July 4th - better late than never!

Our July 4th traditions have been around long before I was born. Although the faces have changed - the feeling of family and fun stays the same. First...the parade.  We are the few family members who have continued to make the trek to watch the parade.  This is the first year we thought to ourselves...do we really want to keep doing this every year?  But the kids enjoy it.

Brother and Sister

Brother gluing Sister's mouth shut.

After the parade, we pack up and head to the park for the extended family picnic.

Then it's time for the much-anticipated cousin games.

A new game was introduced this year:  Tree-Log-Bridge.  It's a really fun relay.

Cate and Jack making a bridge.  SJ making a tree.

The the classic 3-legged race.

Jack said to me after, "You aren't very fast!"  Poor guy got stuck with the wrong partner!

One of the game planners.  She and her family have been planning the games for the past several years and do such a great job!

Catching up with cousins.

On to the next relay race.

The classic spoon and potato race.

The grand finale is the water baggie toss.  (I highly recommend this idea of using plastic baggies instead of water balloons.  Easier to fill and easier to clean up!)  Addie's got her game face on!

As usual - the water baggie game ended in a huge water fight.  Guess who got caught in the crossfire?

Shawn and Wes.

Shawn and Wes after some outrageously humorous comment that Wes made, no doubt.

Aunts and Uncles.

To see our celebrations over the past couple of years (for some reason I didn't take pictures last year...not sure why), click HERE.