4th of July

My little sparklers!

This year we celebrated again with the Reynolds/Torres/Chairez clan and, as I sat chatting with Rhonda and watching the kids play in the pool, it seemed surreal to me that a whole year had passed since we gathered together for a BBQ!  This year, along with the three wild kids , we added Mason and Logan to the mix who are just 7 weeks apart.

Aunt Samantha adoring Logan

After chowin' down with the Reynolds gang, we jetted over to my parents house for dinner with the family. As is always the case, the whole house was in waiting for a chance at the kids. Mack, who had been playing for hours in the splash pool with Brock and Malachi, wasn't in any mood for being squeezed so Mason took the brunt of the adoration while big sister played with her cousins.

Auntie Carley and Uncle Mark with Mason

Dad saddled up one of the horses and gave rides to the kids. Mack wasn't excited about that but Mike wasn't going to pass up a chance to take Chica for a walk. After a few times around the yard, stubborn Chica had learned who was boss:

Mike and Chica

As Mason's bed time drew closer, he began to melt so we packed up our gang and headed for home. I got Mason tucked into bed while Mike and Mack set up chairs in the front yard where we could watch the city's fireworks show:

Waiting for the show to begin

Mackenzie put on a pre-fireworks show where she handed out " night berries" ( her precious plums from the back yard) and shouted things like " Let's get ready for the show, folks!" . She also concocted her very own fireworks dance which she performed in sync with the fireworks:

We could see the fireworks perfectly from our front yard

It was a very long but fun day for all of us. It's fun to think ahead to what next year will be like with a mobile Mason!

Talk about a firecracker!