Happy Fourth of July

Bee's first holiday: obviously a pretty big deal! We had a wonderful Fourth of July with our little family and stayed right here in our neighborhood. The annual Breakfast in the Park is always a highlight and once again BD helped man the 200 foot hillside slip 'n slide. Maybe next year Bee can slide down on her daddy's lap! We are always thankful the fire department is willing to come and provide some much needed relief from the heat. After the breakfast we went swimming with some of our besties from the neighborhood, followed by some much needed afternoon naps. That evening we had dinner with the same crew and ended the day with a stroller ride home, some porch sitting and watching the fireworks. Pretty much a perfect day all around. I love my little family.

Breakfast in the Park

We invited BD's family to join us this year for our neighborhood Fourth of July Breakfast in the Park. I love this tradition just as much as I love my neighbors and neighborhood. We really hope to not get kicked out, ever. But if we do, we're coming for your basement (you know who you are!). Even on a slightly chilly, overcast and muggy Independence Day, the 200 foot slip 'n slide is always a crowd pleaser. With our hillside scorched by fire just the day before, I was nervous the fire department wouldn't have enough trucks or manpower to spare. But they came, and with two trucks! Which made the whole shebang perfect.

BD and CJ did a knock out job of manning the top deck again. The slip 'n slide is pure entertainment: steep hill + fire hose + baby bubble bath = a seriously slippery situation. Michelle and Alli proved to be the only rock star moms who dared take their babies down. They got a big fat KU-DOS from me that day. I'm not sure Cody and Ellie could quite appreciate the awesomeness of it all.

We were thrilled to introduce our family to some of our very favorite people. 

Behold...our beloved park with a view. A bubble bath beard. Toddling toddlers with cute bums. And babies with twirly feet. Babies with twirly feet make my heart stop.

 

Afterwards we took a chilly, short lived dip in the pool, followed by sandwiches, watching the Tour de France (which is airing non-stop at my house these days), and homemade strawberry ice cream.

BD shuttled off for his third bike race of the weekend, and I opted to stay home. To nap. It had been a solid 3 day weekend and sometimes I think I'm not built for that amount of fun. That evening we both had a hard time keeping our eyes awake watching the fireworks from our balcony. The new aerial fireworks were clearly a big hit, every neighborhood in the valley was lighting up in perfect style.

Until next year: may the fourth be with you!

Independence Day

ur neighborhood has an old-timey tradition they call Breakfast in the Park every Fourth of July weekend. There's something about eating pancakes and botching the National Anthem with 400+ of the neighborhood's finest that really brings people together. Well, there's that AND the 200 foot slip 'n slide. The fire department did not disappoint this year and had two canons blasting. I could not love my neighborhood any more. And trust me, it's not just for the little kids.

BD and I had a very laid-back Holiday weekend. He fit in 115 miles on the bike and I fit in 115 minutes (+/-) of sitting by the pool. We both felt we scored the better end of the deal. It had been a draining week, and even though I tried with all my might to stay up until 10:00 pm to watch the fireworks...I vaguely remember hearing soft booms while dozing peacefully off. I have a bad habit of falling asleep during the best parts of things. It doesn't necessarily drive BD crazy. Just absolutely bonkers. Lastly, I just had to include this picture from a family BBQ of my great niece ZoZo, who won't smile. Not for me. Not once. Although, in my defense this picture was taken before I gave her that giant chocolate brownie. Her mother thanked me later.