4th of July 2009 with Family

Parade spectator gets the Fredonia firefighters into a water fight!


Leif and Jakob leaving parade.

Grandma has cooled down Caleb and fluffed up his hair.

The rocket's bright glare over Kanab.

Oh, can we see the bright lights of Kanab!

Leift, Grandpa and Grandma Baron with Jakob at friend's home

overlooking Kanab and fireworks display.

Hummingbirds feast at Thunderbird Motel in Mt. Carmel, Utah.

Thunderbird Motel and Restaurant is decked out in flower baskets.

Jason and Hannah below arch next to the Mt. Carmel tunnels in Zion Canyon.

One of the few pictures on the trip that was taken by Lee.

Uncle Jared holds Caleb after hiking in Zion Canyon.

Doe a deer a blacknosed deer (mule deer, actually) spotted along the hiking trail in Zion Canyon.

Weeping Rock Falls in Zion Canyon.

Jason, Leif and gang on way back from Weeping Rock.

Jakob is all smiles with Doritos in both hands at picnic in Zion Canyon.

Everyone's enjoying a lunch of polish dogs, chips, broccoli salad in Zion Canyon.

Grandpa Hunt gives Jakob a bear hug. Grandma Baron

holds Jakob's hat of parade candy in Fredonia.

Spectator gives the firefighters a hosing at end of parade in Fredonia.

The water battle is on at end of parade in Fredonia.

Fredonia firefighters and trucks wrap up the annual parade.

Vintage red tractor plies the parade route in Fredonia.

Jakob gathers his loot tossed to him by passing parade participants in Fredonia.

Horsemen strut their stuff in the Fredonia hometown annual 4th of July parade.

Fredonia class reunion participants ride a float in parade.

Red, white and blue are the colors for horse riders entry in Fredonia.

Fredonia cheerleaders complete their routine along parade four-block parade route.

Four-wheelers are popular in Fredonia, including as parade entries for 4th of July.

Kids ride the parade route as part of the Fredonia annual Fourth of July festifities.

Cheer group does routine during the Fredonia parade.

Members of pageant school ride their float in Fredonia parade.

Girls do cheer at the start of the Fredonia Fourth of July Parade.

Jared, Grandpa Hunt, Lena, Grandma Baron, Hannah, Grandma Hunt and Jakob at parade, a half block from Baron's home.

Lee's in a summer trance at Lena and Leif's abode in Fredonia.

Nancy adds a smile to her repetoire at Lena and Leif's.

Cutest little baby, Caleb, explores the great outdoors in Fredonia.

Lee, Leif, Jared and Lena relax in the shade in Barons' backyard.

Hannah and Jakob play a little baseball.

Jakob's ready to make a home run in his back yard.

Flowers are in bloom in the desert oasis of Fredonia (Lena's garden).

Nancy and Hannah are ready for early morning breakfast on the Fourth in Fredonia.

Titer todor, bread and water -- look at Hanah and Jason go!

Nancy and her son Jason at Sand Hollow outside Hurricane.

Hannah and Jason ham it up for the photographer, Nancy.

Jared at Sand Hollow just can't help himself.

A self-portrait by Nancy at Sand Hollow.

Nancy's got her front-row seat and is ready for trip to Fredonia.

All the dogs are gasping for air in their cool doghouse van as they head to Fredonia.

Jared, driving his HM van, is all business.

Fourth Holiday in Southern Utah!

Nancy and I had a fun 4th of July Holiday weekend -- which came as a big surprise. Not that we had fun but that we had fun with so many of our kids!

We asked Jared and Jason what they were planning to do for the weekend, and they said they were planning a party with friends. Well, we guessed that would probably leave us out -- so Nancy suggested we go see Lena. When we told Jared Thursday afternoon that we were leaving Friday noon to go to Lena's for the holiday, he decided that sounded like fun and worked things out to go with us.

Then Friday morning when Jason and Hannah found out Jared was going with us, they decided that sounded like fun and decided to come with us. Then, because that would be five passengers, we decided to help Jared pay the gas for the HM van so we could all be comfortable.

