Happy 4th of July!

Whew!  It’s Monday night and it feels like Friday was eons ago.  Perhaps it’s the sign of a good weekend … or at least a busy one.  I can’t even recall what we did on Friday, but on Saturday we set out for the beach.  We soon realized that we left too late (around 10 am) and we turned around from the bumper-to-bumper traffic and headed for the waterpark instead.  Yes, the boys and I had already been there on the previous day, but they are LOVING time in the water these days (now that their swimming skills have improved greatly) and they were quick to tell us they wanted to go. 

On Sunday, after church we headed up to Pinopolis (after a quick stop at our FAVORITE place to dine on a Sunday – our perfect meat & three).  The boys were ready to hit the water as soon as we got to Nannie & Papa’s house.  Actually, Parker saw Papa working in the yard (of course) and he just had to go over and investigate.  I went on inside, but started to wonder after a few minutes why Parker still had not come inside.  I went out and discovered that he was working hard as Papa’s helper. 

If nothing else, he was keeping him entertained.

I wish I had taken a picture of the boys in their patriotic outfits (Parker in red/white seersucker shorts and blue shirt…Thomas in blue/white seersucker shorts and a red shirt).  They were cute…take my word.  ;-)

Then it was time for the lake. At the waterpark on Friday one of Thomas’ friends offered him a watergun and I reluctantly agreed to let him play with it.  I’m not a big fan of guns (I could never be Sarah Palin’s friend…what can I say?), but he did have a good bit of fun with it.  I just wish guns could come without constant talk of “shooting this and that or you or me.” I’m not a fan…but I know I spent many a day in my own childhood playing Cowboys and Indians with far more realistic looking cap guns.  So whatever, he had fun….

Ahhhh, 4th of July at the lake.  I’ve attended so many picnics at the lake for the 4th of Julys in my life, it just seems like the place to be.

Sully didn’t seem to mind that Trey buried her. 

Poor thing has a love/hate relationship with the lake.  She LOVES being there and plays until her body can hardly move.  So her body hates it, but she obviously feels it is worth a few days of limping.  She is nearly 70, I guess.

The newest addition to the 4th of July picnic on VM drive is Connor.  He could not be more chilled about it all (as he relaxes with his aunts).

It’s impossible to get three children smiling for the camera at once, but I keep trying.  The boys had a ball with their cousin Eliza, as usual!

They gladly took a break from the playing to come have a picnic in the shade. 

 

Then it was time for more fun in the water.  Only daddies can throw their boys into the air.  I cannot imagine such a thing!  But the boys sure love it! (Oh and Thomas’ foot is in this picture….he is diving down next to Papa…such a little fish these days!).

All of the throws look different, but they all end the same…with a big splash!

Sully LOVES the lake more than anyone I think.

Eliza tried a little boogie board surfing with her Daddy.

While Sully just kept on relaxing…

Then more little boy throwing…

This is the only gator I ever want to see around there…

My beautiful niece Eliza had that gator under control!

Parker acted as the motor to drive his Uncle Andrew back to shore. 

Finally it was time to go home.  The kids took their flags and marched around the house saying “Hut – 2 – 3 –4!” over and over again.  Thomas said they were “The Americans” and together they were an American Band.

After all that throwing, sunning, sanding, banding, eating, laughing good time, the boys finally fell asleep on the ride home when we were about five miles from our house.  We had a few errands to run, so they got a little bit of a nap.  Definitely a sign of a good time being had by all!

Happy birthday America!