4th of July 2011

 We started off the morning with a red white and blue breakfast.  We also created a patriotic playlist that we could listen to as we drove around town.  OF COURSE it had the army song on it - both my boys have that memorized.

 Red strawberries, white -ish waffles and blue plates and notice Ty's USA shirt -oh we are so festive.






We next went and purchased our small fireworks.  I gave each boy $10 but you know that really doesn't go far at those huge firework tents, but it was all we had this year.




We spent the afternoon at my Aunt Tani/Uncle Cal's home - they have this beautiful backyard with a salt water pool that we have spent a few cousin Friday afternoons hanging out at.  Uncle Cal always makes amazing food - he sent me off with some BBQ pork that was too good for words.

Next we went to what has become our 4th of July tradition - known as Aunt Maylene's.  My boys think that the 4th cannot be done any other way - and frankly I'm with them!  Maylene is Michael's sister and the one who lined Michael and I up on a blind date over 10 years ago! 


This is a photo of Maylene and her darling daughter Eliza and my Duncan all camped out on the lawn waiting for the street firework show to start.

This year we were lucky enough to have Aunt Deanna (Michael's oldest sister) as well.  She's in the red, I'm next to her and Maylene is in front.  Deanna is known as the fun one in the family.  She's the go-to-gal on trip planning and all activities fun.  They came up from New Mexico.  We don't get to see them often enough.

 T and Deanna with Sparklers




This year they made all those illegal super cool fireworks legal (my dad says its to increase the sales tax:).  You can see T holding one of the ones that Uncle Aaron brought - and BTW they were super cool.


The other fun thing was that Deanna & Aaron's son Darren also came with them. He was able to tell T about all things military and that really helped T not miss his dad so much on this patriotic day.