4th of July

We had a GREAT 4th of July this year!
We started the morning watching the hot air balloons fly over Provo!
It was so much fun! We really wanted to be there to watch them all take off but we didn't quite wake up early enough. But we had a wonderful view of all of the balloons from the Smith's parking lot and had a lot of fun watching them. There is a pink piggy bank hot air balloon that we look for every year, and sure enough - it was there!

After watching the balloons, we headed over to the parade. This was the first year that we have gone to the parade and we had a blast! It definitely helped that our good friends invited us to share their spot. People go a little crazy around here and spend the night on the parade route just to get a good spot. Maybe that's why I've never really wanted to go. I just assumed we wouldn't get a good spot and I definitely wasn't willing to spend the night sleeping on the sidewalk just for a parade.

But we sure did have fun - thanks Browns!
Here are some shots from the parade:

McKenna was a little afraid of this one ("Doff Bader")- being the first character in the parade I was afraid we weren't going to make in when she was already asking to go home...

This is Katie motioning and saying "Don't Shoot!" to the Minute Men firing their muskets.

And I enjoyed lots of Mom & Kid time sitting, waiting for, and watching the parade.

That's my kind of holiday...

No parade is complete without a Captain America!

Or a tank

Or a pirate :)

When we got home from the parade, we all passed out - ALL of us - and napped until lately afternoon. Again, my kind of holiday...

Later that evening we had some friends & neighbors over for a BBQ and fireworks.

We busted out the pool and I am happy to report that McKenna is not as afraid of the blow up whale pool as she was of the pool at Gearhart. Phew!

And we had these YUMMY kabobs (our new favorite grill item) and hot dogs, plus all sorts of yummy BBQ sides, including homemade ice cream. Yum.

Sweet Brookie enjoying the summer evening

And nothing cures a fear of loud fireworks quite like a Daddy hug...

The evening was completed with a latenight movie on Mom & Dad's bed while Mom & Dad cleaned up.