Falling Fireworks

This year, Fourth of July festivities seemed somewhat...less dramatic than years past. But that doesn't mean I don't have funny stories.

Church Food...or rather, food at the church...

As per tradition, the true celebration of Independence Day is the annual breakfast and water fight at my parents' church.




We discovered that Megan likes watermelon.


And Jane is the new drama queen...she'll suck up to anyone that will listen. Or, she'll put her head up against an empty wall and "cry". But only if someone is watching.



Nicole had this really cute outfit on.


We decided it was false advertising, though. She's really quite expensive and entirely DEpendent.

Oddly enough, I didn't have a memory card in my camera, so I only have a few pictures and none of the children's bike parade that followed. We ended up walking in the parade impromtu-style with Jane, Megan, and Dalton...and only one seat in the stroller. We played a little musical chairs mid-parade to save our arms...and add a little extra excitement, right?

In other missed photo opportunities...

Mom was carrying Jane outside the church. She tripped, dropped Jane on the ground, and landed on top of her. Minor injuries to Mom's knee and wrist and Jane's face (just adding bruises to her perpetual black eye). Lots of people around, but no one saw what happened. Or they all saw and everyone was too embarrassed to say anything...hmmm...

After the morning's festivities and fiascos, we had a barbeque at Mom and Dad's house. I took one bite of a hotdog...and dropped what seemed like the entire bottle's worth of ketchup and mustard all down my--what else?--white shirt. Sigh. Everyone saw that one. And no one was too embarrassed to comment.

Light shows...

Now, really, what is the 4th of July without fireworks?


We had a nice light show for Lisa's birthday last Thursday, of which I have no pictures because Chris and I stopped by right after leaving the temple, so I didn't have the camera with me. But we did it all again on Friday night when I had the camera, my girls were able to come, and I wasn't wearing a dress.

Glowsticks are cool.

ooooo

aaaaaa

See, everyone really was there. Not just glowsticks floating around. (Check out the shadows on the house next door...)

And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Mom, Dad, all seven of their children, three sons-in-law, future daughter-in-law, and four grandchildren. Pretty good, don't ya think?

I actually think this second picture of Lisa's family is cuter, but the other one had Dalton in it, so I put it first.

Last year, Jane was fairly terrified of the fireworks. She was quite scared of them, but wouldn't look away...she just stared with some sort of morbid fascination and occasionally screamed. She did much better this year.

This isn't the best picture ever, but check out Jane's face.

It never even phased Megan. She thought they were great.


Well, I did find this picture. Not sure what that face was about.


Sparklers are pretty cool, too.


And it isn't a true holiday until someone stands on the roof....?


Even with what seemed like a less-than-stellar holiday weekend, I seem to have lots of pictures and stories anyway. So...apparently it really was a good holiday. Shows what I know.