4th of July weekend

We had a great 4th of July. Getting a four day weekend definitely didn't hurt. We decided last minute to head to the parade on Saturday. We found great parking and got there early enough to do lots of the kids activities at NewBo before the parade which worked out perfectly.

 There were a few activities that had significant lines and I let the kids choose one thing we would bother waiting in line for. They chose balloon animals. The wait wasn't horrible and they were pleased with their wand and sword.

 Our friends, the Pitchforths, met us down there.

 My least favorite thing about parades is the constant creeping out of the line. If everyone would just stay where they originally sat we would all be able to see! But one person creeps out and then there's a total domino effect. Our kids started out right in front of us and slowly made there way to the middle of the street.

 Tatum really want to try to the fireman's challenge which we weren't able to do last year. I had a stroke of genius and suggested we leave the parade a bit early when the kids started to get restless. We still had to wait behind a few people in line but by the time all our kids were done with the challenge the parade was over and the line was HUGE. So glad we dodged that.

It was a lot of fun watching the kids do the challenge. Tatum was able to do it all by herself with the exception of spraying the hose.

Carrying extra hose "up a ladder"

 Pulling in some more hose

 Knocking down the door

 Dragging someone to safety.

 Declan needed a lot more help/kind of just did his own thing. For instance, he was supposed to hammer this wood until it was out of the square on the ground but he just whacked the top of it ten times. The lady who helped him was so kind and good with him! He thought he was pretty cool stuff.

 They got a fireman's badge for completing it which was a hit.

 I love this photo booth that they do every year.

 After the parade mom and dad met us at a bike trail for a ride. It was a beautiful day and a great ride. We even stopped at a new park we've never been to.

 See Declan on the horse in the background? Funny story: my dad was spinning him on there and apparently doesn't know his own strength. All of a sudden Declan was making a funny noise. He was half off his horse and just clinging to it. The look in his eyes was priceless. I'm not sure I'll ever forget the image. It was hilarious.

 We went home after the ride and had foil dinners with the Eskelsens at our house.

Some of our family was looking quite patriotic on Sunday so I had to get a picture.

 On Monday we took the kids to a park where they could ride their bikes around a trail and Brennan and I could play some frisbee golf. The kids started on a huge hill and Declan went flying, not knowing how to stop. He crashed at the bottom and miraculously there was no blood or broken bones. I was shocked. They played frisbee with us for a bit after that. It was extremely hot and sweaty so the whining was plentiful and we didn't last terribly long.

 Brennan trying to cool off the whiners.

 Brennan's favorite thing with his favorite people. The weather might have made the rest of us somewhat miserable but I'm pretty sure Brennan thought it was a pretty great day.

Late that afternoon we met my dad at Lake MacBride to take out his kayak. Clouds moved in and kept things pretty comfortable but it never rained, it was perfect.

 Those cheeks!

 I've gotten my hair chopped since these pictures and I hate the new cut. Seeing my long hair is making me sad.

 Declan has so much expression when he is talking. Unfortunately we only got the tail end of it here.

 Beautiful.

 Tatum's legs look so long in this picture! Daddy long legs indeed!

 Her scrunchy nose is too cute.

Declan tried to climb out of the boat without any help. I'm not sure where Brennan was but by the time I got over to him to help he had pushed the boat quite far from the dock and his body was stretched out between. He fell in before I could do much to help. He was screaming and quite unhappy about it even though he had his floaty on and didn't go under. It gave the rest of us a good laugh but he was mad. Of course he decided he loved being in the water about the time we were ready to leave. So then he got to be mad again when we said we had to go. 

Our attempts at 4th of July pictures. Weak. haha

 I birthed her, I blinked, and here we are. How??!!! She seems so grown up.

 We filled the 4th will all things outdoors. We played tennis, frisbee golf, did the splash pad, played volleyball.

 Declan loves to be a boss/event organizer/announcer. He is pretty lucky to be surrounded by pretty good sports most of the time. Here are all the boys following their instructions from their fearless leader.

 This time he had to boss the girls around too.

 It was a beautiful day for tennis and Crystal had a picture scavenger hunt for the kids to do while we played. It was the perfect thing to keep them entertained and happy.

 It's not too surprising that after a day full of so much fun and activity, Declan fell asleep on the drive to fireworks. I was surprised, however, when we couldn't wake him up! He had been talking nonstop about fireworks and I didn't want him to be sad to miss them. When it was time for them to start I got him out of the car thinking that would wake him. Walked him over to the group and he was still out. Handed him off to my mom as the fireworks boomed still nothing. We would ask him if he wanted to see the fireworks and he would nod his head but not open his eyes. Poor, exhausted kid.

 About halfway through the show Brennan succeed in waking him so he got to enjoy some fireworks.

 When we got home Tatum looked like this. Except she was still buckled, I promise. :) I just didn't think to take a picture until I had unbuckled her. She was out.

It was the perfect weekend full of all things summer: grilling, bike riding, fireworks, tennis, sprinkler, lake. A 4th of July for the books for sure!