Celebrating the 4th of July

The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays and it always comes and goes so quickly!

There is so much anticipation for that big Summer celebration and we always have a lot of fun with our family and friends!  Each year, I feel a bit bummed when it's over. It's kind of like returning from vacation and going back to reality. The party may be over, but we sure had fun!

Our 4th of July weekend is always jam-packed. Between a birthday party and two picnics, we keep busy! This year was no exception.

First up was a birthday party for our friend's daughter!  Audrey just turned 17 and I'm having the most difficult time wrapping my mind around it. I remember sitting next to her in the car when she was a baby and I was barely an adult myself. Now she's a gorgeous young lady who can drive and she's getting ready to start her senior year!

Shortly after we arrived, Grant made fun of Liam's new life vest.  I bet him $20 that Liam would fall into the pool and that's why he needed to wear it at all times. The teasing continued, but sure enough, I was right! Liam DID fall into the pool and I was right behind him to calmly fish him out with that convenient handle on the back of the vest. Of course, it took a lot of convincing to get him back into the pool...

We had a good time with our friends, but unfortunately, we could only stay for a few hours. We left the party and went straight to an early 4th of July picnic with more friends!

A lot of food, a lot of kids and a whole lot of fun!

We left the picnic a bit earlier than we usually do because the hosts were going on vacation early Tuesday morning. Almost everyone had left and although we would have loved to spend more time with them, I know how stressful it is to pack for a big family!

On the morning of the 4th, I woke up not feeling so well. I assumed it was allergies and headed back to bed for a few hours while Grant took Dylan and Lexie with him to help set up for the family picnic.

We headed over for the picnic that afternoon and kept our fingers crossed that the rain would hold off! Thankfully the tents were set up just in case.

We managed to fit in a few golf cart rides through the neighborhood while we waited for the guests to arrive.

After we sped around town on the golf cart, Grant and several of his family members left, because they had to line up for the parade. (They were driving people in the parade in their Camaros. Grant's family owns a Chevrolet dealership and his uncle just retired from GM. For any Camaro enthusiasts, he's the Fbodfather. He was a product manager for Camaro then moved on to manage GM auto shows around the country.)

The guests began to arrive and we all walked down to wait for the parade to begin. Of course it began to rain just in time for the parade. And by rain, I mean the sky opened up and it POURED.  I've learned that it's best just to laugh at frustrating situations. Yes it rained. But everyone still had a good time and it really was comical!  Umbrellas were pointless and candy washed down the street!

 

Grant's dad was the mayor until just before he passed away. He loved his town and the 4th of July was his favorite day of the year. Every year, Grant drove his dad in the parade. This year, he was supposed to drive the current mayor in the car. The mayor offered his seat to the county teen pageant winner due to the rain, so Grant drove her and the mayor's wife, while the mayor walked alongside the car.

Dylan rode with them and I teared up as they passed.  For several years, I was in the passenger seat in the parade, and eventually, Dylan was born and ended up on my lap. Grant's dad always joked that Dylan would be a future politician because even as baby, he leaned out the window and waved to everyone he passed. Sure enough, he took his Pap's place in the car!

By the end of the parade, everybody was SOAKED!

Complete outfit changes were required and the dryer ran continuously as we ate our dinner!  Those outfit changes were pointless, because the kids ended up playing for hours in the rain anyway.

The rain ended an hour before the fireworks display was scheduled. More outfit changes (and a bath) occurred before we headed out to watch the 4th of July fireworks!

Liam fell asleep on the 2 minute drive, but woke up just before the fireworks started. It was hard to sleep with his siblings and cousins running around!

All of my kids love fireworks, but Liam was extra enthusiastic this year. He smiled and clapped his way through the entire fireworks display!

It wasn't a picture-perfect 4th of July, but my family had a wonderful time celebrating Independence Day!

How was your 4th of July?

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