My little sister Angie and her family have awesome traditions for the fourth of July.  After she blogged about them last year, I had serious celebration envy!  I told her that I was coming home to celebrate the next Independence Day, Gillespie style.  My biggest reason for wanting to come was to witness the Provo Freedom Festival Hot Air Balloon Festival!  Just look at this photo, and you'll understand why I kept my promise to tag along with Ang!

  After waking WAY too early in the morning (5:00), we headed off to caravan to the festival with all the family in tow.  Since Spencer (Angie's husband) is a Provo City Police Officer, he got us parking behind the police barricades--hooray!  Spence has even more connections to the festival; an Uncle and a cousin both fly Bank of American Fork balloons every year.  The Gillespies take advantage of this by being right up next to the action while things get started. 

Dave and Porter waiting for things to get started

My super cute Mom and me :)

They were late getting started this year (not that we would have known, it being our first time there), but things finally got rolling. 

Lia is a little bit excited....

The Gillespie perk--helping hold the piggy balloon open while the fan blows it up

Watching the fire go into the piggy balloon.

Surrounded by giant balloons!  Poor Cooper hated this A LOT.

Once the balloons started lifting off the ground, the field got much bigger again.  Poor Porter HATED the sound the fire made while going into the balloons.  Jared held him at the edge of the field with the rest of the spectators while they were especially loud. 

LIFT-OFF!

After the balloons were mostly all in the air, we headed over to my Dad's Kiwanis Club hot breakfast at the edge of the field.  He had paid for all of us, which was FABULOUS of him!  Thanks Dad!!! 

I'm pretty sold on the balloon thing.  I don't think fireworks will ever do it for me again.  Next year, G?  Michelle, you're coming, too!