BOOM! oops

We had a huge amount of family time this week: Jared's parents drove over last Saturday, and have spent the past week with us. Monday they took my kids up to Lava Hot Springs, and stayed 'till late Tuesday night, which gave Jared and I a chance to have a real date on Monday :). Among other things, we went shooting and out to eat.
Wednesday, we got everybody packed, and the dogs and camping stuff shoved into the back of the Durango, and we [including my in-laws and their motorhome] headed up to Heber, where my family owns some pasture next to the Provo River. Jon and Melinda came with us, and we had a great time! Well, except for me not breathing or seeing because my allergies were horrible. Even with extra-mega-double doses of Zyrtec, I was miserable. Jon and Melinda drove me back home, and I spent Thursday sleeping and cleaning my eyes out :(. Friday I drove back up because my mom's family was having their reunion at that field. I made it through the 3 or so hours, and even took some photos. We got a lot of hugs and loving advice. The kids, of course, were happily accumulating as much dirt as possible, wading in the irrigation ditch and swinging from the rope Jared hung about 20 feet high in one of the trees; oh, and going too fast and getting caught in another tree's branches and scraping their legs bloody. That is why I carry a small first-aid kit with me everywhere :)
Saturday was another reunion- this time, my mother-in-law's family. Again, outside, but definitely fun to see everybody, and catch up with some of Jared's cousins who are in the Air Force. We generally get 1 or 2 of the 5 currently serving, depending on their postings. Jared hasn't made it to this reunion since we moved here in 2005 LOL. Anyway, we usually have breakfast, then some activities and visiting, then lunch, and we finish with some family history stories. I got a bunch of great photos of the kids playing different games, and one of Jared's aunts had compiled a CD of all the reunion photos she had from the past 30+ years.
Saturday evening we set up our fireworks, and had our own little fireworks show in the driveway. I took photos of that, too.
Today I plugged in my camera, and somehow lost all those photos- well over 150 pics just vanished. AAARGH!
But, in honor of the 4th of July and my gratitude for this awesome land that [with all its flaws] offers me more opportunity and freedom than any other place on earth, I uploaded a fireworks picture: