The Fourth

We celebrated the red, white and blue at GG's lake house in Kentucky this year.  I'm finding that our visits to the bluegrass state are all too bittersweet.  On the one hand, I've got the absolute sweetness of seeing my family, reuniting the kiddos with their cousins, and reliving many glorious childhood memories at my grandparent's house.

But, painfully there is the bitter part.  This stems from less than desirable sleeping conditions {I mean seriously how can you adequately house 12 adults and 5 kids?}.  And this my friends, leads to very overtired and whiny children.  I mean really whiny.  Did I mention my kids were overtired and whiny? Well, they were.  Ask anyone who was graced with their presence.

And just like the rise and fall of the beautiful lake we were visiting, so were the moods of my trio.  There were some high highs and some low lows.  I thank my lucky stars that I took lots of pictures of the highs and none of the latter.  {Not that I could have if I wanted to...I was too bust trying to keep the peace.}  But these pictures are a sweet reminder of the real reason we keep going back...sweet times.

We started the morning of the 4th after our first fitful night of sleep.  All was well until my little ones realized that waking at 5 am with the sun wasn't such a good idea after all.  But, up until about 10 am they were loving their time with cousin Halle.  The most entertaining three year old I think I've ever met.

I brought each of the kids a festive bucket filled some 4th goodies.  These mustaches were part of the loot.  I was laughing my tail off through sleep deprived eyes as they tried everything on.

We spent much of the morning outside playing the Stomp Rocket we brought Halle for her birthday.  It is my go to gift.  I swear every gender, every age, and every kid loves this thing.  It also proved to be a nice way to keep the kiddos outside while the rest of the family rolled out of bed and others arrived.

By mid morning the family was awake and my kiddos were ready to hit the much anticipated lake.  After a few strokes and a boat ride my trio {yes, all three of them} were ready for a nap.  Before lunch time, mind you.  I imagine you are starting to get a visual of the exhaustion that was ensuing.

I'm pretty sure my kids never really ate lunch that day.  I think they may have slept right through it.  And for that I was grateful.  But they awoke to more patriotic outside play and of course, a traditional 4th cook out.

When Uncle Joel wasn't at the helm of the boat, he was manning the grill.  We owe him dearly, not only for an entertaining couple of days, but also for organizing this whole shindig.  We would have probably been lounging around our hometown pool if it weren't for him.

Uncle Jon brought his new girly.  Well, new, as in the last year.  I can FINALLY say I approve!  Can we call her Aunt Bailee yet?

We ended the longest day of my life with some tubing and fireworks.  I have to say I was bursting with joy when Jack actually asked to go tubing.  My cautious kiddo just keeps getting more and more adventurous.  Go Jack!

And somehow I got conjoled into doing the same.  It seems I have become "boring" in my old age.  So I had to prove them all wrong.  I don't call it boring, just wiped out times 3.  I didn't see any of them up at 5 am.

I threatened Joel that if he threw me off that thing, he was spending the evening washing and straightening my hair.  {my most dreaded task}  Luckily, I stayed on and my "boring" status was lifted.

Uncle Joel, the maniac he is, could not be thrown off this thing as hard as Jon tried.  He even went as far as to do his Marine salute without so much as a wobble.

Come dusk, we lit up the sparklers.  My girls thought they had seen the fireworks so I took them off to bed shortly after.  Jack knew better.  So he joined the crew for a firework viewing boat ride.

I don't know what Maggie liked better the "sparkle wand" or spending time with her girly cousins.  She was beyond fascinated with Morgan's "long hair".  Who needs fireworks when you can admire your cousin's golden locks?

And as for Lucy, she was not at all interested in holding a sparkler.  GG's arms and her glow stick suited her just fine as she looked on with intrigue.

I would like to say we caught up on sleep from here on out.  Not so much.  But, as I must remind myself, the fourth with my family was beyond sweet.  And the sleep deprived days that followed were filled with more fabulous highs.

So many that I think it would behoove me to do a second post and carefully leave out the low lows.

That being said, Happy Birthday America!  And most especially thank you to all who have served to protect the land of the free.

Happy 4th to all!