4th of July

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!
We had to pick-up some last minute items at the store and the reciept total came to $17.76. The cashier didn't get it. Kids these days!
The weather couldn't have been better. Each night the sunsets were amazing.Two dilema's with our family fireworks. I missed the memo on what day they were happening and was not prepared with the camera. Of course I HAD my camera, but the battery was running REALLY low and my card was full after Marshall's Africa trip. I had resigned myself to not taking any fireworks pics this year. It might be fun to just watch them anyway. Luckily Kim's Cousin Mark saved the day. He is a professional and also shoots with Canon. I couldn't believe it, but his battery fit my camera!We heard rumors that there wasn't going to be a parade this year, but it was back in full force! Owen one-up'd the extend-o-net from last year.Love that. Can't wait to see what we come up with next year. I keep expecting all the kids across the street to show up with nets or something, but they never do, and all the candy just keeps flying our way! The people love us!What do you get when you add Red, White, Blue and Orange?Walking Taco's on the 4th of July that's what! What's more American than that? Well, maybe Baseball! Great time playing in the field, complete with picnic table backstopCallie has gotten most adventure-some!The Supra just doesn't go fast enough for this girl. Too fast for Jack though!With a lot of encouragement and a final go-or-get-off ultimatium, she jumped off the high-dive all by herself.Trent had some high-flying fun!I know Trent was there for the week long celebration, but I didn't see him much. He was very busy in the paddleboat with his turtle net. I think the grand total was 9 turtles. Plus several dragonflies and a couple frogs and toads. We all had an amazing week. It's hard to fathom how unbelieveably lucky we are to make these memories together.

Four Cheers!

Because the holiday was on Sunday, and some had work committments the week before, we decided to spend the week after the 4th together. Mentally this threw me. Usually we spend the week leading up to the big weekend. This year the big weekend came first! Too fast!
Filled with Family, Fireworks, Food and Fun, another fantastic 4th of July has come and gone. With the just about the whole family on my Mom's side, we spent the week relaxing at the lake. This year we were missing two important family members. My Grandma who was of course enjoying the Fireworks and water from a very safe distance all the way in heaven! She never did like being out in the sun! And my Cousin Keith, who has been told he is not allowed to miss any more 4th of July's!
Covered from head to toe in Arbonne sunscreen we set off each day to join the gang at the lake. We usually got there around lunch time, but most of the crew were camping out or camping in at Grandma's. Trent spent a lot of his nights with the rest of the boys in the tents. I felt like I only spent a total of 5 hours with him the whole week! Independence for Independence Day! How appropriate!
This year's Independence Award goes to Colin for learning to walk. In years past we've acomplished many milestones with kids. Mostly potty training, but independence none the less!
For a couple years in our dating life, the 4th of July was just plain jinxed for Marshall and I. Not to dwell, but more to document. There was one rough 4th for the family too which included head lice and the stomach flu.

The parade was pretty short, but Trent's candy net was extra long!We are so lucky to have the experiences we do, and I am so thankful for the time we are able to spend together as a family. The positives abound and the bads are laughed off as part of the past.
Mark this one down as one of the goods.

4th of July - 2009

This year was a very different 4th of July for me. Sure we did the traditional things like fireworks on the lake:

Fireworks in our bay:
:
And the parade:
We usually have rain over the 4th of July Holiday. It this case it was raining CANDY!
Tip of the day: If you're not getting enough parade candy, bring a net. We've been doing this for 3 years and the novelty still hasn't worn off, the candy throwers can't help themselves, they want to make it into the net, and keep trying until they do! Candy everywhere!

Of course we celebrated a couple birthdays' and the girls had a fabulous spa day. The weather was so crappy we really didn't do much of this:
But we did a lot of this!:
Still my favorite time of year and lots of fun no matter what the weather.

Rain, Rain....

Rain, rain, go away, Jenny wants her fireworks today!
But she also doesn't want to have to water her plants!

The 4th of July

The 4th of July isn't so much a day for us, it's more like a whole week. For some it was 10 days! The entire week has been done for so many years now, we've got it down to a science. Though next years revisions call for an "adult" summer bathroom.
To sum it up, we sit around in the sun all day while the kids, swim, fish, jump on the trampoline, go for paddleboat rides and go tubing. Cocktail hour starts at 5 o'clock "somewhere". Meals are carefully planned out and served at the well stocked and organized boat house buffet with Uncle Butch as the grill master and each family contributing their signature dish.

Fireworks are a major part and take up at least two evenings. The lake fireworks and our family fireworks. The lake fireworks are special to me because of their history, but have lost a little of the nostalgia replaced by our family fireworks.
Back in the day, my Dad was in charge of the lake fireworks. Every year my Mom, Sister and I would put the donation flyers in all the mailboxes. Riding our bikes to close places, driving the van to the rest. We would road trip it up to Green Bay to pick up the fireworks. I was so proud of the show every year because it was my Dad doing it. Now that he is retired from his duties, it's not as special, but still a nice evening.
Our family fireworks are the best. My cousins are awesome. They took over the tradition on scale for the bay. We must have had at least 50 people around the fire and 15 boats parked ourside the bay. The show lasts a good hour with a spectacular finale. Top it off with B.T.S. roasted marshallows and you've got my favorite night of the year.
Happy Birthday to Molly, Mike and Eric!
12 adults, 17 kids, 4 grandparents, 1 great grandma and daily pop-over friends all having the time of their lives creating memories to last forever that is the 4th of July for us.
(I'll post pictures soon. I was just shy of filling up my 2 GIG card. Love the new camera!)