The 4th of July and how we love when the entire nation celebrates Gary's birthday!

Our 4th celebrations were pretty calm.  We got stuff around the house done all morning and didn't stress much about anything.  It was my kind of holiday.

Gary's birthday celebration and dinner were at 5pm at Mike and Chenele's house.

Before we left I took an (almost) patriotic picture of my kids.

It's always been my dream to have my kids dressed alike and festive on the 4th. (It's corny I know)  I'm not sure how other mothers have accomplished this feat.  Four of my kids matched…kind of.  It was that oldest child who kicked against the pricks.  He "claimed" all his red, white or blue shirts were dirty or did not go with these blue shorts.  I told him I would call him out as the black sheep if he didn't comply.  

Hey Andrew…bahhhhhhhhh.

But match-match clothing aside, we had a wonderful time at the Dixon's home as always.  

Dinner was delicious and even more exciting was that Spencer and Eden made it to Twin Falls.  Spencer will be practicing orthodontics here and we are thrilled to have their family in town- THRILLED!

They have three darling little boys and I'm so wishing they beg to come and play at my house all the time.  

This 4th of July was made even more memorable as it was Gary's 70th birthday.

Happy Birthday Gary!  We love you more that we can describe and so appreciate your love and example for us and our children.

After dinner and cake we went outside to enjoy the daylight fireworks…mostly smoke bombs.

Yes, my 10 year old was allowed to light them.

And so was my 8 year old.  Eeek!

 Steve, Grady and Gary

Jacob, Spencer and Luke

 Smoke bombs are awesome!

And Yellow and Blue do indeed make Green!

I love catching genuine smiles on my kids.

Happiness is a daddy to play with.

Happiness is not loud fireworks!

Gary, Margie and Chenele

No really I meant what I wrote before- smoke bombs are awesome.

My kids had a grand time wallowing in them.

A grand time!

Then they started jumping in them for pictures sakes.

Saylor has a thing for her older girl cousins.

I'm so grateful for patient, wonderful, darling girls on both the Walker and Dixon side who indulge my daughter and her mauling type love.

(its adorable)

Once again, those genuine smiles are my favorite…expecially on teenage faces.

Little Known Facts

Grady gets cuter every day.

He gets dirtier every day too.

He's a mess pot.

I'm trying new gluten free recipes all the time.

This angel food cake was awesome!

It was even better the second day toasted with peanut butter for breakfast.

Carter is going to be a baking master.

After a week with his Uncle Dan he decided he too wanted to make cheesecakes like a pro.

First cake was a success!

Add a little caramel sauce and Carter thought he'd died and gone to heaven.

Colby loves massage chairs almost as much as Steve.

The sales guy at Costco doesn't like Colby in his chairs.  I was annoyed…the sales guy will live.

Colby gets better at swimming all the time and showed me his sweet skills during one of Saylor's lessons.

Breast stroke.

Butterfly.

(This stroke to me looks almost impossible.  I'm amazed that Colby can launch his body out of the water and accomplish this stroke.)

Also amazed that Saylor is floating almost all by herself.

She is proud and is learning to love swim lessons!

We let our baby play with knives.

…but only in his high chair with a runny nose.

Music practice IS happening this summer besides many protests and corresponding threats.

Fireworks are cheapest when purchased on the actual 4th of July.

July 4th is one of my favorite holidays.

I adore my neighborhood all lit up late at night.  I love that we can see the CSI fireworks from our street and that our neighbors buy sweet mortars for us all to enjoy.

I also love that the 4th is Steve's dad's birthday.

…more pictures to come!

long summer days

My sister Jolyn and her family have been here for the past few weeks waiting for their house in California to be available.  I've LOVED having them here and have played enough in the past week to last a lifetime…at least Steve might say so.

Jolyn left this morning and needless to say, I wanted to cry and have been ridiculously bored today.  Not that I haven't had enough to do, its just that I want to be entertained.  Man am I going to miss Jolyn and her family.  They are really fun.

So besides making delicious treats and hanging out with the Smith family, here are a few moments from this past summer week.

Colby lost a tooth at swim team while eating an after swim donut.

The tooth fairy took THREE days to deliver the green stuff.  She was busy to say the least and obviously does not like teeth knocked out by junk food.

We went to a lot of parade homes this weekend.  This counter top was one of my favorites.

It's not granite, so right up my budget, and has a subway tile back splash.

I'm dreaming hardcore around here.  I've told myself to stop dreaming until my house sells.

We'll see how well I do with that one.

Grady played in a parade bathtub.  He was all smiles until he turned the water on.  We are really good parents.  

Saylor has embraced her inner Cinderella with a Dixon twist.  Cinderella is armed and dangerous.  Watch out stepsisters!!

After two plus weeks, Grady finally warmed up to my sister the day before she left.

Saylor found a fantastic reading spot.

Pillows and mounds of clean laundry are comfy I guess.

Meet Gingersnap.

She is Saylors constant summer companion and confidant.

This bike even bucks and whinnies just like a real pony.  My favorite is when Saylor calls out "Come on Gingersnap!".  It's ridiculously adorable.

Saylor adores her Gingersnap almost as much as I adore Saylor.

Carters new companion came in the mail today.

He paid for this beauty with his own money and has bugged me constantly for days about when the UPS man would deliver his treasure.

His high score is 704 jumps without stopping.

His blood sugar was in the 70's afterward.  Not surprised there.

Andrew is currently on his way home (I hope) from his Kane lake hiking trip with the scouts.  This is his third year going.  He always comes home stinky, dirty and happy.  

I'll be glad when he is home safe,  but cannot deny how quiet the house has been...

Sumer Thunderstorm

About every two or three years we get a really really good thunderstorm.

Yesterday we got a whopper.

In a matter of minutes our street was completely full of water.  I was looking for animals lining up two by two the water rose so fast.  I must admit, it made me really nervous to see the water start creeping up our driveway.  Basement window wells and water do not mix.

My flowers by my water chain took a beating too.

I hope the poor things recover.

Luckily the rain stopped after about 10- 15 minutes and the kids went out to play.

It would be shameful to waste such good deep puddles.

 The water was deep and cold. 

The boys were ecstatic.  Saylor had fallen asleep on the couch and missed the whole thing.  So sad.

The poor UPS delivery man had to drive right through it to make a delivery.

The kids enjoyed the wake that ensued.

Colby even took pity on the poor UPS guy and delivered a few packages on our neighbors doorstep so the delivery man wouldn't have to wade ankle deep.

Andrew showing me how deep the water was.

The boys then to the bikes out.  

Other than the wet nasty laundry, I love when my kids get to be kids and play crazy like in our own front yard.  Baring any true house flooding, I love summer storms.

Just as fast as the water came, it drained and was gone.

We have a chance of storms again this afternoon.  I'll cross my fingers that its a fun one!