Always a Reason to Celebrate! Happy 4th!

Let me just take a moment to say once again how HAPPY we are to live so much closer to family. I still have no idea what it would be like to live in the same town as family but living only a few hours away is proving to be FANTASTIC! I love that we can get together for holidays, even if, they are in the middle of the week and only for a day or so. Cody's family rocks and not only are the kids in love with all of their cousins, but I have grown to LOVE my sister and cousin-in-law, Joanna and Robin (Khan's and Cris are pretty great too.) As I was looking over all the pictures for this post I just kept getting this overwhelming happy feeling and thought I'd share it with everyone. This vacation had its stressful moments like always but it was still pretty darn happy.

Pepper enjoying the car blanket, Heather Bingham, made her for Christmas.

Goofy Morgan not complaining too much about being in the back of the bus.

Awww....sleeping baby...ewwww, gross throw up!

For some reason the trips to and from Khan's house seemed to take extra long and we had extra whiny kids. I think it was probably our timing since we drove both times during the late afternoon/dinner time. Note to self, for our big road trip out west in a couple weeks, do not do that!

We arrived on Tuesday evening just in time for a late bar-b-que (everyone else had eaten it was just late for Cody and I,) and the beginning of some fireworks. First up were parachute fireworks for the kids.

Here's a video of everyone chasing the parachutes. Robin drew faces on a couple so Pepper could play house with them. Very cute.

As you can tell, Pepper really loved the noise the fireworks made.

These two sweaty boys had a blast and are some funny little dudes.

Here are two videos of Morgan riding William's bike. Morgan does not yet have a bike of his own but after watching him ride William's I know we need to get him one. You have to listen to what William is telling Morgan because it is super funny. I love how grown up he sounds.

Morgan, Pepper and Andie posing with their captures.

The second we pulled up, Auntie Robin came and took Hazel from us. I didn't see her for a good hour or more. Nice, very nice.

Uncle Cris was a great sport and kept Pepper protected during most of the fireworks display.

The crew getting some water and waiting for the sun to go down before the real excitement can begin.

My view of the evenings festivities from the porch swing. Khan and his neighbors get together and put on one heck of a great fireworks show in their backyards. Besides getting hit with some debris, it was a spectacular show and lots of fun. Hazel slept through it all nestled down in her room in the basement. A perfect evening.

These two were beyond sweaty and gross. They got a quick shower at 10pm before going to bed.

The ladies watching in comfort.

Aaron being a total goof. Robin, Cris and the rest of the family headed home after the fireworks but Aaron stayed with us. He is such a great kid and super helpful. He also loves babies so he was a big help watching Hazel, who has decided she is a master army crawler and was into EVERYTHING.

The next morning we headed over to Khan and Joanna's swim club to try and cool off. It was hot, hot, hot. The pool was very crowded and the water was kind of warm but it was still awesome and the kids had a blast.

Morgan showing off his great form.

At first Hazel wasn't so sure about everything, especially when Daddy took her under the waterfall,  but she got over that pretty quick and had a great time.

Mom sent Pepper's swim floaty from Florida so she was all set to go.

Aaron spent a lot of time laying on the ground/floor with Hazel. So, so helpful.

Happy, squishy face.

A very sweaty girl who is ready to eat...

...anything! I cannot get enough of pictures with babies eating their toes. It's my favorite!

Me trying to get a picture of Cody trying to catch Pepper on her favoritest thing, the water slide.

It took Pepper awhile to figure out the rules of the water slide. Mainly walking back to the stairs and waiting in line. After a gazillion trips she seemed to finally have it figured out...mostly. This is a picture of Cody once again telling Pepper to "walk!"

Got it. Pepper likes to go underwater so that is why Cody is farther away. She is our water baby.

In some variation of this position is how we found the boys most of the trip. Morgan was always ready for WW3 and was never without some sort of weapon the entire time we were there.

Pepper spent as much of the trip sitting on people or being held by someone as possible. Thanks, Uncle Khan for obliging.

Happy 4th and happy Cody.

Morgan got about 4 hrs of sleep because he kept waking up and waking William and Joanna up during the night. He was ready to go at 6am. By the end of the afternoon he was still going strong. Everyone else had to take a nap.

I have to force myself to make sure I am in at least one picture on most of our vacations. Next time I will try for a slightly better picture:)

Hazel loves the camera and if she sees it pointed at her, will immediately make a smiley, squishy face.
She is too cute.

She was also always on the look out for another lap to sit on. Oh, and don't be fooled by this picture. Hazel is just playing with that sippy cup. She still refuses all other forms of drinking besides nursing.

My mom got the girls matching 4th of July outfits a few months ago. Pepper has been wearing hers ever since but this was the first time they had them on together. I love matching girls!

Trying to get a picture with both girls smiling, looking at the camera and without their hands in front of their faces proved to be more difficult than imagined.

This is one happy little lady.

I know that was a lot of pictures of Hazel but seriously, could you pick just one?! I promise there were more and these were just the  highlights.

Thursday morning we got up headed to Ikea for some shopping fun. Morgan and Pepper got to play in the Small Land kids play area for an hour while Cody, Aaron, Hazel and I shopped. Then Cris came and picked up Aaron and the rest of us had lunch. I love Ikea and I love my new furniture. The living room is almost done so I will be posting pictures soon of its new transformation.

Hazel loves being a big girl who can sit up at the table now. I can't believe she is big enough for restaurant high chairs. When did that happen?

After another long trip home, we stopped at Chipotle for dinner because it was just that kind of night and a little past dinner time. Here's my one and only other photo of me on this trip. Ugh...but Pepper is super cute.

My handsome men.

I cracked up that this picture makes Hazel look like she has thunder thighs.

The kids insisted on taking a pic of each other. Not Pepper's best photo.

Morgan's not looking so great himself. I love the world from their perspective. Foods definitely a lot closer.

Another fun, successful family trip and celebration of this wonderful nation. God bless America!