Firecracker Day

Reese and Tucker got to spend this Independence Day with their cousins Kaylie, Drew and Emmy.  With a new little one in the house, we stayed home and just enjoyed some good old fashioned backyard fun. 

Rylan didn't get to play ball, eat cupcakes, get wet or wrestle with her cousins so we celebrated with her in a different way.  Actually I tortured her for about 30 minutes to get some pictures.  Don't worry, she got me back by soiling the white blanket she was laying on... not sure the stain will ever come out.  The price you pay for cute pictures, I guess! 

I know... she totally looks like a Who.  But she's got to be the cutest stinkin' patriotic Who

 you've ever seen!! 

Finally... she's awake! Not sure anyone has seen those beautiful blue eyes yet.  She's one sleepy girl.  Not that I'm complaining!  She's being SO good to her mama! 

This is the Rylan that everyone knows... eyes closed and mouth open!  

Reese and Tucker don't get to see the other Tims twins (plus Emmy) very often, so it's a special treat when they come to town.  Five kids under the age of 4... it's always fun! 

They decorated (and then devoured) some firecracker cupcakes. 

Then out they went for some baseball-hittin, hammock-swingin', Popsicle-eatin', water table-splashin' fun!

They all do Silly really well!  Oh... how stinkin' cute are the dresses that Grammy made for them?!  Seriously... L.O.V.E them!! 

Happy 4th of July from our rug rats to yours! 

My Kind of Sparklers

Nothing says the Fourth of July in Texas like a rodeo and fireworks.  Well, that and the blistering heat. 

We decided to celebrate the Fourth in Granbury this year.  We took the kids to their first rodeo complete with mudslingin' cowboys who could rope and ride like nobody's business.  Chris was in heaven. The kids and I had a pretty good time too.

Yep, the cowboys slung that mud all over us.  Next time we won't sit so close.  

We all enjoyed our yummy "sparklers". 

After the rodeo, we walked around the square and then headed to the lake to watch the fireworks.  We set up a little picnic on the pier, ate and waited for the show to started.  We waited. And waited. And waited.  The kids were great and waited so patiently.  They loved looking at all the boats and watching the "amateur" fireworks before the big show started . 

Everyone was totally pooped by the end.  But I have to admit that the knee sweat, crowded streets, and complete exhaustion was worth it this year to see the kids' reactions to the fireworks. They loved them... Reese especially. "ooh, it's pretty. Purple. Yellow. Ooh, it's pretty." Over and over all night. She was so cute.

Happy Fourth of July!