Red, White and Bue

I like the 4th. Always have. Definitely up there in my top three favorite holidays. I love the heat, the way your clothes stick to you...true sign of a hot, summer day. I love the barbeques...food always tastes better outside. I love the crowds and crowds of people, all sprawled out on blankets and exclaiming over the sky alive with fireworks. I love the red, white and blue and all it represents. Our country is flawed that is for sure, but all in all it is a blessed land and I feel proud to call it mine. So we celebrate....some years we switch it up and do things different. But we celebrate none the less.

Due to some things falling through this year, we switched things up at the last minute. We were originally supposed to be in Island Park at our annual Williams family vacation, but my poor uncle got terribly sick at the last minute. We are talking hospitalized, emergency surgery sick. So we didn't go. But my uncle is just fine now, and that is what really matters. He's one of my favorites and I am so grateful things turned out the way they did.

So what did we do....

We slathered up the babies in sunscreen, attired them in their matching swimsuits, packed a cooler and a few swim bags (Thiago took one look at all I had packed for swimming and replied "oh, I didn't know we were going to Island Park for the weekend, I thought it was just swimming", haha...he's funny, isn't he. Smart-allack.) Then we headed to the Aquatic center.

Turns out the weather wasn't ideal. Cloudy skies and a few scattered showers. The heat was there, but when you are swimming and coming right out of the water, I like to feel the sun beating down on me. And that just wasn't happening.

Doesn't stop us from having fun though.





Drake's first swimming experience was a good one. Then again every experience with this little one is a good one. Thats what you get when your baby is good as gold. He was happy laying on Elle Belle's towel, he was happy being carted around, he was happy with his toes dangling in the water. He was happy. Period.




Like I said, food tastes better outside.

Children are funny little critters. I love that they can turn anything into a toy. Common, everyday items that us adults don't think much of, children turn into grand adventures.

At least mine do.



Such as the water drain. Kept Lincoln and Elle entertained for a full half hour, while the rest of us finished up lunch. It was kinda nice. Didn't have to keep chasing him down.







Then there were these lockers. This was a favorite with all of them. Especially once they discovered they could fit inside. This picture is my favorite of the day. The lighting was perfect and that there is Lincoln's true smile. You all don't see it that often cause he is not all that picture cooperative. Love when I catch it on camera.

After a few hours, we packed it up and headed on home.


Bye-bye swimming.

We went home and the babies napped, Carson had some down time and then we showered and got ready. Where I of course dressed the littles up in there patriotism attire and attempted to get a picture of the three of them.



This one didn't work out.


But this one did.


Ash took this one of me and my honey. Every once in awhile I like one of the two of us. Just to prove we were there. Ha!


We then headed to Layton Park with friends and family for the firworks and other festivities. First up was some food. My little Brazilian likes Asian cuisine.




And they all like pop-its.


This one likes sleep.






On with the show.

Here are the kids and their dads reaction to the fireworks:


Carson is always a fan. Each one was met with an enthusiastic scream from him and Mavi. The finale was met with a full on, jumping up and down out of his chair, arms waving, hands going wild and the most energetic, high-pitched scream I have ever heard. Yep, he loves fireworks.




Now I don't know about you guys. But I am getting a bigger kick out of Thiago's reaction then Lincoln's. Can you say animated. What a goof. He was putting on quite the show for Lincoln's sake, I'm sure you can tell. You should have heard the yells coming from him, now those are funny.

Oh, I love our dad. He does make me laugh.



And baby Drake..he just sat there, wide-eyed, taking it all in. Not a peep was heard. He just sat there, pumping those sweet little chubby legs and making a big pile of drool on his shirt. Love that boy.

Thats our 4th. Hope you all had a good one.