Happy Birfday, America!

I love celebrating the fourth of July! I'm so grateful for the freedoms that I enjoy in this great country, and it's great to get with the community and share those feelings! Especially when we have so much family around! Our family has a couple traditions, we go to the parade, and we watch the fireworks. Of course, we also always grill something and usually swim. But the main thing is the parade and fireworks. This year we had to get there early to get a good spot! It was crowded! So, we were up early. But not as early as my friend and her sister that I talked into doing a "Freedom Run 5k" with me that morning. Well, turns out we had more family in town than I thought and I didn't want to miss hanging out with them, so I ditched the run. They got up at 5am and did the race without me. Their supporting husbands and children cursed my name for about five hours straight. I still feel bad.

Twistan had a great time as the parade has something to offer everyone-Suzanne got him to giggle til he hiccuped. Tiffany found someone to come do her laundry!

Chunky got to eat gum off the sidewalk. He also got to wonder why I drug him out at that awful hour when he could have been home sleeping. Same thing Desiree's husband was wondering, actually.The kids got to catch a lot of candy, water bottles, frisbee's and other crowd pleasers.I got to steal candy from the kids.And of course, as the parade went on, it got hotter and hotter. We were waiting for our favorite two floats to come by.

The one that handed out otter pops, which Meeeeeeeeeller loved.

And the AC company who blasted the crowd with cold air. They should win "Best Float" every year. Seriously.

The rest of the fourth was spent at the pool, grilling at my sisters, grilling at my brothers, and then watching fireworks.