The 24th...Pioneer Day...Fiesta Days...

The 24th of July in Utah is a big deal! In Spanish Fork, Utah it is a REALLY big deal. I love going back this time of year and taking part in the small town festivities. Over the course of the celebration, which lasts a few days, we usually try to make it to the city's theater production, ( a fun musical), spend some time at the city's waterpark, run the city's "Speedy Spaniard" 10k, watch the parade and entertainment at the park, attend the rodeo and see the hometown fireworks. Growing up, dad usually took part in the tennis/golf tournaments, and sometimes as kids, if we begged hard enough, we might even get to go to the carnival. I am not a carnival person, so I completely understand why that was a rare occasion. On the 24th we always have an afternoon picnic with Mom's side of the family. Growing up, it was usually at Grandma and Grandpa's house just 1 block up from main street, but through the years it's also been held at Richard's, Lake Shore Park, my parent's home, and this year it was held at the Spanish Fork Reservoir.
This year, some members of my family woke up early and ran the Speedy Spaniard, I opted to stay in bed and Joseph chose to arise early and ride to Payson Canyon's Blackhawk campground.
After his ride he came home and took the girls to the parade while I stayed with Aaron who was WIPED OUT from the wedding the day before. We figure he missed atleast 6 hours of his normal sleep between naps and bedtime, so he slept until 11:00 a.m. It was 10:00 to his system, since we run on Pacific Time, but still, the boy really slept in.

Abby, McKenzie and Brynn enjoying a hometown parade.
Great Grandpa Vest in the hat on the far left, mom and Scott.
Aunt Sara and Uncle Wade

Cousins Boston and McKenzie and Aunt Annette
Joseph and Brynn
Grandma,Boston, Abby
After the parade Joseph went to the park to check out Brent's chiropractic booth.
He LOVED visiting with Brent and Lindy and thought little Lydia was a doll.

Joseph then let the girls do a little shopping! They picked out these sunglasses and wore them the whole weekend. Hello Hollywood! I wanted to throw the glasses away by the end of the week. They went everywhere with us and both girls were frantic if they couldn't find them when it was time to get out of the car.

After the parade we went to the reservoir to have a picnic with Mom's side of the family. We all swam and canoed across the water. It was fun, even though it did smell a little fishy.

We stopped for a few hours at Joseph's mom's house to do some slippin' slide with a few of the cousins.

And then....it was time to RODEO! Seriously, I think every person in the world should go to a rodeo once a year. It's quite the cultural event. I am by no means a cowgirl, but I LOVE sitting underneath the open sky on a cool summer evening and watching a rodeo.
The kids were amazed by the hang gliders who came flying in as the rodeo started....and seeing the flag of our country flapping in the wind, while being carried around swiftly by a girl on a horse always makes me teary-eyed....and of course, I love hearing the cowboy prayer that starts the rodeo.
Another one of my favorite parts of the evening is seeing what people are wearing. At a Spanish Fork Rodeo, you get quite the variety. I would love to buy sweet western outfits for my entire family, complete with boots and hat and wear them once a year to the rodeo...but I'm too practical to spend that kind of money for one night. It's always fun to see what the Reid boys are wearing. I love that they dress for the event every year.

When we asked everyone what their favorite part was, they said...."the clown...the Wild Child...the girls riding around the barrells...the bulls...the horses...." I think it's fair to say they loved it all. Aaron sat on Joseph's lap the whole night mezmerized by the animals. He would look at his dad and shout, pointing, with huge eyes, "Cow!...Horse!....Sheeeeeep!" It was lots of fun!

By the end of the night this little cowboy was tuckered out! We watched the fireworks and headed home to get some much needed rest for the remainder of our week. The following day was the beginning of my immediate family's "Vest Family Reunion" at the Canyons in Park City.

I love a good ol' hometown celebration, especially when you get to be with such great people!