4th of July

Every year I find that my heart is a little more touched and grateful for this incredible country of ours. I've learned so much since I started homeschooling about the history of freedom and the sacrifices given by so many for ours.

4th of July is sort of bitter-sweet isn't it? I feel so much gratitude and love for the genius of the founding of this country and the blessings of freedom, but it's tinged with a bit of sadness about how many freedoms we have lost since then and are quickly losing all the time.

In our ease, we are choosing comfort and safety over liberty. We chose government control over self control. We chose governmental force over faith in humanity through education and self government.

We listened to a really great speaker at the library the other night that I'd recommend to those interested in preserving freedom. (http://krisannehall.com/educator-and-speaker/)  I've been reading one of her children's books to Joshua and he has really liked it so far. The only way to keep our freedom is to educate ourselves and our children about its principles  (they won't learn it at school - I certainly didn't or have ever met anyone who did).

We had such a fun 4th of July this year. Watermelon, music, family, friends, learning and fireworks. It doesn't get much better than that :-)

Colonial Village and Cries of Freedom play:

Laundry the Old Fashioned Way

Carrying Water was a common child's job

One Room School House... find Joy, Joshua, James and Dallin

Making a "T"

Then a picnic and Ryan Shupe concert:

Then to Thanksgiving Point for some fireworks:

We had plenty of time to chat afterwards too because we thought we'd wait until traffic cleared out. We didn't realize that almost everyone else in Utah also goes to Thanksgiving Point to watch fireworks ;-)

We made some good memories. I'd say it was a pretty near perfect Independence Day!