my umpteenth blog

So, I already put all these pictures up on facebook, but I can talk about it more here. Today was the fourth of July andapparently it's a crazy big deal here in Provo. I've only been here for the Fourth once before and I was lving in the dorms at the time and so was rather oblivious to...well...everything.

So the parade goes down the street behind my house and many people started claiming their parade-watching spots 24 hours in advance. By last night, there was complete insanity up and down University Avenue...A large group of people from my complex set up 2 big-screen tvs and played "Rock Band" and watched movies all night long. There were similar scenes every twenty feet or so, while all the space in between was covered with sleeping bags and fold up chairs and taped-off plots of sidewalk and grass. After walking up a couple of blocks and back, we were tired and turned in for the night. At around 3:30. Sigh.

I didn't mention yet that we also had a mini mission reunion last night-- about 20 of us met and went to dinner and had a complete blast. It's always awkward and wonderful to see mission folk in a real world setting.

Anyways, this morning I woke up around 7 because my body is insane, got ready, and headed up to meet the fam with my brother and friend, Fehi, who was visiting from out of town. I took about a hundred million pictures at the parade (I'm a geek like that) and here are a few.

So apparently there's a random brigade of Star Wars geeks in Utah County.
And one of them looks like Lego Obewon Kenobe. This was one of the very first entries in the parade. I kind of wish they had been a little later when everyone was a little bit more excited, because these folks were...just...really impressive. There were quite a few in amazing storm trooper costumes. Strange but ... wonderful.

My little brother... well, my younger brother, Craig, at the parade, waving his flag and just generally looking kind of patriotic. We watched the parade across the street from the indoor practice facility with our Aunt and Uncle and cousins. It was insanely hot, but so much fun! Every once in a while the clouds would come out and shield us from the sun's blinding rays.

I just like this picture. Babar and the glory of July.

Craig and Fehi on the say back from the parade. We're actually following the very end of it. Probably not smart because at the very end was a cannon which they kept setting off.

Me and Craig being totally hot like usual.