Pioneer Day in Utah is a state holiday. No matter what day of the week the 24th lands on, it is celebrated with parades, rodeos, programs, food and fireworks and workers get the day off.

I wanted to be in Cowley, Wyoming for the 24th but the schedule just didn't work out that way so we went to Wallsburg with the girls and their families. It is a tiny town like Cowley and they celebrate it the same way. It starts off with the parade, a program, kid's games, a BBQ, rodeo and night show. The only difference was Cowley's parade is wonderful with lots of floats, bands etc. and Wallsburg had the worst parade I have EVER seen. People just rode their 4 wheelers, or pushed their kids in their strollers, and there was only one float....a family that dressed up as bumble bees. There were a few old cars and horses and that was it. It was scorching hot outside and luckily we had taken our golf umbrellas and camp chairs so that helped. The activities of the day did get better as we watched the talent show and rodeo.

We had hamburgers for lunch and then proceeded to give the kids, cookies, brownies, snow-cones and cotton candy. None of them threw up and it's only once a year....maybe twice or maybe three times tops. Isabelle LOVED it.

We gotta protect those baby eyes. I wonder if these have 100% UV protection?

Emerson Daniel loves to be outdoors and that's putting it mildly. Here he is just chillin' and eating leaves.

I stole this picture from Colett's blog. Millie had these crazy sunglasses and we all took turns wearing them. I had brought my camera but neglected to put the card back in after uploading the last batch of pictures to the computer, so the only pictures I have are either the ones I took with their cameras or the ones that Amy and Colett took.

The kids found lots to do. Millie waited for 30 minutes before a swing became available and then Grandpa and Grandma became the pushers.

This was the announcer and jokester for the rodeo. (And he looks mighty fine in his chaps). Being a Wyoming and Montana girl for so many years, I gained an appreciation for a good looking cowboy. You wouldn't know it now, but I married one. Wayne wore boots and a cowboy hat and worked on his uncle's cattle ranch when I met and dated him.

Nick's holding a chicken that his cousin caught in the bunny and chicken capture race.

The Dressers

There was a goat dressing contest so Isabelle, her friend and Millie signed up to do it. It took forever because the goats did not want to cooperate at all, but they finally got the deed done and won second place. It was so funny watching the concentration on their faces and Millie....well she was just a tiny bit afraid.

Millie got these foam stickers at the fish pond and was sticking them on everyone. If she put one on your forehead, you were officially a prince or princess. Colett has more than her share and I'm sure she must think she is a queen but there can only be one queen in this family so she is just a very, very high ranking princess.

Emerson is pointing and I'm sure what he means is...you bring me back here again, got it?

If for some reason we can't make it to Cowley next year, I will look for a fun time at Wallsburg again or some other small town that does celebrations for pioneer day...it shouldn't be too hard to find.