fireworks, watermelon&strawberry shortcake.

when i think of the fourth of july, these are the things i typically think about. along with sparklers, parades and that sheet-cake-thingy that everyone makes, decorated like a flag with whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries.

anyone else, anyone else?

this year was the first fourth of july i've been in my home state since college. yiiiiikes. that's a long time. and i had missed it. nick always has one request on the fourth-of-july: to go swimming. i love that he is like a little kid at heart. so this year we spent most of the day at the pool. which was *glorious*. my husband was in heaven.

here is a quick run down of our fourth-of-july festivities:

pool time. housesitting with my sis and bro-in-law for his parents who were out of town. this included spending most of the afternoon in their pool. which also worked out well since it was during bella and jude's naptimes. double bonus. but here are some shots with our munchkins. bella was not feeling the pool so much that day...

cookout with the fam. my parents, sis and bro-in-law and nephew, my aunt and uncle and cousins. holidays work out well when you think your family is cool.

cousin time. jude and bella are four months apart. not too long ago, we didn't hold much hope for them to be buds. bel would get right in judes face and poke at him, touch him incessantly and shriek her ear-piercing-screams-of-delight. this would make jude cry and pound his head multiple times on the floor. quite hilarious. now, they are such cute little buddies.

band concert. when gret&i were little we used to love it when my parents would take us to these old fashioned band concerts in the park. it really is just so cute and nostalgic. we used to pack popcorn and snacks and run around the park, climb on trees and play with whatever friends we could find there. so we packed up the kiddos and headed there after dinner. jude&bella loved it. they ran and ran, danced and clapped to the music, and bella sufficiently visited everyone around us, waving and saying "hiiiiii" with her big, cheesy grin :)

fireworks and smores. we ended the night with a fire and smores in my brother-in-law's parents backyard and the fireworks. bella was more captivated by the campfire then she was the fireworks, and fell asleep in the car on the way home.

so so thankful for the freedom we have in this country and the service men&women and their families that sacrifice SO much for us to have it. i am in awe of you, respect you and am beyond grateful for you.

thank you.