Fourth of July!

Yes, I know it was 10 days ago.  Let's review that I had strep throat for a week, then got a summer cold, then Greg had the flu bug and after being his loving mother and nurturing him back to health....yeah, you guessed it - I GOT IT!  

GAH...worst summer ever and the kids go back to school in less than two weeks!  

So I am playing some catch up here.  We went up to Midway for our Fourth of July festivities.  My kids LOVE going up to their great nanny's home - so much room to run and play!

 Greg, Lauren and Graham in front of the sad, collapsed cabin.  Their great-great grandfather was born in it!  

It looked like this only a few years ago....

 and LuLu was the sweetest little Miss America you had ever seen a few years ago too!

Dan always seems to end up around the fire with a zillion kids...most of the cousins didn't make it up so this is a small group!

 Graham LOVES fireworks..he was asking all day long when we were going to go buy some (we weren't) and then Dan caved.  Softie.

 The neighborhood fireworks started going off early and we had a good view from the side yard...these three were so excited to watch!

 LuLu wasn't too into holding her own fireworks...she was pretty unsure about holding fire in her hands. 

 Finally it grew dark enough to light our fireworks and watch the big show from Memorial Hill.  And of course it started raining on us!  We stuck it out and we were rewarded with a great show!

 Did you all have a fun and safe Fourth?  I love the Fourth of July!  I feel so proud and blessed to live in such a great country!  As with everything, we have a lot of improvements to make but look at what we have...I am filled with gratitude just thinking about how lucky we are to live here.

 Greg was just filled with the giggles and wiggles...he loved the cracks, pops, and booms!

Happy Fourth!