July 4th...

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July!  We sure did!  Garet put on his biggest event of the year! 

Every year there is a festival called Spirit of America in Decatur... this year Garet arranged it to be about scouting (since they are celebrating their 100 year anniversary).  It turned out great!  I was out there for about as long as my poor feet could take it =)  They had a flag raising ceremony at the beginning... here are some of the scouts and volunteers watching.

I got closer so I could take some pictures... it's about to go up...

It was a beautiful day!  It was hot, but in the shade there was a breeze and it felt great!  The scouts had events set up all over the place!  There was a bottle rocket section where the kids to set off bottle rockets!  I had never seen this before, and it was quite entertaining!  (They put a 2 litter bottle filled with water on a pipe, then use compressed air, and then pull a string and the bottle FLIES in the air).  You just had to be careful walking by because the bottles sometimes got out of control!!

There was also a station where the kids could make little boats then race them in water (by blowing them)... Garet and I both made a boat, and then I recruited one of the scouts to race mine against Garet.

I think Garet's ended up winning - but it was close.  Can you guess which one is Garet's? 

I think my favorite station was the one that had food =)  This guy was amazing!  He was cooking everything in dutch ovens!  He had: chili, apple pie, chocolate cake with cherries, something that I don't know what it was but it was DELICIOUS! and rolls!  I was amazed!  (those are the rolls he is taking out in the picture).

I was so impressed with all they had!  There were peddle cars, soap box derby cars, a branding station, tons of other stuff... and they even set up this rope for the kids to walk across.  (sorry I know there is a "scout" name for it... but I don't know it). 

It was a lot of fun, and so great to see all the volunteers helping out!  It was a huge success!  I ended up leaving before the awards ceremony (I was so tired!)  but Garet got Homer Hickam to give a speech and accept an award.  (He is the author of Rocket Boys - later made into the movie October Sky).

Garet didn't stay for the fireworks there, but when he got home we sat out front and watched the fireworks around the neighborhood.  They were actually pretty good!