A Fabulous 4th

Many organizations at Basic High School run fireworks booths as fundraisers; Bryce, Tyce, and I took 2 shifts the week before Independence Day to raise money for the choir. There was a steady stream of buyers; one tank-top-wearing guy alone bought over $300 worth of stuff. Oh man, I'd have hated to have been his neighbor. But thank goodness for patriotic people with more money than sense, because the choir made a lot of cash.

Choir booth at the Shell station.

Bryce, Tyce, and Eddie. Can they help you find what you're looking for?

July 4th was an insanely humid day for the desert. It's surprising how fast you get wimpy when it comes to humidity--I'm sure it was nothing compared to what I lived in practically my whole life, but of the 9 summers I've lived in Nevada I don't remember anything but that famed "dry heat." Just walking to the Shapiros seemed like a pioneer trek. But we persevered and made it to the promised land of grilled meat and canned soda.

After dinner the kids did their fireworks in the street with the Tippetts family. Rebecca made delicious homemade ice cream and we enjoyed sitting on the driveway until it got dark. Eventually we went to the park at the end of the development to watch the fireworks display on the Strip. We set up camp and had perfect seats--that is, until the sprinklers came on during the finale and had us running for the sidewalk!

Pow!

Equally impressive were the illegal fireworks shot off by our neighbors at the park!

Right over our heads.

 And then the kids did more sparklers and fireworks at the end of the cul-de-sac.

It was great to have Heather and Ben spend the holiday with us, as well as sharing the fun times with many neighbors and friends.