God Bless The USA!

We had a very nice Independence Day, despite the heat (around 120 degrees). The community has a whole day of activities at the fair grounds. There is a sunrise flag ceremony, a pancake breakfast, water games, hot dog eating contest, water fight with the fire department, watermelon bust, sunset dinner, and fireworks. We skipped the breakfast because we are lazy, but we went to the most everything else. It was a lot of fun! The kids "hung out" with friends, I sat in the shade with Claire and Kyle chased Eli. We are so blessed to live in such a wonderful community and in the greatest nation in the world!!








Eli and Josh had a great time at the water games. Ansley and Nate decided they were too old (and too cool!!) for the water games this year. There were several stations set up and the kids rotated every 20 minutes. Eli LOVED the sand pile. He had to be torn away from it. Josh is thinking of a career in plumbing!





The volunteer fire department bring their trucks to the fair grounds and set up across a field from each other and have a huge water fight with all their hoses. Everyone joins in and everyone within 100 yards gets soaked. Eli and Josh ran and ran. They loved it. I also got wet trying to take their picture, but I didn't mind the little cool off. After they had run themselves ragged, they were rewarded with some snow cones. Aaaah!



Josh and the "cool kids" enjoying some refreshing snow cones in the blazing heat. The extra child is, of course, Lauren...Ansley's best friend who lives across the street and pretty much goes with us everywhere.





The kids enjoying the fireworks. (Lauren, Ansley, Josh and Nate)






Claire enoying the fireworks. (notice her glow-in-the-dark bracelet)





Nate looking demonic courtesy of many glowing bracelets. The fact that he has red-eye in this picture is just a bonus!




Kyle and Eli watching the fireworks. Last year, Eli HATED the fireworks and wouldn't even look at them. This year, he LOVED them. Adorable boys!