Fourth of July Fun

Since we were up in Idaho for the Family Reunion, we decided to stay for the 4th of July the next day. I love 4th of July in Melba. It is the epitome of a small town event, full of so much character. We are also glad that we got to stay because Aunt Teresa, her kids, and Grandpa and Grandma O. came to visit for the week. We were so happy to be able to see them for a few days.

The morning started with the annual Melba QRU Fun Run. It is a 2 mile run that goes along the streets of Melba. It is relaxed and small enough that no one feels stressed about it. This year, I trained for a few weeks, and then we moved and I lost my momentum. Luckily, I had done enough to be able to make the 2 miles... but just barely :) My only goal for the race was just to finish without having to stop to walk. All of my siblings and sister-in-laws participated, so it was one big party at the starting line.

Getting ready to RUN!

Right from the start, I was at the back of the pack and stayed there pretty much the whole race. That really didn't bother me too much because I knew that if I was going to run the whole way, I was going to have to go at my own pace. I could see Hannah, Kym, and Daniel just ahead of me, so that gave me motivation to keep going.  For a 2 mile run, it was actually pretty challenging. The majority of the race is uphill, so that added a bit of a challenge. When I came across the finish line, it was pretty fun to see everyone cheering.

 At the Finish Line

As it turns out, almost everyone ran a Personal Record. They started with a fast pace and were able to keep it up. And even though I finished toward the back, I ran a PR too. Under 23 minutes, Yay! It was a fun (and healthy) way to start the holiday.

After the race, we attended the Melba Parade. It is so fun because it is a collection of random people and odd vehicles all put together into a fun old-time parade. There are kids riding bikes, community members riding homemade floats, cousins on horseback, fire trucks, an ear-splitting cannon, tractors, and classic cars. Since it is a small town, they still throw candy, which made the kid's day. They got a bag full of candy and thoroughly enjoyed the morning.

Grandpa and Grandma O.

We got some food from the booths (turkey legs, greasy french fries, mini doughnuts, etc.) and then headed home. We all took a nap and then some went swimming at Uncle Mike's pool. During the afternoon, we played in the yard. Grandma had water balloons, bubbles, badminton, and a big parachute to play with. Uncle Geoff and Aunt Holly came for dinner and then we celebrated Grandpa O's birthday afterward. He opened some presents, and we all played a game of FAMILY BINGO that Jonathon and I created. 

When it finally got dark, Daniel and Claire put on a firework show for everybody. The kids got to do some sparklers, and we all enjoyed the evening together. It was a wonderful fourth of July!