We had such fun at our 4th of July celebration this year! For awhile we weren’t sure if all the grown kids would be able to come. But they all found a way to do it and we felt so blessed by everyone’s presence. Really, these celebrations just seem to get better and better as the years go on.
We started the evening with a barbecue and a picnic out on our pool deck. It was a hot day, but by evening there was a breeze, and between that and the evening shade on the deck, it was really pleasant. The food was what we usually serve on the 4th: burgers, watermelon, bacon-wrapped jalapenos, guacamole, chips and jello. It was so much fun to have two babies to snuggle, and lovely to see our young teen boys growing increasingly comfortable handling them. (You can click on pictures to enlarge.)
After we ate, it was time for games: some that we’ve done before and a few new ones that included popping each other’s balloons with blades of grass and target-shooting at a ladder. Once the organized games were done and prizes awarded, it was time for the crazy part– a wild wet water fight, that ended with most folks jumping into the pool.
As the light dimmed, shivering folks got out of the pool for a dessert of picnic cake and homemade cherry vanilla ice cream. We ate while swatting mosquitoes, jiggling tired babies, and admiring the fireworks from a nearby town that were just visible over the hill. A lovely night.