Independence Day

We had a really fun July 4th! We started the festivities with a bike parade and pancake breakfast in my Mom and Dad's neighborhood. On the way there, Mike and Elise had this funny conversation:

Mike: Elise, do you know what today is?
Elise: The Fourth of July
Mike: That's right, and what's special about the Fourth of July?
Elise: We have a parade!
Mike: And why do we have a parade?
Elise: Because it's the Fourth of July!

Um, apparently we neglected to explain the significance of the holiday. The best we could come up with in 3-year-old terms is that it's like a birthday for our country and we celebrate because we love to live here. I'm still not sure she understands what a country is, but oh well!


Elise and her scooter all decked out.


Lydia with a pinwheel that we made at the craft table.

Elise and Lydia eating a pancake/waffle breakfast. My parents were in charge of the waffles - their famous homemade whole wheat recipe.

Later that day we went to Mike's dad's for his famous BBQ ribs. We have a lot of famous cooks in our families!

In the evening we met at Eric and Marianne's to set off some fireworks.

The girls stomping on Pop-its, or whatever they're called.

Thinking back, giving them these popsicles in their white outfits was one of my less brilliant ideas (see Lydia's outfit in the next picture). But it was so fun and the popsicles were perfect for the occasion.

Our little fireworks show was one of the most entertaining in my recent memory, thanks to my little brother Alan. He set up tank battles, lit the small fireworks in quick succession to make a more impressive show, and announced each fountain as he lit it, reading the names printed on them - "Jade Flower", "Peach Flowers in Spring", "Mother Nature", etc. Elise and Lydia were the only small children there, so the adults had to make up for it with extra oohing and aahing - "Wow, that really does look like, uh, Peach Flowers in Spring!!"

I think Elise and Lydia's favorite part of the night was when I broke out the glow bracelets. I got a canister of 50 of them for $3! Talk about awesome cheap thrills!

Here, Lydia is trying to make a "happy face" like she had seen Mike and I doing. She's such a cute little copycat these days!