Memorial Day

What a full day.  We started it off waking up particularly early for a day off, grabbed the Lilly and a patriotic bow, some bagels, and headed out for a local parade.  We went to this parade last year and the whole time thought, "Aww, we should have brought Lilly, she would have loved this."  This year we did, and unfortunately, I have no pictures from the actual parade because I didn't charge my camera before hand. 

It was a fun parade though.  We found a patch of grass, plenty far away from other people (because our puppy is not as much fun with other people), and enjoyed the hour long parade.  It consisted of one marching band, boyscouts that join the parade halfway through, thus causing the parade to completely stop for about 15 minutes; Christian churches, and the rest of the parade has the Masons (Zembos).  If it weren't for the Zembos, the parade would be 20 minutes, tops. 

There were also some Zembo horses, which Lilly proceeded to bark at ferociously.

Overall, she did as well as she probably could.  

After the parade, we dined hamburgers and brats for lunch.  The weather was about 96 degrees, which made it ever so much fun to grill. 

I tried cooking most of our dinner inside:

Corn on the cob, flat bread with basil and tomatoes, and baked beans (made from scratch, for the first time!)

I did have to go outside for some grilling:

Steak kebabs with red onion and peppers, and lemony shrimp on the grill.  Perfection. 

We ended the night with watermelon and cherries. 

Lilly even got in on the action:   

                                        

It was a full Memorial Day. We remembered, celebrated, gathered, ate, and relaxed. And that's what a Memorial Day should be about. We were going to finish the day with the first fire of the year, but like most 96 degree days around here, the day ends with a "severe thunderstorm warning". The sky prematurely darkens and the lightening takes over. I think it's a great way to end the day. 

Life is good. Holidays are deserved.  Family is who you should barbeque with. 

Grievances should be tossed aside.  All these things are true, despite what old ladies say.