Not as planned but major thumbs up

Our neighborhood is so cool. They really do up the Fourth of July here. One of the reasons we really wanted to live here is because of the 4th of July parade that happens every year. Kids decorate their bikes, wagons, and scooters and parade around the neighborhood and end with popsicle. Picture perfect indeed. Thankfully Nana came over to be a spectator. There are very few spectators since most everyone in IN the parade. Hopefully she got a kick out of it....the girls loved having one of their fans watching them.






This year was perfect weather also. Warm but with a little breeze. Partly cloudy. People were still talking about how hot it was last year---I was not just being a wimpy preggo. It was so nice to have Abby in the wagon this year!!! She just loved taking part in this very special tradition. So much so that she had to immediately go down for a nap...and a long one at that.

We took it easy in the afternoon and got everything ready for the afternoon cookout where we were expecting several of our neighbors. A quick glance at the weather and, uh-oh, a tornado warning? Funny because it was sunny and beautiful outside.

Advance to 4 p.m. when the guests begin to arrive. We are outside in the backyard after a thick layer of sunscreen was placed on the girls for the second time today (can never be too cautious with the spf!) The second we step outside drops begin to fall. That's interesting because it is still sunny. Ignore the drops. Kids, hop in the pool. Bring out the snacks. Bring on the drinks. Rain begins to fall harder. People are in and out, trying to decide what to do. As the rain gets harder I suggest all the kids go to the basement to play. It's trashed in about 3 and a half minutes but that's okay. A few minutes later I go upstairs to find Kevin, outside at the grill, completely drenched. It is raining so hard and there he is grilling our burgers and dogs.

What a guy! Look in the corner of the photo and you can see the streaks of rain. So I get some video just so we can remember this moment and as I am taping this huge crack of thunder, like did that just hit our house? kind of crack, and the camera shot jolts (I startle easily). Yikes. I turn around and there is Madelyn in her new rain boots and raincoat (no shirt) and umbrella in hand. I told her the next time it rains she can wear her new boots. Big mistake. This is hardly the time to break in the new boots.

{We later found out was they had called for the surrounding areas to take cover for possible tornado sightings.}

So there we were nice and cozy with 30 or so of our neighbors having the perfect 4th of July cook-in, well we cooked out but ate in! It really was fine. Definitely not how I had envisioned it. I thought of egg and spoon races, balloon toss, maybe even a pinata...eating on the picnic tables and enjoying conversation. Not exactly. But sometimes things are even better than how you could plan or envision them. It was a wonderful 4th of July celebration, one we will remember for a while. I think we will host again next year. This can't happen 2 years in a row, can it?

The best part about today: Celebrating the joys of being an American. It really was a banner day.