Constitution Week...

September 12-18 was Constitution Week this year...

...and in Gilbert, Az that is a big deal!

...about 10 years ago Gilbert started celebrating Constitution Week with various activities during the week, culminating with a BIG celebration on Saturday night. Each year the celebration seems to get more & more elaborate...now it is declared to be the biggest constitution celebration in the country!

Hub & I (and Angie) had a great time going with Kevin & Danelle and Ethan & Lydia this year (since they live in Gilbert now)...

I didn't get pics of everything but here is a good smattering...

...lots of fun games for the kids...

...the fish pond...

...it's a ringer!...

...and cool prizes... "...where'd it go?..."


There were really cool replicas of important monuments & buildings...

...the Pennsylvania State House...

(where the Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787)

...signers of the Consititution...

...adding another signature...???

...the Washington Monument...

...we had 'all American' food...(hotdogs & hamburgers)...

...and of course...apple pie... it was yummy!

...even Ethan liked it...once he tasted it...

...the Mayor of Gilbert, John Lewis, and the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, both gave meaningful, patriotic comments and then...

...we heard the peals of the Liberty Bell...

(the camera batteries are getting pretty weak by now...)

....then there was a '21 gun salute' and smoke filled the air...

...it was all very moving...

...we heard some great patriotic music...

...while Liddy was very patient with her yellow balloon...

...and finally...the fireworks begin...

...they are awesome & be-oo-utiful...

...the grand finale...

I sincerely appreciate the Constitution and the many freedoms it represents in all of our lives....

Patriotism is not just a stirring & reverent feeling that we have once or twice a year when we are reminded, but it should be an impetous for us 'to be anxiously engaged' in doing what we can to protect those freedoms that our forefathers sacrificed and even died for...

I'm afraid I am much better at 'saying' than at 'doing' in this case...which is really a new journey for me...

...may my actions equal my desire to continually grow and change...