The Fourth

Confession time: I totally let the 4th of July post get forgotten. Woops! I don't think anyone was dying to see this besides maybe my Mom. Love you!

Speaking of, she helped pull everything together as usual. But that's the fun of having Martha Stewart as your Mom.

We had lots of fun together while preparing for the day. We became overly and completely obsessed with all things nautical and patriotic.

And no party is ever complete anymore without cookies from Sweet Tree's Cottage Bakery. Not only do they taste as good as they look, but you wouldn't believe the detail she puts into her treats. On the navy parts of the cookies she stamped an opaque anchor that you wouldn't even notice unless you were paying attention to the details (which of course my family does). It was the cutest detail ever!!

Goodie bags were made for cousins and neighbors. Minion glasses, balloons, chapstick, bubble gum, pop rocks and more were inside. Basically everything that as a Mom, you say to yourself 'When they go to bed, I am hiding this!'....unless you are me, then you say to yourself, 'When they go to bed I am going to eat all of this!!!'

We found a fry box tutorial online and it was pretty easy to print and make. The whales were cut out from stampin' up designer paper.

Who doesn't love cheese balls!? Yes, they still make them.

Cut off the top of the fry box, and you have yourself the bottom to a sail boat. Bam!

Flag cookies. Everyone in my family looks at these and thinks of Grandma Jackie. She loved the themed cookies they come out with every holiday. I personally like them undercooked. Gross to some but yummy to me!!

Lemonade and Iced Tea. The peaches were amazing at this time of the year. I wish I had ate more!!

At one point my Mom shouted to me, 'You have to get a picture from this angle.' So I did.

We are all about the details even if that means everyone has to drink out of a pretty paper straw that always ends up getting soggy. Plus the kids love them. That iced tea was so pretty with the peaches in it. Yes, me and my family are kinda nuts. That's what I love about them :)

Water balloons were a huge hit. The kids would have let me sit there and make them for hours.

We even got Great Aunt Fran out for a boat ride. She also got a free mani and pedi by yours truly! It was a gorgeous day that day. Lots of lake fun. I did more relaxing, making queso, eating guacamole, and laughing than I did taking pictures. I was totally ok with that. I love documenting the fun but also just relaxing and being a part of it.

My little surfer dude

Austin's favorite past time is pushing Grandpa into the lake. He does it over, and over, and over again. We wore Grandpa out for sure.

And every single time Austin laughs just as hard.

Grace didn't want her photo taken but that's ok because she can do whatever she wants. She's as cute as a button.

I can't say enough thank-you's to all the veteran's out there including my husband. I am so unbelievably proud of him that if I write anymore I'll burst into tears. Things in life are just that much more emotional after having to leave your better half on a bus knowing he's going to war overseas. That memory is engrained in me for ever and ever. Two words. Thankful and Blessed.

Another successful summer family holiday. I'll take 8,000 more of those please! Not only that, but to end the night with an amazing neighborhood firework show! The kids stayed up to watch the fireworks and weren't phased one bit by the late late late night for them. They were wired beyond belief. I wish I could just hit replay and do it all over again.