A Quiet 4th of July

Laramie has an annual 'Freedom Has a Birthday' celebration in the park.

It's a fun time.  Booths with games/activities/information, food trucks galore, music, a free bounce house and inflatable slide and LOTS of people.

We attended this celebration last year while here on vacation and it was a good time.

This year - being Wyoming residents and members of a church - we volunteered to help at our church's booth in which kids could make firecracker hats.

These hats are WAY FUN!

This is a tradition our church has done for some years now and I was shocked at the number of families who sought out these awesome hats.

Even more amazing was the number of adults who wanted hats for themselves.

Fun was had by all.

Unfortunately, several members of our household were home sick with a tummy bug.

This made for a more subdued celebration for our family.

The girls and Elijah wandered around the festival with the other kids from church - playing games at the booths, getting their faces painted, jumping in the bounce house, sliding down the slide, and eating free snow cones.

Since I was working at our church booth, I wasn't able to get a single picture.  When they returned, I SHOULD have taken pics of their little faces and arms covered with paint and temporary tattoos, but.... I didn't.

They had a GREAT time.

They were hot, messy, tired, and a little grumpy by lunch time.  Soft pretzels, nachos, and a free ice cream cone made moods much improved.

By 3:30 the festivities were winding down; our booth was disassembled; and we made our way back home to check on our ill members left in Centennial.

Although fireworks were planned in both Laramie and Centennial, we opted to become pajama clad and got the kids in bed early -- compared to a late bedtime if we'd taken part in the wonderful-fun-that-is-fireworks.  Unfortunately, with upset tummies and an overly tired mama - going to the late night fun just. wasn't. an. option.

Elijah was privileged to see a few fireworks as he walked the dog and Techno and I saw a spattering of glittering lights in the sky from our front window.

Bummer!  All the kids begged that we GO to the fireworks display next year.

Prayerfully - we will!