Here’s my recap of my Independence Day holiday. I spread it over several days. I didn’t do everything I usually do but that’s OK.

My celebration actually started weeks ago when I started sharing Celebrate America 250 ideas. Go here to see them.

I’ve also been enjoying reading patriotic picture books for our summer Morning Basket. I also stepped up my personal patriotic reading with the Red, White and June Readathon. I completed the challenge and entered the giveway for an amazon gift card worth $76. I read books that fit under the categories below. A book could count for more than one category.

I read the following books…

The Felicity books were for the Fiction category.

  Then for Nonfiction I read this one above.

For Secrets or Spies I read about James LaFayette.

Then Patriots or Loyalists I read this one above.

Then for Quill and Parchment, Faith That Endures, and Courage in Petticoats I read another book about Abigail, this one below.

I enjoyed them all but have mixed feelings about the Felicity books, because of her disobedience to her parents. I got them for my daughters years ago but never read them myself until now. When I say “read” I mean listen to the books in audiobook format. That’s how I “read” all of them. My favorite was The Unexpected Abigail Adams. I enjoyed seeing how much she relied on her faith in God. She was such a good support to John and a true hero of the Revolutionary War, even though she didn’t fight in the battles.

In the middle of June, I delighted in decorating for the holiday with my patriotic chapter and picture books. I have some on a bookshelf in my dining room/homeschool room, and the rest on ledges above my window and doorways. (You may wonder about the Socialist Bathroom Reader book. It’s written by Paul Skousen, son of Cleon Skousen. Read the reviews here.)

The only problem is that sometimes I want to actually read the books (imagine that!) for Morning Basket so I have to pull a chair over to stand on to reach the books off the ledges where they are sitting, then remember to put them back. That’s the small price I pay for being able to have space to spread out my books decoratively.

I attended the Freedom Festival Patriotic Service on Sunday June 28 2026, in the BYU Marriott Center. I missed it last year. I’m so grateful I got to go this year.

I’ve been on an Osmond binge lately, so it was fun for me to see Alan Osmond’s wife, Suzanne Pinegar Osmond, sitting on the stand. She gave the invocation.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband, an apostle of Jesus Christ, gave the main speech. It was wonderful. It was a classic retelling of the story that the Revolutionary War paved the way for the restoration of the church of Jesus Christ. I hope whoever is in charge publishes it online so all can read/hear it.

He quoted President Dallin H. Oaks. See the quote below. It’s a great reminder that belief in God helps people be good, and being good is what maintains liberty and a safe society.

The text for President Oaks’ talk is here.

I enjoyed seeing the red, white and blue outfits of the attendees.

The Wednesday after the service, I had an outing with daughters and grandsons at a local nursery to buy some houseplants. It was so fun to see the Americana decor and gifts for sale, which I wasn’t expecting, since it is a nursery. The store featured this cute cart in the middle of the seeds and gardening supplies.

It was all super expensive, so we didn’t buy any. It’s fun to see possibilities and maybe save up to buy some of these next year.

I’m especially enamored with the watercolor book about America. It’s on my wishlist!

Saturday was the big day! Some of us went to the parade. I went and passed out literature promoting America’s liberty with some of my friends. This was definitely a sacrifice to me as I don’t enjoy waking up at 5:45 AM on a Saturday. My 16 year-old son marched in the local high school marching band. Even though we homeschool, he does participate in this activity. It has been fun to see him enjoy making music with a team of people.

After the parade we had lunch and then went to see the new movie Young Washington for a matinee showing. It did not disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’ll be reviewing it soon! it brings the Bulletproof Washington story I’ve heard all my homeschooling mama career to life. It’s so marvelous!

Then we had a BBQ at my daughter and son-in-law’s home. My son-in-law has a Traeger grill and loves to use it! We had chicken thighs, chicken wings with two different kinds of seasonings, ribs, and burgers, most of which was smoked in the Traeger grill/smoker. A carnivore’s delight! My ten month old grandson enjoyed gnawing on the rib bones after his mom ate the flesh. We also had watermelon and salad and chips. My married daughter also prepared this pretty layered trifle dessert below.

I was being strict on my keto diet and did not partake. It looked yummy though!

While we ate, I asked a few trivia questions from the card deck below. I’ve also been pulling it at dinnertime for the previous month of June to ask my husband and son questions.

I bought these two little board books below in June from the BYU Store. They were both on sale, for $3 and $4 each. (The store has some wonderful bargain books in the basement, just look on the north wall under the red signs that say “Bargain.” You will find some great deals!) They are fabulous, simple stories of Independence Day and the national anthem. I read them both aloud to my grandsons while we were waiting for the food to be ready. It was so delightful to see them both wide-eyed, taking it all in. I love teaching young children for that reason. Everything is new!

We answered some questions from my All-American Trivial Pursuit game that I brought and then came home. My son and husband watched fireworks (separately: my son with his friends outside the Stadium of Fire while my husband was working inside the stadium) and I got to go home and relax. I blogged about my June 2026 thrift haul. It feels so good to just be home on my couch blogging, after I’ve put in a hard day of work and play, even better than watching fireworks.

Then the next day, after church, we had a lovely potluck gathering in our neighborhood. This was part of the America 250 neighborhood potluck initiative that I blogged about over here. This was extra fun for me because it was held at the home that we moved out of two years ago when we were forced to move because our landlords decided to sell the home we were renting. It is two blocks away from where we now live.

It was the happening place for blocks around! I’d guess 100 or more people were there! A live band performed. Here’s where I will vent just a bit. Why is that event organizers think that it’s fun to have a band that is so loud that it’s hard for the attendees to have a normal conversation? This wasn’t billed as a concert. We weren’t there to solely listen to performers. We were supposed to be able to chat with our neighbors while we ate food. So here’s a plea, if you ever have a band at a party or dance, please, pretty please, lower the volume of the band so people don’t have to strain their voices to hear each other over the music.

OK, I’m done venting. My across-the-street neighbor, Paula, was there. She was so super friendly in calling out to me as soon as she she saw me walk up the sidewalk, inviting us to join her husband and her after we got our food. I felt very loved by that gesture.

We ended up talking for at least an hour, over the blaring music. She shared some amazing, beautiful stories of miracles in her life. I felt so blessed to be able to talk to her. She bolstered my faith in Jesus Christ. I aspire to be like her and watch out for people and invite them to sit by me.

So that was a tender mercy. Another one was that the owners of the home came over and talked to us and invited my husband and me to tour the home, along with Paula and her husband (long story). I felt so blessed by this! Ever since we moved, I have seen them remodeling and wondered what it looked like now.

It’s a funny house that has been added on to already, and has a weird configuration, not to mention the loft-type bedrooms upstairs that are crammed in there with a sloping ceiling. My sister-in-law calls it the Dr. Seuss house. So we got to tour the home and marvel at all they have done. It was cute before, but now both the exterior and interior are stunning!

I just loved all the decorations they had up for the potluck, including the charming quilts that provided a backdrop to the dessert table. So, so fun!

I was bummed that I didn’t get a picture of the two flag cakes before they got eaten. I was pleased with myself that I didn’t eat any and stayed strict to my keto diet.

That’s it! I hope we all recognize that the Declaration of Independence includes a Declaration of Dependence on God, as the source of our inalienable rights. If government gives us rights, then government can take them away, which is a dangerous place to be. I’m so grateful for the Founding Fathers creating a government based on belief in a Creator who grants us our rights, and that government is to be limited with checks and balances. That’s the Spirit of ’76. May we each embody it with our faith, our work, and our votes! Happy Birthday America 250!