Independence Day

There were no fireworks on the 4th this year due to the drought conditions. I worried that this and the fact that we had literally returned from vacation a few hours before the stroke of midnight on the 4th was going to make for a very blah Independence Day. 

Here we are in our festive red, white and blue......and green.   Like I said, we just returned from vacation and did not have a patriotic wardrobe planned.   I told Doug to throw on an Old Navy shirt for photos and he came out in this getup.   What?   he asked me in a shocked manner when I gave him the stink eye.   This IS an Old Navy shirt, he said proudly. 

Yeah, an Old Navy St. Patrick's Day shirt, you dork.  

 And here is Bandit joining the photo op and doing what he does best, sniffing his bum.

      

By the third photo, you can see that she threw out her back.   The boy is HEAVY.

 HOWEVER, despite our bleak outlook, our 'hood pulled through once again and made it a fabulous day.   We had our annual bbq and family water fight, and it was  a real hoot.   The kids had a blast, and we really did not have any planning or preparing to take care of.  We have done it enough times that the event seems to just plan itself.   The highlight of the day was when Doug came around the corner in his Rambo water gear and surprised the kids.   He literally had water weapons tucked in his underwear to reload when needed.   Even though I had plans to join the kids and gang up on other adults (see earlier post, I  am a quick learner), unfortunately, Doug bribed the children with sweets and they took me down.   I was soaked.  Like my bra took 2 days to dry kind of soaked.

Did we miss the fireworks?   Maybe a little.....I just adore the kids and their sparklers, but I think we made the best of the situation and created some really fun memories for our kiddos.   Next year, though.....I am taking Doug down with the Roman Candles!