The Fourth and Fun in the Sun!!

We had a great fourth of July in Tacoma with the Anderson Family. We spent the weekend boating, bike riding, and carnival going. We were at an event called "Freedom Festival" on Fort Lewis. It was a big carnival with food vendors, bounce houses, and an amazing fireworks show.
The bounce houses were by far the kid's favorite feature of the day, although it was REALLY HOT. They would run and jump and come out beet red and sweaty yet ready for more. Kids are crazy. I would find the shadiest spot possible and nurse my ice cold water as I kept track of all the shoes and made sure the kids were well hydrated and sun screened. Jon, on the other hand, had to help Ella through some of the larger bounce houses. Bless his heart. I can only imagine the smell of dozens of sticky, sweating, children bouncing off vinyl walls and smashing into each other.



This was Ella's favorite bounce house. Mainly because it was the little kid one and practically unused. She felt like ruler of the roost, which suits her just fine.

We have also enjoyed lots of time in the front yard pools. We bought a new one before I could find the one from last year so we now have two. The kids think it is the coolest to jump between the two pools. I have the fondest memories of summers spent getting wrinkly from hours spent in our back yard pool. It occured to me that my kids are going to have the same memories and it made me feel so connected to my mom. It took me nearly two hours to clean out last year's pool, find the compressor to blow up the two pools, set up the "wash the grass off your feet before jumping in the pool" tarp, get out the lawn chairs, apply the sun screen, and prepare snacks for the day so that the kids could eat out side thereby tracking in the least amount of water and grass. By the time I was done I was exhausted and happy to just sit in my lawn chair and watch them "swim" and show me their "awesome moves". As I sat there I felt so grateful to my mother who too thought all the energy and fuss was worth the memories made in a back yard pool.

This is one of Caden's "awesome"

moves and this is Ella "swimming".

It really has been such a fun summer so far. I was nervous that me being 8 months pregnant would limit our summer fun but as long as I plan an activity every day the kids seem happy and the day doesn't drag on. Even if it is just a small thing like finger painting the back deck then hosing it off after ward and playing in the water or going to the park and playing and having a picnic. Thank goodness for all this beautiful sun shine!