4th of July (pic overload)

Small towns are great, right?

After 8 yrs we are still not used to the 'small town parade'.

We grew up going to Mardi Gras.  

Everyone knows how colorful and loud Mardi Gras can be. 

Big floats.

Music.

LOTS of MUSIC!

Barricades - cause ya know, you don't want people running out in the road. 

NOT small town.

Floats = random car w/ tassels or flags.

Music = whats that?

Barricades = nah, they drive slow enough that they can swerve to miss a random child in the middle of the road. 

Last years 'parade' lasted a whopping 11 (yes, ELEVEN) minutes.

Yesterday tho, 45 minutes.  

Practically every float was election something.

Or a city vehicle (not decorated, not throwing out candy...just driving behind all the others to make it last longer). 

We had a couple w/ vets.

AND

we had our firefighters (who got a BIG 'WooHoo' for putting out a nasty wildfire last week<~ burned 800+acres and 66 structures).  

Ended the night watching fireworks, up at a local church w/ friends. 

All in all it was a long and good day.