Fourth of July; Family & Friends

Fourth of July was a blast as usual at our house! {pun intended}  It started with us getting up at 5:30 am for no apparent reason!  We hung out & had a yummy breakfast, then at 8am we started decorating the bikes for the annual neighborhood parade.  Then like clockwork at 10am we walked to the entrance of the neighborhood, John lead the group of 30+ kids and parents in the Pledge of Allegiance while Tracy held the flag and then we walked around the neighborhood while friends sat on the porch and cheered us all on!  {I say us but I only walked until I got to our house, a total of 250 feet, and then I joined Uncle Larry and Auntie Anna on their porch, gimme a break I am almost 36 weeks pregnant, see images below}

  As the kids came back up the hill after going up and down the streets, the all met up at Stephanie & David's house for ice cream.  About 3pm our friends on our street made their way with their yummy snacks to our house for our annual picnic!  We ate till we couldn't eat anymore, swam, played on the giant water slide {thanks Barb & Nolan}, and ate! Around 9pm we all lined our fireworks up in the street and had a blast!  

Piper was in love with her new glasses

 John, Tristan, Piper and Sami before the parade

John leading the Pledge of Allegiance

Immediately following the parade and ice cream consumption we headed out to get our fire works {Piper entered an ice cream coma after consuming exactly 4 individual ice cream cups}

Our delicious food spread, I made the white cake with the red white and blue inside!

Barb and Nolan's incredibly huge water slide was a big hit {thanks again guys!!}

I feel so blessed to live in a neighborhood that embraces holidays and each other so consistently.

This year, I was so teary watching my husband lead the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.  I was reminded that it was just 9 years ago that he was fighting for this freedom in Iraq.  The Flag has never looked so beautiful.