Fourth of July

This year the fourth of July was on a Monday.  We headed over to the pool as soon as it opened.  They always have free hot dogs and other lunch food there.  They also do a coin toss in the pool for the kids.  This is Hayden's last year in the kiddie pool.  He scored big time.  Of course they do put in a lot more pennies in the kiddie pool and not so much in the big pool. 

Hayden finding money

Hayden showing off his coins

Hayden

The 6-11 years olds waiting for there turn

Next year, I will have to bring some extra coins (or just give them a dollar to spend at the snack bar) because at this age you have to be fast to get more than a couple coins.  Talmage was so upset because he is one of the youngest in the group and only got maybe 2 coins. 
Brenton's age group the 12 and up is the hardest because you have all those fast swim team kids who can hold there breath for a longer time.  Not much after the coin toss everyone had to get out of the pool because of thunder.  So we had to cut our swim time short.  Later we had the Tady's and Bugee's over for dinner.  Then we went to our spot to watch the fireworks.  Jon had a plan in case it rained.  And after a while it started raining.  Jon had a huge tarp and some poles and rope and made a covering for us so we were all dry.  We played some games while waiting.

The kids playing apples to apples

Talmage Mickey ears



The Trebilcock's, Tady's and Bugee's

Luckily we took this family picture before it started to rain.  When we were all done taking about 3 pictures, we realized Brenton wasn't in them.  He went to Wendy's to get a frosty.  So Brenton was there but just not in the picture.  We have missed Morgan the last couple years since she is at BYU-I. 

It was still raining at the time the fireworks normally start so we waited about 30 more minutes to see if the rain would let up and they would start them, but it was still raining and most of the people had left by then so we packed it up and went home.  No more than 10 minutes later we started hearing firework booms.  We look out our bedroom window and sure enough they were letting off the fireworks.  So we got the kids out of bed and watched for about 5 minutes out our window which we could only see the really high fireworks.  We decided to hurry and get in the car and drive back to the place we were and watch the fireworks in the car since it was still raining.  So it turned out to be kind of a crazy day.  But at least we did see fireworks. 

Happy 4th of July

I guess I could save some time by just posting last years 4th of July because we do the same thing every year. We went to the to the city pool about 30 minutes after it had opened for the day. They always have hot dogs, chips, lemonade, and water available for everyone for lunch. Then they do the same games they do every year. This is the last year that Talmage will be in the kiddie pool for the coin search. The kiddie pool was for 5 and under. All the other kids lasted only about 2 minutes and they were done. Talmage however kept searching another 5 minutes after and found a lot more coins. The money didn't add up to a lot because they put lots of pennies in the kiddie pool and not very many pennies in the big pool. He still had enough to buy 3 things at the snack bar so he was happy.

Hayden picking up a coin

Talmage and Hayden searching for coins

Talmage looking for coins

Brenton swimming for coins


Talmage noodle racing

Brenton noodle racing

Talmage doing his biggest splash. He knew he wouldn't win

because he was one of the youngest kids, but had fun anyway.



Talmage doing his smallest splash. He was quiet upset

when he didn't win since he was one of the younger kids. You will need

to tilt your head. I couldn't figure out how to turn it. Sorry:(



Brenton's smallest splash which he won 1st place.

way to go!! Sorry, but you'll have to tilt again.

While I was going through the pictures to see which ones I wanted to post, I was thinking to myself how come I have no pictures of the girls swimming for coins or doing the noodle races and then it dawned on me that Payton and Kennedy spent the night at their cousins the Edward's house. I took me about 5 minutes to realize that. I guess I really need to get caught up because I wouldn't want to forget somethings. They went swimming at their cousins neighborhood pool and Kennedy decorated her scooter while Payton decorated one of the Edward's dogs and leash and their girls and my girls were in their neighborhood parade (yes, they have a huge neighborhood with their own fire station, chapel, a couple pools, a nice size lake). Payton and Daisy (their dog) won first prize for the pet portion of the parade. She won a $5.00 gift card to Bruster's ice cream. They met us later at my parents house for dinner. After the splash contests we went home to give Hadyen a nap. Then we went over to my parents house for our traditional bar-b-que hamburgers, potato salad, corn on the cob, chips, watermelon, and the kids favorite IBC Root beer. We took the dessert with us and ate it later while waiting for the fireworks to start because we were all so stuffed from the yummy dinner. Christa painted all the girls toe nails red, white, and blue with the big toe having a firework on it while we were waiting for the fireworks to begin. The girls loved it.

Payton, Lorin, and Kennedy playing a serious game of go fish

Talmage getting a drink

Brenton and Hayden playing bubbles

Hayden and Eliza playing with bubbles

Hayden ready for baseball

I didn't take any pictures of the fireworks this year, but our favorite one was a smiley face firework. The fireworks were great and then we headed for home and went to bed because we were wasted from another long long day.

Happy Independence Day

Well the kids started school yesterday (Aug. 11), and I am only on July 4th. I hope within the next 2 weeks I can get caught up now that my day isn't full of kids.

This Independence Day started out with Jon and Brenton going to the Peachtree Road Race in downtown Atlanta. Jon's dad was running in it with about a bazillion other people. They never did see him run. They just caught up with him in the end. It is the most popular race in Atlanta and was a 10 K. When they got back, we headed out to the city pool. Every year they cook up hot dogs, and do a coin toss, races, and splash contests. We have been doing this long enough to call it a tradition.

Hayden looking for coins in the kiddie pool

Talmage and Kennedy searching for coins in the kiddie pool

Brenton in the noodle race

Payton in the noodle race

Taylor with Kennedy, Jon with Talmage, and Gretta with Hayden in the piggy back race

Gretta with Hayden in the piggy back race

Gretta round 2 with Kennedy in the piggy back race


We left just before the splash contest so we could give Hayden a short nap before going over to the Bugee's house for dinner. The Bugee's, Edwards, and us were there. My dad and the Tady's were out of town. We had hamburgers, potato salad, watermelon, chips, corn on the cob, and IBC Root beer. Then an hour later we were off to the fireworks. They shoot off the fireworks at the high school which is less than 2 miles from my parents house. We watch the fireworks in the shopping center parking lot (the grass area) across the street from the high school. My parents every year go early in the day and put a huge tarp on the hill. We have had this spot for over 3 years now. We had lots of people with us this year to watch the fireworks. Besides the people who were at my mom's house to eat, there were Jon's brother and family (and a family they invited from their ward), Jon's dad and his dad's brother (visiting from Portland), and the Bothwell's (they go to our ward and used to live next door to us but moved about 1 1/2 miles away 2 years ago). And of course we can't forget the Carmel brownies, and mini chip brownies my mom made. They are probably my 2 favorite desserts.

Morgan and Jon

Hayden with cousin Paige

Hayden

Brenton and Payton

Talmage with sparklers

Brenton with sparklers

Kennedy with sparklers

Fireworks

more fireworks

Front don't know 2nd row Talmage, Kennedy Kayla, 3rd row Brenton, Payton, Gretta, Hayden, and last row Melanie, Elizabeth, Thomas, Preston and Paige

Once the fireworks started, I only took pictures for 1 minute and then put my camera away so I could enjoy the show.

I am truly grateful for and awesome country I live in. I am thankful for what our forefathers did so I could live in a free country. I often take what I have for granted until I see or hear about other countries and what they don't have (this could be freedom all the way up to luxuries (fridges, washer, driers, microwave, computers etc). Now since it is really Aug 12 and the Olympics started a few days ago. Go USA!!!