Stars and Stripes Forever

The Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays! People always say that Christmas brings the best out of us, but I beg to differ. I think the Fourth of July has just as much of a positive effect on people's happiness and joy. After all, there's so much to be thankful for!

We started off our day by checking out the Farmer's Market across the street from our apartment. To be fair... it was more of a craft fair than an actual farmer's market, but it was still fun to walk around and experience the day. We got some lemonade and sat down to people watch!

We spent the rest of the day lounging around at a cookout with his parents. Luis had to work later in the evening, but we made the most of our day by being with family and stuffing our faces with great food.

We packed up some lawn chairs and headed over the the city's band shell to listen to a concert put on by Zion's orchestra. While we waited, this little girl kept doing crazy flips across the lawn and I just had to take a picture.

I was really impressed by our city's orchestra! They played a bunch of all-American tunes and orchestral pieces and demonstrated great talent! It made me proud of our little city. Towards the end, they played Tchaikovsky's Overture of 1812 in time with the fireworks.

All in all, it was a relaxing, special day. As Luis and I approach our two year wedding anniversary (next month!), we were looking back at previous Independence days, and noticed how many photos I've taken in the five years we've been a couple. As we scrolled through iPhoto together, we saw all of the beautiful moments that were captured, some of which might have gotten lost had I not chosen to bring my camera with me.

Whether you're celebrating a holiday, going for a simple walk, or getting dinner with your friends, find ways to capture each moment. Not in a superficial "look-what-I-did" way, but with a genuine desire to remember. Sometimes, looking back at the past can be a beautiful thing.