Our 4th of July

We started our 4th of July losing my keys :) Losing my keys. Eventually they were found and we made our way to Magelby's Fresh for some breakfast.

Normally we wake up very early to see the balloons launch, but due to rain and wind they were cancelled.

We ate yummy breakfast and stopped by the provo parade and caught the very end of it. It was just the right amount of time.

We then loaded up again to make our way to the movies to see "Monsters University." We all loved it. That was a good laugh. 

Came home and made some festive drinks. Thomas keeps asking for me to make them again. I haven't yet. :(

Then we had naps and I made a trip to Home Depot.

In the evening we went to our neighbors, the Weights for some good food and fun. 

Later went to my parents neighborhood for some serious fireworks by one of their neighbors. Got too close for comfort a few times. For instance, one huge aerial firework exploded and shot all over the place including right in between each of us and over Thomas and Derek's heads. I was holding Joseph and covering him up and trying to hover over Emma who was sitting in front of me. SO scary. We moved 20 feet. Three minutes later another one shot out at us. We were done so we moved back over to my parents yard and watched those fireworks clear on the other side of the neighborhood where we were safe :)

So here are pictures...

 Thomas showing off his awesome and patriotic nails and drink. Don't ask. We wiped those nails off the next day. :) Emma and their cousin Lucy were having theirs painted the day before and he wanted in on the action :)

 mmmm...

 I'm a nerd

 Thomas showing us his mad skills on the trampoline.

 Not sure if they were getting ready to play crack the egg or....

 Jumping with Fay and Amy

 And this was just before the fireworks came shooting out at us and I said choice words. So Scary!

Look at how brave he is :) Magical.

 It was cute to see the kids making shapes in the air.

 4th of July part II on the 5th of July. Swimming at Oma and Opa's pool.

We had a cultasac firework show in the rain. Britta and her friends were lighting all the fireworks and having a great time doing it. :)

The kids and Uncle Dylan got their mighty glow sticks and showing them off.

cuddles with Daddy

more sparklers

And roasting marshmallows.

Joseph was SO tired so we watched  the fireworks from inside.

Another year of reflection and gratitude for the freedoms that we have.

Teddy Bear picnic

 Last week at the Library. we planned on going to the Teddy Bear picnic but were late from swim lessons and missed the picnic part of the activity. We did however read some of the Teddy Bear books and came across this one. I read it to the kids and they thoroughly enjoyed it. We check it out and have read it everyday/night since. :)

 (This is the only picture I could find of the book)

The next day, Emma really wanted to have a picnic at the park. I told her to go get us a basket that that we could use as a picnic basket. She grabbed this gift box; it works :)

Yummy picnic and great story time of our own at the park.

a boy and his nails....

I'll open our 4th of July celebrations with this pre-4th of July post.

The day before the 4th, I asked Emma and her cousin Lucy if they would like their nails painted with 4th of July colors. Thomas kept saying he wanted his nails painted. Before I got to the painting, Thomas was painting with some water colors and said, "Hey look, I painted my nails." :) That works. 

 Well then the actual painting of nails actually took action and Thomas still wanted his nails painted. And there you have it folks. Derek was thrilled to see his son's toe nails and finger nails painted when he got home from work that day. :) Doesn't he look festive? haha.

I will post some pictures of our 4th of July celebrations soon.

Camping and Tea parties...that's how we roll

 The big boys did this....

While the girls did this....and Joseph played in the family room. :)

 Thomas and Derek went to a Father and Sons camp out this past weekend up near Daniel's Summit. 

Thomas was excited to help Daddy put the tent up by hitting the stakes into the ground with a big rock.  What a good helper.

They had a rope bridge the boys could walk across and Thomas kept going on that thing numerous times, before and after dinner.

 He was REALLY looking forward to roasting marshmallows. The fire was WAY hot to stand close to, so he kept his distance.

 Such a cute picture of Thomas and Daddy ready to go to bed.

He was WASTED after a full day of swimming at 7 peaks and then the fun camp out with Daddy. He was one of the last ones that woke up the next morning. Pooped out!

 He was able to snag the last of the breakfast since he was such a late riser.

 Oh poor little guy. The mosquitoes liked him a little too much. His face and neck are covered with mosquito bites even after spraying bug spray on him. When he got home from camping, his eyes were swollen. :(

 I guess there were a TON of green caterpillars all over the camp ground. Here is Carson Scott (one of our neighbor boys that Thomas just adores) showing him the caterpillar he caught. Thomas was in heaven.

 Non stop entertainment. Catching the catopiwows=caterpillars :)

 Searching for more caterpillars with the boys, Liam and Reagan.

The Scouts had been earning "scout bucks"  and would buy candy at the trading post through out the week. So at the end of Saturday morning, Brother Peacock had a clearance sale at the trading post for all the youth from smallest to biggest. Thomas was toward the beginning of the line and came home with loads of candy and a gigantic sweet tooth.

While the older boys were having fun; Joseph, Emma and I had a fun evening. Emma thought carefully of her restaurant of choice for dinner; Zupas. We ran an errand to Costco after dinner then made our way home to have a much anticipated "Tea Party" that Emma had been talking about ALL day. Since our kitchen has been in shambles due to remodeling we moved the kids small picnic table into dining room area and set it up appropriately for a tea party. :) I love that Emma put on her sleeping beauty dress. Fits a little snug on her but doesn't stop her :) We wore our special hats that belonged to my Great Grandma Lucille and we bring them out of the hat box on special occasions such as a tea party. Emma was SO excited that we got to use my formal tea cups. It was a good night. 

We then ended the night with reading books in my bed together and
then conked out. She loves sleeping in Mom and Dad's bed. What is it about Moms' and Dads' beds that seem so much more comfortable? I remember feeling like that when I was littler.

 Later Joe Joe joined us and Emma kept putting her hat on him.

Fun filled weekend for the Frazier folks.