Happy 24th

Being back in Utah definitely has it's perks since we now have one more holiday to celebrate. Do other states celebrate "state" days? I never heard anything about it for the year I lived in Maryland... but I could have missed it. Thursday was pioneer day and we had a lot of fun. We celebrate this day because it is the day the first pioneers arrived in the valley. The members of the LDS faith were essentially forced out of several settlements as they trekked across the country in search of a place where they could worship freely. They were largely discriminated against by pretty much everyone including the government. Finally on July 24th of 1847 the first group arrived in the Salt Lake Valley. Brigham Young, the prophet and leader of the time, looked out across the valley and declared "This is the place" or I think he actually said "This is the right place." As a Utahn (did I spell that right?) and especially as a Mormon, I've been taught pioneer stories since the time I was young. In primary we sang, "Pioneer Children sang as they walked and walked and walked and walked and walked "(and really the walked part goes on FOREVER). It's sort of a regular part of any struggle I face to think, "Stop complaining Rachelle, the pioneers did that only they had three times as many kids." They were tough and I'm not really tough - at least not in the same way. I pay tribute to the pioneers today. They left their belongings behind, lived on flour and water for many months and had babies in the back of wagons but most of all they BELIEVED in something so much that they were willing to do all of that. They literally sacrificed everything because of their faith and I don't think there are many people today who could make the same claim.

I wonder what the pioneers would think of our method of celebrating them....

We went to Eric and Heidi's for a barbeque/slip n'slide/fireworks extravaganza. The slip n' slide was my favorite part. The kids went down it a few times, but the adults were the real show for the evening.

Since I didn't get any slip n' slide pictures from that night I put up this one of Lizzy from a few days ago. But Camille - if you read this will you email me those hilarious picture I took of Eric, Brett , Matt and Justin with your camera? They were wildly flailing while trying to surf down the slide. I had to grab the nearest camera and unfortunately it wasn't mine.

Although the fireworks were awesome, I preferred to watch the kids while they went off. This picture kind of sums up how Andrew felt about the fireworks. He would grimace and grip whoever was nearby and then he'd force out a laugh and then he'd say "I go inside now."

And in closing... here is a funny picture of Camille.

Happy 24th everyone.

Okay.... last minute I also decided to put up these pictures of us dressing up like pioneers. Don't worry... it's not a normal part of the celebration.... just occassional goofing off by the Goodrich/Brown family.