I live in a hick town! and LOVE IT! Who knew?

It's the 24th of July. For those not acquainted with Utah or Mormon (LDS or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) history - this is a day that the "Mormons" celebrate kind of a "founding Day" in memory of when the great pioneer trek across the plains into Utah was completed by the first wagon train that had Brigham Young in it and they first saw the Salt Lake Valley. There were other groups that followed and endured unimaginable suffering and hardship. But we celebrate the 24th and honor all the pioneers and their journeys and hardships.

I spent my teenage into young adulthood years in California and although we celebrated that day in our churches - it was usually a smaller, quiet celebration. We didn't have parades, or an all day long celebration or Fireworks. we would go to our church during the day and the "Stake" (larger area organization made up of several congregations) would have a party.

Then I moved to Utah. If you have ever been to SLC, Utah you may have been there for the "Days of 47" parade- yup - it's a pioneer day celebration - complete with professional country singers, Rose parade style parade, rodeos, fireworks and A HUGE celebration in Salt Lake and Provo and other big "cities of Utah. AMAZING that such a huge event can come from something the majority of the nation does not even recognize as a day of celebration.

Then, there is the smaller town - like ours. LaVerkin... LaVerkin, LaVerkin...
I remember the year our little town canceled fireworks for the 4th of July but had them on the 24th of July. I wonder if they will do that this year? the 4th fireworks were canceled - will the 24th? it's only 6:00pm - to soon for me to know.

I spent the day today with my 3 youngest kids doing stuff I would have never done in the LA area (or Slat Lake city for that matter). I relaxed at a 10 minute parade consisting of about 4 small floats, a tractor, a horse and wagon and a fire truck. a bunch of Primary kids dressed in Pioneer garb squirting the crowd with water guns, and a few parents walking alongside watching their little ones to make sure they didn't fall off the little floats. Candy was thrown by the city council. just enough for my little 2 year old and my kids to share without getting too sick and not even enough to fill the bottom layer of a sack (I like it that way).

My 2 other kids Ilia (8) and Dane (5) were sitting on our primary's entry float dressed in their take of Pioneer style clothing and paper brown vests for the boys - bonnets for the girls. My 2 year old waved his excited "Hi Dane and Ilia" and held up his bag of candy to show them what he had collected.

and then the parade was over. it lasted not even 10 minutes - maybe. Ferrell and I and the dog walked back to our car. It took us longer to get to our car than it did to watch the parade. But I liked that. just enough for a 2 year old attention span.

after the parade I went to pick up kids at the church where the 1/2 mile long (I mean how far it traveled not the length of entries) parade ended and the kids gathered and we went to the park.

Anyone driving by would not have realized that there was actually a pioneer day celebration happening. There are NOT a ton of booths and excitement happening. there were maybe 50 families that chose to go to the park with their kids. But the park did have this going on:
- a variety of foot races and tug of war
- water balloon launching - the adults were trying to hit the kids that stood willingly in the grassy field just waiting for the water to hit them to cool them off on a hot day.
- a water dunk tank. you know the kind. you throw 4 baseballs and see if you can hit the target and the person falls into the water.
- a kiddie pool with ice in it. this was for the kids to learn what it feels like to cross an icy river. although really appreciated, somehow I don't think it's quite the same when you have a hot desert July day and you GET to put your toes into an ice pool. But still - I think it got the point across a little.
- a place to try the old game of Stick pull that Joseph Smith loved to play as a boy.

There were a variety of singers and performers on a small stage under the pavilion to provide entertainment, Some were AMAZING, some kind of good and others just willing to get up there and belt it out. some of my favorite (and all for different reasons) were: the accordion - not always in tune, but a joy to be a part of the small town experience. The fiddle playing - GREAT! it even got the kids up dancing. and some of the singing was FABULOUS! Of the dozen people that sang, maybe a couple could be considered "professional quality". The others were just a lot of fun. These were NOT hired professionals that you see in a big city event. these were my neighbors. It was fun to see them share their talents.

and then we had free lunch!

I think my favorite thing about the whole small town event was that it just got us over to the park to visit and we could play without worrying about the kids. LaVerkin is a dinky little 2 stoplight town. Here we were at the Park and our kids were playing so hard. the lines were not too long to do any activity. The city council and Church leaders and families were all in the mix. I got to watch my little boy throw his first baseball at the target and see the look of wonder at the magic of watching someone fall in the water because he hit the target (the kid has good aim). I got to watch my 6 year old run out in the field with the big kids to try and catch a water balloon and see him giggle and squeal as he was drenched with water balloons. I got to watch my 8 year old daughter conquer her fears as she volunteered to sit on the seat of the dunk tank to be dumped by the baseball throwing crowd. I got to enjoy watching my 2 year old join the other crazy kid in trying to break dance and play air guitar as the performers sang their hearts out. it was truly "great" entertainment. not the same as big city entertainment that would have been hired to play on a larger stage. No, this was better. kids, families, parents, a few scattered grandparents - just enjoying the day together - laughing at the silliness of it all.
and what would a small town LaVerkin event be without the traditional dumping of the water buckets on unsuspecting friends. I am just glad I got designated as the camera holder person to make sure electronic equipment wasn't ruined.

Kendra - I hope your i pod that was in your backpack when Brandy got you turns out fine.

My kids were soaked head to toe when it was finally time to go home. we all slept for a couple of hours afterward.

I never really thought I would ever enjoy living in such a small town. But I do. I love that my friends were at the park with their kids and Kendra's daughter lovingly persuaded my daughter to get in that dunk tank even though she was soooo scared. It was something a mother couldn't do on her own and only a sweet friend could have convinced her to do. I had to watch at a distance so she didn't know I was observing the whole thing. other wise she would have chickened out if she saw me. I was thrilled that I could do that - that their was not a big crowd there and it was simple to do from the side of a tree just a short distance away without 100's of kids in the way. as it was, there were about 100 or so kids at the park total - maybe. My view of all my children was perfect. I could be talking to a friend at one end of the park and say "Where did Ferrell go and turn my head and see him on the other side of the park with about 5 or 6 other kids his age playing in a puddle made by the hose.

It has been a perfect day. I live in a hick town that is sooooo small. as a teenager this would have driven this LA girl crazy. But as a parent - I LOVE IT! this is the place for me and my family. who knew I would ever love living in UTAH of all places!

when I married Bill in California and he asked me where I would want to live - my response was literally "anywhere BUT UTAH!" And when my family would drive through southern Utah on our way to California or Wyoming, I would say as we pumped gas in St. George in mid July "who in their right mind would ever live in this Hell hole? you would have to be totally crazy to live out here." and here I am. It's taken a while for me to actually willingly say this...
but this Wyoming girl gone LA girl gone Utah - dare I say it? - yes I do - I actually loves it here.
a big part of my childhood just died as I wrote that. I grew up singing songs with my cousins around a campfire that were all about how Wyoming was superior to Utah and that living in Utah was awful bad. Did you ever hear the song "Don't send my boy to Utah, a dying mother said, Don't send my boy to Utah, I'd rather see him dead. Send him to Old Wyoming...." yup - I grew up on that. so I had to swallow hard to write the words: I am really enjoying living in my Utah hick town of LaVerkin.

Maybe I could live in a small town in another state and feel the same way if they had some weird local founder's day celebration too. But this is where I live and this is what we do. and I LOVE IT! life is good.