4th Of July!



By Justin

Last 4th of July we were in Show Low and went to the parade. I thought it would be fun for the kids to be in the parade rather than sitting watching and eating tons of candy. Later on I found out that the huge Ellsworth reunion (only happens once a decade, always held in Show Low, and celebrates all of the descendants of Audra's great great grandfather Edmund Lovell Ellsworth, the captain of the first handcart company to cross the plains. He also had 42 children from four wives (his first wife/sweetheart being the oldest child of Brigham Young - who sent him from Utah to settle in Arizona), and was jailed for nearly a year in Yuma on polygamy charges - all this part added by Audra) would be going on over the 4th of July weekend this year. The Ellsworth clan was going to march in the parade as well. I apologize for the parenthesis within a parenthesis and for the paragraph within the parenthesis within my sentence-editor's inserts.


Audra gets after me because I don't take enough pictures with her in the frame. This was taken by a man with a mullet who she had to pay to do my job.

Some time later when I had our apartment sprayed with insulating foam the contractor gave me the barrels that the chemicals came in. After that I had the idea to make a barrel train and have Dean pull all of his grandkids in the parade. I talked Dean into it and we were all set-especially since Dean provided all of the materials and did the engineering for the cars. The only problem was that I was so tied up working in the basement I wasn't able to help until two weeks before the parade. I spent the better part of a Saturday welding on the barrels giving my legs and arms 2nd degree burns but finished the welding. Did you know that welding puts off UV rays? I forgot that since I took metal shop in 8th grade. I was welding with a t-shirt and shorts.


It was Dale's nap time. He didn't let the parade stop him from taking that nap.

Dean, David, Don, Dale, Phil, DJ and maybe Duane? Suzie? others I am forgetting all put in a lot of time and effort. It was definitely a homemade-looking barrel train but the kids still had a great time, and onlookers at the parade loved seeing waving to the 19 kids we pulled. As things turned out Dean didn't seem keen on driving the train so I volunteered. I was able to spin circles in the intersections on Deuce of Clubs Boulevard and I drove the train all the way back across town to the church with 5 passengers. I doubt I could have gotten away with that any other day since neither the ATV or barrels are street legal.

That night we actually were a little chilly watching the fireworks on the church lawn. It was a great break from the heat of the valley.

This was at the end of the parade. Notice Adaira's cute finger. If it wasn't for the smile I would be certain she would be telling us what she thought of the parade!

Comments

Brett M said…
Audra, you're like Arizona royalty! How cool! And what an awesome train, especially for being last minute. That sounds like so much fun!
7/16/2010 11:43:00 AM
Trent & Lindz said…
That's awesome!! What a fun experience for all those kids.
7/16/2010 12:33:00 PM
Jenny said…
Adaira's awesome! Looks like it was a fun time for the kiddos! And Justin.
7/17/2010 11:22:00 AM
Nuestra Familia said…
Wow! your dad, brothers and Justin are sure crafty. The kids look like they are loving it!! I'm glad you had a great and cool 4th of July.
7/18/2010 11:54:00 PM
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