FOURTH OF JULY!

The morning started right with American pancakes.

I knew it was a good investment to buy a United States shaped cookie cutter, 

despite nay-sayers that discouraged me.

Then we cooled off that afternoon with a little swimming.

And here he comes running full speed...

So that he can come to an abrupt stop and politely tip toe into the pool.

Parker prefers a different method...

He is better at jumping out, than jumping in....

That, or he found the eject button

Everyone's looking!

That's a keeper.

I also invested in a face painting kit this year.

It was seriously fun.

I think I painted every kid's face in the neighborhood.

Mitchell kept saying he wanted a "MER-MAN" face

at least that's what it sounded like.

He seemed happy with an American flag.

So I guess we will never know.

But we saved the best faces for the cousins.

And of course, my own darling girl.

And as Parker called it, "Spiderman-America"

Bring on the sparklers!

Then each kid had picked their own "big" firework to let off this year.

They kind of all looked the same to me...

but the kids had fun all the same

Mitchell's little buddy, Nolan

These two never shut up around each other, 

although I've yet to figure out what two-year-olds talk about.

Then we busted out the glow-in-the-dark toys, and it looked like a Tron light show.

We turned on some techno music even. 

(Richard is a closet Daft Punk fan)

They had so much fun, that the fireworks started and ended 

and not a single one of my kids even looked up for a second.

Still, I enjoyed it. 

Because I always do.

And that part of me will never grow up.