Happy Birthday America!!!

This was the first Fourth of July in the past 3 years that we didn't have to be at a specific festival representing Nate's company (Country Financial).  We spent the first part of the day down at General Canby Day with the rest of my side of the family. All the cousins were there and the kids loved getting candy from those throwing it out at the parade.  Of course, they were able to take a piece from their bags and the rest mysteriously disappeared.  (I called dibs on the Laffy Taffy.)  After the parade we spent time walking around the park where there were many vendors.  Josiah spent time playing on the playground and even got to dunk someone in the dunk tank.  We spent the afternoon filling our tummy's with some fantastic food before heading over to another bbq with some of our friends.

 The boys getting schooled on how to throw "Pop Its"

This pretty much sums up what Josiah thinks of fireworks...or at least the noise.

Baby Luelle snoozing while waiting for the parade to begin...

total cuteness!

Emery had some tears before the parade...

and Josiah had some tears.

 "Look, here it comes!"

We saw a policeman...

a BIG firetruck...

some military vehicles...

a little girl riding her horse...

and Nana in the parade!!!

(along with cousins Kentucky & Korban riding their bikes)

Josiah, Emery & Christian waited anxiously for more candy...

SCORE!

We spent the evening with some of our great friends!  This was the fourth 4 of July we have spent with The Muhs Family...our unintentional tradition that now has become intentional.  Aside from The Muhs' there were other great friends there and many many children!!  The kids had fun in the bounce house and we adults had a fantastic time eating great food!!  Before fireworks we all roasted marshmallows and made s'mores in the fire pit and made an ooey gooey mess...but oh, they were sooooo good!

Josiah's Fourth of July pic in front of the Muhs'

 We hung out with some friends on the patio...

Elliott & Emmerson played with little kid toys...

 while the "big" kids played in the house of chaos!

 We ate hamburgers and hotdogs...

and an amazingly beautiful dessert!

We roasted marshmallows in the firepit...

for our yummy s'mores!

(You should really try adding raspberries to them...OMGoodness!)

We headed out to the front for fireworks.  Josiah wasn't too thrilled with them, or at least with the noise.  He would cover his ears and watch.  We decided to head home and were able to catch the last of the Ft. Vancouver Fireworks show (the biggest in the West) which is always incredible!  What a great day...I can't wait to do it  again next year!

Boys and their fireworks!

Oh, and little girls too!