The 4th of July

Independence day was spent with the extended Mullin family in Hugo, MN. (Close to Stillwater) Every year, John's uncle Jim, hosts this very important celebration. He views it as an incredible teaching opportunity for the next generation(s) as to why this holiday should not be taken lightly. In short, without this holiday, we would not be able to celebrate any of our holidays, regardless of race or religion.




We began the evening with an enormous feast and lots of catching up. We only see some of John's cousins once a year at this gathering. Next we get ready for the parade. The entire family decorates bikes, tractors, wagons...you name it! We also put some decor on ourselves to get in the spirit. Then we parade through the neighborhood and make our way back for an inspiring talk about the significance of the 4th and a ceremonial raising of the flag, followed by the pledge of allegiance. This year we were entertained by a hilarious magician and the kids (and there are A LOT of them in the Mullin family) participated in minnow races. Noah even came in 2nd overall! He was very proud of his little minnow. The evening commenced with fireworks in the backyard. Anisha slept through the whole thing and Noah enjoyed them very much...from inside the house and daddy's hands over his ears.