It was probably the nicest ride to St. George I've ever had because we were comfortable and we changed seating so I could visit with Jason next to me and then Jared next to me. Plus we were able to talk with everyone in the van, too.

The boys wouldn't let me drive! Part of the problem is that it's really hard for me to get in the van! It's like a three-person job to get me into the back seats -- one pulling, one pushing and lifting and me doing as much as I can under the circumstances.

We stopped off at Sand Hallow State Park and took pictures. It was 100 degress at 6 p.m.

When we arrived in St. George, we met Leif and Lena for dinner at Red Robbins. The boys had stayed with Grandma Baron for the day so Lena and Leif had the day to play and shop.

Nancy and I stayed at the Parry Lodge in Kanab both Friday and Saturday nights. It's one of the original motels in Kanab and is where all the movie stars stayed. In fact, when I was checking in at just before 11 p.m., one of the hosts was vacuuming. He was dressed as a cowboy with a pistol strapped on. I asked him if his pistol was a replica. I proudly announced that it was a real McCoy -- 1917 (I think he said it was a) Remington owned by a Tcxas Ranger and given to him by his father.

I mentioned when I noticed several pictures of John Wayne that my brother reminded me a lot of John Wayne. The host said John Wayne always stayed there when he was filming in the area.

One summer, John Wayne was tired of coming back to the motel and wanting a refreshing dip in a pool, so he arranged with his agent to have a pool built at the Parry Lodge -- the same one still in use though refurbished. I suggested it should be named the John Wayne Memorial Pool.

On the 4th of July, we got up at 6 a.m. and got to Lena's by 6:30 a.m. for the Fredonia Fire Department Holiday Fund-raising breakfast about three blocks east. (Just a note: Arizona's time is an hour earlier than Utah's.)

After breakfast, we relaxed until 9:20 and headed down a half block east to the Fredonia 4th of July Parade route. The Barons and the boys put out some chairs for us right at the heart of the parade and in the shade. At 9:35, the parade started down the four-block parade route. We were in the middle. It lasted about 15 minutes and was a lot of fun. Jakob collected more than a hat full of candy tossed from the parade participants.

After the parade, we loaded up and headed to Zions where we found a picnic table just south of the Visitors Center at the entrance to the campground. We had a nice lunch and a mini-water fight with Jakob. He started with a water botton that spread a mist, then Jared turned the nossle so it spread a stream and then I tossed a half a glass of cold water on Jakob who then found pleasure in getting Grandma Hunt wet and also his Grandpa Hunt and his dad.

Then everyone piled into the van and car and headed to the Visitors Center. Everyone but me took the tram to the Zions Lodge, where they hiked the trail up to Weeping Rock.

I stayed at the Visitors Center and closely studied all the exhibits and then took in the 25-minute movie about Zions Park. It's very good. Then, as I was relaxing in the foyer, a Korean couple came up to me. They had been at the park where we ate lunch and had exchanged hellos.

The wife said they had been to Zions three times and had visited Bryce, Capital Reef and Arches. I told them about Cedar Breaks and got a map from the information desk and showed them how to get there. They seemed to be excited about finding something new to do. About then, the family got back from their hike and we headed back to Kanab.

We ate dinner and headed to Lena's friend, who lives above the city on the hillside overlooking the park where they do the fireworks. It was a perfect spot, including a patio area where we all lined up our chairs to watch the fireworks. The host even had rootbeer floats for everyone -- about 30 people I guess. The fireworks were as good as any we've seen and the best seating by far of any we've seen. We were looking straight at the fireworks instead of looking straight up.

The fireworks lasted at least 20 to 30 minutes, and the blasts echoed off the canyon walls, which made it sound like a thunderstorm or a war zone.

After those fireworks, Leif did his. It was fun for the kids especially. Jared did one massive firework called something like the Waterfall, which was supposed to last for around eight minutes. I timed it: it lasted 2 minutes but was fun, also.

We got home after 11 p.m., so it was a really long day -- and a beautiful 4th of July. Of course, we really missed Nathan, Kat, Heather, Ty and the kids.