As some of you might know the 24th of July is a state holiday in Utah - Pioneer Day. The state uses that day to honor the Mormon Pioneers who settled the Great Salt Lake Valley. Interestingly those celebrations are not limited to Utah. Thatcher, Pima, and Safford in southeastern Arizona, as well as a few other Arizona communities farther north, also celebrate the 24th of July. Like in Utah, the Gila Valley 24th celebration often gets just as big or bigger than the 4th of July holiday and some residents are puzzled when they find out that the 24th isn't a national holiday.
Coming from Utah myself I was excited to go to the Thatcher 24th celebration because Teri had talked it up a lot. We had never been able to go in prior years because we had either 1) been in Utah, or 2) been taking the bar exam. 2007 looked like it was going to be the perfect opportunity to head down to Thatcher and enjoy in the small town festivities - that was until the monsoon hit.
Rain cancelled the parade which was too bad because I was looking forward to the scripture study float. While I have yet to see the float reliable sources tell me that there is a truck with people sitting in the back reading scriptures all along the parade route. Man, and I thought that the Murray 4th of July parade was awesome! There's nothing like the engine roar of a Pinto, which comprises 2/3 of the Murray parade.
After the rain started we figured all wasn't lost as McKay had never seen a rainstorm. As you can tell, McKay had a lot of fun. So did Mommy.
In the end, we were going to go see the firework show they put on, but McKay fell asleep and Teri gave in to the temptation of reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Actually, she had her Dad go out and buy another copy of the seventh book (because ours had been delivered to our address in Mesa while we were in Thatcher) so that she could read. The funny thing was that despite our three year wait to celebrate the 24th of July in the Gila Valley, we all just ended up celebrating Harry Potter. That weekend I read Books 1 and 2 and half of 6; Teri finished 6 and read 7; Teri's Dad read 7; and Teri's Mom read half of 7. Oh well, there's always next year...or three years from that.
One real highlight of the trip was that Grandma got to give McKay his first haircut. As you can see he kind of needed it. This was him a few days before we went up to Thatcher.
This is McKay taking his bath to keep him occupied while he gets his haircut.
We'll see if this means the end of McKay's prodigious Sampson-like strength.
Coming from Utah myself I was excited to go to the Thatcher 24th celebration because Teri had talked it up a lot. We had never been able to go in prior years because we had either 1) been in Utah, or 2) been taking the bar exam. 2007 looked like it was going to be the perfect opportunity to head down to Thatcher and enjoy in the small town festivities - that was until the monsoon hit.
Rain cancelled the parade which was too bad because I was looking forward to the scripture study float. While I have yet to see the float reliable sources tell me that there is a truck with people sitting in the back reading scriptures all along the parade route. Man, and I thought that the Murray 4th of July parade was awesome! There's nothing like the engine roar of a Pinto, which comprises 2/3 of the Murray parade.
After the rain started we figured all wasn't lost as McKay had never seen a rainstorm. As you can tell, McKay had a lot of fun. So did Mommy.
In the end, we were going to go see the firework show they put on, but McKay fell asleep and Teri gave in to the temptation of reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Actually, she had her Dad go out and buy another copy of the seventh book (because ours had been delivered to our address in Mesa while we were in Thatcher) so that she could read. The funny thing was that despite our three year wait to celebrate the 24th of July in the Gila Valley, we all just ended up celebrating Harry Potter. That weekend I read Books 1 and 2 and half of 6; Teri finished 6 and read 7; Teri's Dad read 7; and Teri's Mom read half of 7. Oh well, there's always next year...or three years from that.
One real highlight of the trip was that Grandma got to give McKay his first haircut. As you can see he kind of needed it. This was him a few days before we went up to Thatcher.
This is McKay taking his bath to keep him occupied while he gets his haircut.
We'll see if this means the end of McKay's prodigious Sampson-like strength.
3 comments:
You guys look great! Congrads on the house and new baby. WE finally had one. Boston Mikkell...little girl, June 14th. Phil is in Texas for training...computer/cell phone hacker now...he's so excited. WE'll live in San Antonio come Oct. Check us out at www.thehappyhardings.blogspot.com Keep in touch! Phil, Miken & Boston
I keep checking and you sure don't update very often. Congratulations on the house and the baby boy. Poor Teri, surrounded by testosterone! Hope to talk to you guys soon. - Tara
A rain storm in Arizona is better than a parade. And Harry Potter is probably better any day. Eric has already read 7 twice. So when do you move into your new house?
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