Happy 4th of July!

We celebrated the Fourth of July this year with great friends and family! The Fourth of July is Mom's second favorite holiday, so of course we make a big deal to celebrate! My Grandma and three cousins were here, and we invited two great families over as well! Dad grilled hamburgers, hotdogs, and shish kabobs for dinner, and we had corn salad, deviled eggs, baked beans, and of course Texas sheet cake! The food was so delicious!

We sat around in great company and just laughed and talked for hours! We went outside to do sparklers with the little kids and eventually shoot off fireworks. However, the dads got too nervous to shoot off the bigger fireworks, so we did a few and called it quits! It was such a fun night though and we all had a great time!

I am so thankful to live in the country that gives me so many freedoms and opportunities, and I am so grateful to all the men and women who have fought and who are still fighting and making so many sacrifices in order to keep this country and all of us safe and free! I am so blessed!

Some of the kids in their Fourth of July outfits!

Ryan helped place flags lining down the driveway!

Ha, we made a ton of food! And even then, most of it was eaten!

Some good old dinner conversation!

Zee and Sanjay brought the fireworks, and they had some awesome sparklers for the kids! So neat!

Derek holding Evan! He is an only child, but you would never really know it!

I don't think sparklers will ever get old!

Dad and his boys!

Sparkler designs!

Cute Rachel!

Aleena isn't very fond of fireworks! She thought they would be loud like the bigger ones! I had her come out for a sparkler or two, and then she went back inside to watch Nick Jr. Silly girl!

About 200 sparklers later, the kids had a great time!

Last year we celebrated with some other awesome friends, the Smith's and the Shields. Couldn't help but reminisce as know one family is across the globe in Germany and the Shields are visiting family in Oregon!

Happy 4th of July.