Once again, we celebrated the Fourth of July at Dave's parents' house, with his sister and family, too. We've done this for as many years as I can remember, with the exception being the year Max was born. That year, Dave's parents came and took the kids down to their house, Max was born around 11:30 pm on July 3, we got out of the hospital July 5 and we went down to his parents that same day. It's become so much of a tradition that when the kids have projects around family traditions at school, that's the one they pick. No Thanksgiving, no Christmas. It's Fourth of July at Grandma and Grandpa's house. These are the pictures that they'll compare year over year, the addition of new kids, the growing of them and their cousins, the memories they'll remember, whether on their own or because of those pictures.
And this year certainly did not disappoint. We all came in separately--John came with Megan and Jake around 4 in the morning on Friday after driving all night. Dave got there with our kids around 11:30 on Friday. Lisa flew in after work and got there around 10:00 and I drove down after work and meeting a friend for dinner and shopping and got there around 10:30. After mostly just hitting the sack, we woke up Saturday morning to a beautiful, sunny 90+ degree day. After my run (15 miles, yikes!) I came back and we all hit the pool for all day. And then did the same day the next. Unfortunately John and Lisa and kids had to leave on Monday the Fourth, but we stayed that whole day and it was so relaxing. Much of the time was just Dave and I (or just me!) in the pool while the kids hung out and relaxed in the house. After several naps in rafts, we got out and hit the fireworks that night.
It was Ava's first time seeing the fireworks and she LOVED them. She sat in Dave's lap the whole time and just stared up in awe. Every now and again she would look at me and point up into the sky as if to say "Are you seeing this?" The fireworks were great, but watching her reactions were priceless. The place we go for fireworks is just a great place, too. It's huge so even though there are a ton of people there, it doesn't feel crowded. There's a band that plays beforehand, there's kids and dogs and impromptu soccer games and games of catch and frisbee. It feels like a Norman Rockwell painting, and I just love to be in the middle of it soaking it all in.
Here's the picture highlights! Abby reading to Ava. This isn't specific to Fourth of July, but I still just love that Abby loves to read to Ava, and Ava loves to listen!
She's gonna be a swimmer! She really has no choice...
Uncle John and Ava being friendly.
Grandpa... GET IN THIS POOL! Ahhhh.
Grandpa, what did you do to Ava??
Cousins have fun!
It was so nice that Ava slept on the raft with me for at least an hour!
And yet another nap... John, Max and me all out of it. Makes a great day!
The girls ready to celebrate...
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