Stars and Stripes Forever

I love the 4th of July and was so excited to have things back to normal this summer so we could celebrate the way that we are used to doing.  The holiday landed on a Sunday this year so we had four days of celebrations.  It was jam packed and fun but we were all ready for a break and some routine by Tuesday!

Wedgewood was able to hold their party this year.  We look forward to this event every year.  They do such a nice job from the food to the music, kids' activities an fireworks.  It was Mairin's first year attending with us as well (as a "big" kid) so she had a blast as the kids ran from the jump houses to the game truck, face painting and balloon artist.

                       

 

This picture doesn't do Mairin's dance moves justice.  She tore up the dance floor with the other little kids and it was hard to pull her away to do anything else.  She LOVED the fireworks and kept yelling "Again!"

                      

The next day, Eric started working on the platform in which he and our neighbor, Justin, would light the from.  The boys in the neighborhood were very interested in this process.  In addition to the construction, we spend the 3rd, swimming in the Inkrotts pool and having a pizza night with Darby, Bill and Finely.  The temps were perfect and we were able to sit outside to visit.

                       

We started our actual 4th of July celebration at the annual pool party.  Quinn and Reese were very excited about their matching bathing suits, the kids got a kick out their caricature drawings (Nolan said he looks like a teenage in his), they swam and ate and danced.  A good time was had by all.

After the pool, Mairin took a nap, we all got cleaned up and ready for the next party in the cul de sac.  The neighbors all came together with food, lawn games for the kids and a fireworks display curtesy of Eric and Justin.

Justin is notorious for his tank tops so he was kind enough to make sure Eric and Shaun had one too.

The fireworks display was impressive and these two still have all of their limbs so we marked it a success and called it a night.

We definitely made up for having missed a "normal" 4th of July last summer.  It was fun, we made wonderful memories and the kids had the time of their lives.