independence Day

we celebrated the 4th of July lakeside which is a norm for our happy home....so my biggest baby took on the decorating....  very festive!  there were flags EVERYWHERE!!!!

 we had so much food, it was almost gross but at the time oh so yummy!!!!   we enjoyed many a family member and some long traveled cousins too.... Always a good time.

 we shucked corn and made homemade icecream, grilled some bbq and all in all did anything we thought would be listed "all american"

 fished with NO luck... we caught rocks, lifejackets and daddyc's swim suit (the length you will go to buy a new one these days.... wink wink)

 read books, found frogs, lizards, worms, chased flies and found large green bugs which BC, thats baby caroline, (i feel for sure one day next year she will inform us she is NO LONGER A BABY she is a BIG GIRL NOW but until then i think everyone we know will refer to this princess as "baby Caroline") attempted to get a closer look, i am just sorry i didn't have the video on for a clip, about 10 seconds into her "closer" look she took off in total fear it was about to attack her...... so stinkn' cute!!!

 is there ANYTHING better than pouring water from one cup to another???

 for the first time ever, my biggest baby requested fireworks.... I was ready to purchase some big fun ones... but the day we were gathering our thoughts before everyone arrived ended up to be "A DAY"..... you know those days... if you have small children or a good memory you KNOW those days.... 

• No the water hose does not need to be turned on INSIDE mommy's car...again!
• by "helping" mommy clean my car from what looks to be a garbage dump, the 15 dollar box of oxy clean was really intended to go for clothes and to the laundry room... Good bye oxy clean.... Good bye hour it took me to get all the little grains of detergent out of the rug.....
• And by "helping" me clean the car that also meant turning on each little gadget so that when i DID attempt to leave and buy fireworks, etc. the car battery would be DEAD!!!! YAY boys!!!  
• that fun couple hours ended with pouring a glass of wine only to be knocked over in the mad dash to catch a "slamming" door from smushing my middle baby's fingers.....again..... Good Bye whole new bottle of red wine, with NO car to get some more.......  

so NO, this year we only lit sparklers... perhaps we will do more fireworks NEXT year. wink wink.

hope you all celebrated Independence the best you know how.....  According to my middle baby the best part about it was taking bubble baths with baby Caroline.... At least the bar isn't too high for next year!!!!  Happy july.   And compared to beach and lake heat, yesterdays 85 degrees felt GREAT!!!!!