Fire! Fire!

So here's the story about this (if you haven't already read it on my mom's blog):


Needless to say our Fourth of July was explosive! I seriously don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. In situations like that my mind gets the better of me and all I could do was think the worst. The fire was moving so quickly I was sure the neighbor's house was going to catch on fire, then my parents house, then all the cars (remember this was a holiday so there were lots of people parked out on the street visiting), we weren't going to be able to get everyone out of their houses, people were going to die and it was going to be ALL OUR FAULT! I'm pretty sure at one point I was hyperventilating.

The morning was your pretty typical 4th activities-BBQ, swimming, games, chatting followed by naps; well everyone napped except for my grandparents, Bobby and I, and my dad. My grandparents were going to be leaving soon so wouldn't be around for our firework extravaganza that evening and Bobby thought it was unacceptable that they wouldn't get to see fireworks on the 4th of July, so decided it was up to him to make sure they received the FULL holiday experience. The 5 of us went outside to watch Bobby's super firework skills but didn't get very far before...fire! Thanks to the incredibly dry, summer heat that consumes the city of St. George, the grass is just begging to be caught on fire. And that it did. About a minute after he lit the firework we were walking back in the house and my dad glanced over his shoulder to see the bottom of the neighbors bushes on fire. Everyone jumped into action-except for me. I basically just freaked out and couldn't move; don't ever be left alone with me in a crisis-you will die. I couldn't believe how FAST the fire spread. It went from a little flame, to one bush on fire, to the next bush, to all the bushes. Nobody's hoses would reach the fire so my grandpa quickly connected a couple houses together and we were able to start getting it under control. Bobby was running buckets back and forth from my parents pool while my dad called the fire department (as did every other neighbor on the block). People driving down the street stopped and got out to watch-some actually helped-while the rest of my family was getting woken up from their naps. My mom's bedroom is on the second floor with her window facing the front of the house. She woke up while my dad was in there calling the Fire Dept. and said all she could see out the window was flames-scary! She ran downstairs and got my kids (who were sleeping) just in case the fire spread to our house-better to be safe than sorry! (why is this becoming the slogan for my life?!) Finally the fire dept. showed up AFTER we had already put it out so I was really annoyed about that! It took them over 15 min. from the time we called to get there. Someone's house or car would have for sure caught fire by then if we hadn't put it out. Good thing my tax dollars are working for me.

Towards the end my sister came running out of the house and then ran back in saying, "Oh I better go get the camera!" I about smacked her upside the head because I for sure did not want to remember any of this because it was just going to be bad bad bad! But now that everything/everyone is okay I'm really glad she did! You can't really tell from these pictures how much was burned



They went from full bushes like the one on the end here-


-to this in a matter of minuets.


Most of the firemen were just standing around and talking so I went up and asked if it would be okay if Tyler checked out their truck and they were SO nice about it. They shook his hand and said he could climb up inside if he wanted, but mostly he just wanted to check out the gadgets.


I'm just glad he thought the whole thing was fun and that his Daddy is THE COOLEST because he brought a firetruck right to him on the 4th of July! Can any of the rest of you say that?!





The police are automatically discharged if the fire dept. is-why is it that when my tax dollars are being used, it's against me- so even though we're the ones that put the fire out, and Bobby didn't intentionally start a fire (so he says), and restitution is being made to the guy with the burned bushes, he STILL got a ticket (like close to $600-we're trying to work something out with that though). The cop said that if a firework starts a fire it is an automatic ticket-no questions asked. The officer even said that this could have happened to anybody, St. George is just too dry and the littlest spark would send anything up in flames. I think from now on, we'll just take Tyler down to the station to see the firetrucks. A little less drama, and a little easier on the pocketbook.

Bobby was pretty shaken up about it too and went to bed at like 9:00.


He has completely sworn off fireworks for life and has gone as far as to forbid Tyler from ever lighting one. I guess that's not exactly a bad thing, but I have a feeling we'll be lighting some next year. Just not in St. George.