4th of July Celebration!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July. We had a fun but loonnnnggg day. We started the day by going to Chris' Aunt Brenda's house for a cook-out and swimming. We were here for most of the day. The kids had a great time swimming and catching up with their cousins who they don't get to see very often. By the time we left they were completely exhausted and water-logged. Last night we went to watch Thunder on the Mountain, which is always an awesome fireworks show. This was quiet an eventful part of the evening because Chris locked his keys in the truck! Not the first time this has happened. You would think he would have learned his lesson after locking his keys in the truck the first 9465 times :) Anyway, we finally got them out with a coat-hanger and a screw driver just before the show started. (I'm telling you, he's done it so many times, he's an expert at breaking and entering locked cars!) Oh well, no biggie, he got them out, and we weren't stranded in Birmingham...

When we got home last night, we discovered that Crimson had decided to take a hike. We've had a problem with her jumping the fence lately, but she's never left sight of our house. When we got home, she was no where to be found. So, off I go, driving around looking for her (at midnight). Didn't find her. I was hoping she would have found her way back home by this morning, but she hadn't. Off I go again, driving around looking for her. I found her about a mile from the house walking down the road, and covered in mud. Of course, it was one of those times I had left my phone at home (you know...because, I never have it when I need it). Since she was covered from head-to-toe in BLACK mud, I couldn't put her in the car, didn't have a phone to call Chris to come and get her in the truck, I was afraid if I left her to go home and get the truck she wouldn't be there when I got back...what to do??? Have her follow me, of course! I drove home at about 4 mph with her trotting along side the car....I had no idea my car would go that slow! Just kidding....that's a joke about me and my driving habits! Anyway, she's home now, and hopefully will stay there. Any ideas about how to keep a 75 pound golden retriever from jumping a 4 ft fence? Maybe last night scared her into staying in there, she hasn't gotten out at all today!

All of the younger cousins enjoying the pool
Armed and dangerous! I don't know about everyone else, but I think the inventor of these water-soaking-gun thingy's needs their tail whipped! Anyone else agree?? The kids spent most of the day shooting each other with these things, which isn't that big of a problem, but when they got bored shooting each other, who do you think they turned to?? I think I was shot IN THE FACE with these things about 800 times yesterday!

Yes, that is my son who, until last week, was TERRIFIED of water. I'm talking, we had to pry him kicking, screaming, and clawing off the steps, and once you finally got him off the steps, it was survival of the fittest. He usually won, with the loser of the fight having battle wounds as proof of his victory. That was, until, Paul decided to just throw him in the middle of the pool. Once he realized his life-jacket would keep him afloat, he became an instant water baby. You'll even notice in most of these pics he's jumping, voluntarily, into the pool! I'm so proud of him for over-coming this fear. Although I have mixed emotions about it. On the one hand, I'm glad he can have a good time at the pool instead of just watching from the steps as everyone else is splashing around the pool. But on the other hand, I now have to constantly worry about him around water, when before I never had to worry about him voluntarily jumping in a pool.

Kaylyn has always been a little fish. She's really become a strong swimmer this summer.Totally loving Thunder on the MountainI attempted to shoot some of the fireworks. These are not the best fireworks pics in the world, in fact, they really don't look like fireworks, but I thought they were cool pics.