July 24th, Ogden Style

Don't you love this sign!!  Totally retro in a cool sort of way.  I love that "Pioneer Days" is one of Ogden's claims to fame.

Back home in O-Town they know how to celebrate the 24th of July.   I'm not sure why Ogden seems to be the unofficial hot spot for this holiday.  I'm sure if you asked any resident of any other Utah community they might make the same claim, but Ogden is the only place Miss Rodeo Utah will be crowned and the only place that holds the annual Pioneer Devotional.  Take that, SLC.

Confession...We usually choose not to go to the devotionals and instead, have dinner with family and play card games on our blankets while we wait for the concert and fireworks. But, after living in Alabama where Apostles of the Lord are hard to come by, we chose to take the opportunity to listen to Elder Uchtdorf  and his beautiful remarks on the lessons we can all learn from the early Pioneers, compassion, work, and optimism.  

What Dean thinks about "smooshing in with hoards of people just to listen to the same music year, after year, after year...

Some come for the concert, others come for the candy...

 Alan, caught taking more than his fair share of something...

The devotional and fireworks get things started, but no 24th of July would be complete without some rodeo action.  They were giving out sunglasses on this particular evening.  I didn't catch any of the actual rodeo on camera.  These faces in the grandstand kept me busy.  Plus, I was seriously worried my camera would take the 50ft. plunge below the bleachers.  C'mon Ogden, let's use some funds to renovate those bleachers.  Parents have been fretting over dropped shoes, toys, wallets, etc for decades.  Time for an upgrade.

Then, on the actual day, we have the parade.  I know, it's not SLC.  Our floats are not professional in the least, but I love the hometown feel of the Ogden parade.  We know people on the floats and marching bands, and this year, we knew people in handcarts...

The Ogden, Utah Stake handcart company

Familiar faces with an addition to their family.  They already have one set of twins, I think Ben could fit right in.

Four little bonnets....adorable

Ben was seriously disappointed in his Pioneer digs.  I tried, I really did.   He later informed me his walking stick was the only "authentic" piece in his wardrobe.  One picky little pioneer.

The bystanders, er, sitters...

Then it was off to an afternoon filled with BBQ's, and swimming, and of course, our own fireworks.

"Aunt, Brooke, she let me hold her and she's not even crying!!"

Last summer he was deathly afraid of sparklers.

We were tired after our week of fireworks and hamburgers, rodeos and parades, sparklers and swimming, but we made memories and remembered ancestors and grew more thankful for their sacrifices and this city. Thanks Ogden! "All is well, all is well".