July 4

Holidays.
I love holidays.
I love the food, the family and friends. I love the decorations and the smells and the smiles.
I love all the cute clothes kids get to wear during holidays. (And by the way, I had the boys the CUTEST little outfits picked out to order on ETSY, but waited too late to order them :( . They did end up having cute little red, white, and blue outfits that they wore Sunday...and would you believe that between church and lunch and then them getting into their swimsuits asap, I didn't get one pic of them in them???! )

4th of July is one of my favorites, I think. I dunno though, I think I say that every holiday. But there is just something about a holiday right smack dab in the middle of summer that makes you smile. The picnics and parades and cookouts and pool parties and flags...you just can't get much more American than that.

And we had a fabulous 4th this year. My stepbrother and his family were in this weekend, so we splashed around in the pool for a few hours on Saturday afternoon, then had dinner at Mimi and PawPaw's. Steaks and pork chops and squash and okra and potatoes...YUM.

Sunday morning we went to church, where I began helping teach the 2 year old Sunday school class!! I am so excited about this new commitment in my life. Those babies are at the most wonderful age...where they really begin soaking it all in like a sponge. They are anxious and ready to learn about God. I just love it!

After church we went to my Mamaw and Papaw's for our annual 4th of July cookout. After lunch, we spent the rest of the afternoon outside, watching the kiddos, big and small, play in the pool. If that's not all-American fun baby, I don't know what is. (I took most of my pool pictures on Mimi's camera, so I am hoping to get them from her soon...then I will post them, too.)

We just spent today chillaxin' around the house...Brent worked in the yard...I did some much-needed tidying...the boys were just boys...and I love it that way.

We had our final 4th celebration tonight, at Brent's parents (Memaw and Poppy). I love it when holiday celebrations extend on past the actual holiday. Delicious :)

I have started trying to let Brody has a bit more independence when picking out his clothes lately, hence the cowboy boots with plaid shorts and aviator t-shirt. I love my silly boy.

Well, I guess now we enjoy what's left of the summer! We have bookoos of birthdays coming up in our family in the next few months. I can count those at holidays, right??!