Our 4th Fun!

A few days prior to the 4th of July my friend, Shelley and I got together to make some patriotic wreaths.  We found this really cute one online, but the lady that made it, didn't leave very detailed instructions on how to make it.  Now, I have never had an original creative thought in my life so I need step by step instructions to do anything creative.  Seriously.  We plowed ahead and decided to try our creative hands at this anyway and after much anxiety, we ended up with these SUPER cute wreaths that I'm proud to say WE MADE!

As if that wasn't enough to keep me busy, I decided to make sugar cookies for the 4th.  I don't know what I was thinking...it takes less than 30 seconds to down about 6 cookies, and about 30 minutes to make those dang 6 cookies....ANYWAY, as usual, with any action going on in the kitchen, my two helpers end up joining me.  I left the kitchen for all of 2 minutes and found them ready and willing to "help."  And they did.  Until they took naps.

 Independence day arrived and instead of hearing the canons they shoot off each year, we had Brody running into our room to inform us that Ryder was up and had pooped.  No big deal, right?  He often times has a stinky diaper waiting for us in the morning.  This morning though, I think Ry was wanting to truly excercise his rights and independence so he had stripped off his jammie bottoms AND his diaper.  Yay.  Every 4th of July should start off with washing sheets. 

After that mess I decided to make us our own pancake breakfast instead of hurrying down to the park and paying for theirs.  The kids were in heaven.  Especially Ry who kept asking for mo'.  We had no other plans really and I thought we'd just hang out at home, but about 40 minutes before the parade started in RV (which is 30 minutes away) we decided to go.  We packed up as fast as we could and headed off.  We got a great spot and made it before the parade got to us.  To make matters better, it was overcast and probably the best parade weather ever.

Our kids loved the parade.  They were handed flags that they waved, thrown candy that they ate, and stayed busy waving to everyone that passed.  I don't think anyone could resist their cute little faces and waves!

We got home and decided to take advantage of the fun going on at the park.  I don't think there has ever been so much going on in SJ for the 4th!  It was great.  For a small price the kids got wristbands that allowed them to go on all the blow up/bounce house things as many times as they wanted.  Brody tried out a few things, but liked the small slide the best and that was the only thing Ryder wanted.  Ryder would make this scared face most of the way down and then get a huge grin when he face planted at the bottom. 

We also got in on the free BBQ lunch offered.  Trevor and I loved it.  Brody and Ryder wanted nothing to do with it.  They wanted more slide time.  Pie eating contests, watermelon eating contests, foot races for the kids, and even SJ Idol was offered in the afternoon, some of which got rained out, but we missed it all because our kids NEEDED to go home for a nap!

 After naps were taken, we ate hamburgers and hot dogs at Trevor's parents house and visited.  We were anxiously waiting for the rain to stop so we could not only watch the fireworks the city was doing in town this year instead of at Lyman Lake, but also so we could light a few of our own that we got at the dollar store!

The rain didn't stop in the early evening, but we went ahead anyway with our own personal firework show.  Trevor got soaked from the light drizzle while me and the kids stood under an umbrella on the porch and tried to not get soaked.  As fate would have it, minutes after our last firework fizzled out the rain ended.  That was okay with us though because it meant we could sit on our deck in the back and watch the fireworks that were being set off at the airport near our house. 

As I looked at our kids, bundled in their blankets and each holding their own little bowl of popcorn with m&m's I couldn't help but feel so lucky.  I told Trevor and he agreed.  Somedays, life gets crazy...my kids stay busy fighting, or I compare myself to others and how I don't have all the things that they have.  I easily forget how good my own life really is.