Fourth of July: Part 2

Fourth of July: Part 2

We had a spectacular Fourth of July weekend!! I will let the pictures do most of the talking. The weather was pretty nice...except for the wind. That was a bummer especially when we wanted to paddle board.

Our lake does a boat parade on the 4th of July and our kids love it. They dress up in their patriotic outfits and usually decorate the boat. Then we join in with other people on the lake in the parade. This year we had a trumpeter playing patriotic music at the head of the parade along side someone dressed as Lady Liberty leading the procession. People all come out on their docks and wave. Water balloons are lobbed from boat to boat and from dock to boat and vice versa. It is always a lot of fun!!

Ailey, Elle, and Bryn

Ailey, River, and Dane

River was the queen of the water balloons this year. She had a whole arsenal of balloons ready for launching.

Heading out!

Elle and River

Kameron and Dane

Stud

Kameron, Bryn, Elle, Ailey, Dane, and River

We were really missing Reilly who wasn't able to come home for the weekend but was enjoying all that Provo has to offer on the 4th of July which is pretty great too!! I love the Freedom Festival there.

The weather wasn't ideal until later in the afternoon so all the grandkids helped my mom make hand pies for dessert. My girls LOVE to bake and they were happy to help grandma make dessert for our 4th of July feast.

Some people were more of a hindrance than a help.  :)

Then the sun finally came out and we headed down to the dock!!

(This holiday was brought to you by the Strawberry Boom! Rockstar. The taste of 4th of July.)

We had a wonderful 4th of July feast that everyone contributed to. We always eat very well at the lake. We enjoyed the boat, the water, and the sunshine that eventually came out.

Then we did some early fireworks because Kelley and Elle had to leave. The dads love doing this together each year. This year Kameron and Dane were their fireworks apprentices.

From his profile in this picture Kameron looks so much like my Great-Grandpa Miley. It's craziness.

Then it was time for sparklers!!

After that the sun was just beginning to dip, a few fireworks were going off over head, and there was patriotic music floating through the air.

It was perfection to be out on my paddle board.

Once it was dark the real fireworks show began. Our lake puts on a fantastic display. Illegal fireworks are purchased in Montana and brought out. Each beach puts on their own competing display. For the first time in 100 years Echo Beach put on it's own amazing show!! John purchased tons of the big huge mortars. He and Tyler shot them off all night!! It was GORGEOUS!! It was like being at a city fireworks display. The kids also shot off about a million bottle rockets too. My grandma would've had a complete aneurysm. Times they are a changin' out at the lake... It was so beautiful and magical. I felt very blessed to be an American and to celebrate freedom.

The rest of the weekend was spent relaxing...

The kids took over kitchen duty!

We played with electronics.

We snuggled.

I read out on the dock.

Fish were caught.

Ice cream was eaten.

The kids took up a collection and started saving for a water trampoline.

Raspberries were picked and eaten.

Grandma Vic

And the view was enjoyed!!

It was a wonderful 4th of  July weekend at the lake!!

(We are about to head back out for another 10 days for our family reunion and I can't wait!!)