Memories of July 4th - Jenn Klein Designs

Do you have a favorite memory of July 4th?

Over the years I have made many wonderful memories of July 4th. Memories of my taking my boys to see the fireworks when they were little and being amazed that Levi could sleep through the loud booms and crackles of the fireworks and the ooh’s and awe’s of the crowd when a pretty firework exploded into the night sky. I have many many memories with food that I created based around our nations favorite colors of red, white and blue hoping that the kids would cherish the day as much as I do. But for whatever reason, my mind always travels back in time to the early 1970’s when our family, my parents and my sister would drive up to Greeley, Colorado to see my Grandparents. Every year, (it seemed) until I was about 10 we would escape to Greeley for the day. We would watch the Greeley parade and my Grandfather would always walk us down the street to a beautiful old house. Inside the 1920’s home on 9th Street was a rock shop. I can remember that the floors were wooden and they would creek as we walked around the room. There were glass cabinets everywhere, like a candy shop, except they were filled with beautiful, glistening rocks rather than candy. There was a cranky, elderly gentleman that would show us rock after rock and eventually we would choose a precious stone, although I think he though each rock was a piece of gold that small children should not be touching. Eventually, Granddad would generously purchase a rock for us and we would happily skip back to my Grandparents house, as if we had just won the lottery. Greeley is know for their 4th of July celebration. Every year famous country singers such as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap and really the list goes on and on, would perform at the Greeley Stampede (as they called it.) There was a rodeo and carnival along with baking and art contests. But for whatever reason, the thing I remember the most, was walking to the rock shop with my Granddad.