again. This year we had a group of around 70 and it was a lot of fun. Our college friend David C. and his family came this year. We loved having them with us for the day of activities. Everyone brings food to share and they bring their own meat to grill. Somehow it all works out and we enjoy ourselves to the max.
Here was the food assignment list for this year:
4 dozen hamburger buns
2 dozen hot dog buns
condiments - mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, onion, cheese, lettuce, etc.
chips
pasta salad
veggie platter and dip
2 large watermelons
some cookies and or brownies to go with the ice cream
potato salad
green salad
baked beans
jello salad
fruit platter
homemade ice cream x 2
briquettes
paper products
homemade root beer
Needless to say, we didn't go hungry.

We love to celebrate the birthday of the United States of America, the greatest land there is where we enjoy freedom and democracy. It's not a perfect country and we have our problems, but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. It is the land I love.