I was lazy about taking picture over the 4th so Amy was nice enough to email me these.  Our 4th of July continued into day 2 where we did a little BBQ, kicked back and relaxed.  The kids made a tree swing and did a few crafts.  It’s nice having them old enough to sit for any sort of extended time to do an activity.

We sat around and chatted as the kids did their thing…just another sunny, San Diego day.  The shade we could find brought welcome release from the heat of the day.

Since the 4th of July is on a Sunday this year I have been struggling over appropriate activities.  This has resulted in a 3 day long celebration.  We commenced the celebrating with a Padres games.  Really, what’s more American that baseball…the 4th of July and Uncle Sam?

The kids got to go to their first baseball game.  We had some fun seats down on the field up the 1st base line so they could watch the action.  I felt a little guilty for bringing them in the beginning since they completely ignored the game and were coloring.  Once the Padres started scoring I couldn’t peel them away.  They were loving the crowd, the cheering, the music.  Of course the firework show at the end was the icing on the cake.

I find that I struggle whenever it comes to making big announcements.   Parties, galas, radio announcements, proposals on the Jumbo Tron, the list is endless when it comes to proclaiming good tidings to the world.  Break out the banner flying airplane because, “We’re going to Brazil!”(Just kidding, we aren’t really leaving the country.  I just couldn’t resist.)  There is a place and a time for everything and to each his own.  In those cases, just sometimes, the actual tenderness of the moment is trivialized or over looked.  Believe me the irony of my making any sort of announcement via blog just kills, but what can I do?  So when you read this, just pretend we’re sitting in a little bistro chatting and eating PinkBerry or maybe sharing some peanuts at a baseball game.  What better way could you tell a friend that your family would soon grow a size bigger?  What’s that you say?!  Yes, we have been packing away the Halloween candy like it’s going out of style, but the growing of my waistband due to candy was not the reference I was making.  So watch out!!  Will’s expecting firework from me come the 4th of July…ok or technically the 5th.  Stay tuned.  We’ll try to keep you updated as we start the expansion process.   For those of you who feel I’m being a bit elusive, our countdown to baby #3 is at 32 weeks  or 224 days.

So we did a little power packing of our 4th of July this year.  We were all about sticking to tradition.  The ward pancake breakfast/flag raising started the day.  We actually missed the flag raising partly due to a pipe bursting in the house, but we did make it for the pancakes.  After that delicious start we piled back into the car to decorate the kids for our neighborhood parade.  Will joked that it was considered a death march if the parade lacked observers.  Boy are we thankful to the 7 or so people that watched and waved from the sidewalk.

Note my amazing decorating abilities to the wagon…oh so lovely, yet, you notice that Annie never actually rode in it.  She chased Hudson for most of it, begging for a ride, until he pulled away.  Only later did I find out that someone told him to follow the lead parade guy.  Apparently, he felt like following directions to a T that day.  Not only did he follow exactly behind within a few feet, but continued to follow him after the parade was over as he rode in circles and then went and talked to his wife.  One of our friends eventually detached him.

Once again we found that Poway had their great Old Fashioned 4th of July going again – period costuming and all.  The kids took a train ride, which happened to get a robbing so we ended up in a fun Old West shoot out.   Honestly, the kids were a little oblivious to everything until the gun fire started.

We got our normal picture with Uncle Sam, which Annie so lovingly confused with Santa Claus.  Will informed her that they were brothers and…she bought it!  The quilt exhibit was extraordinary as well.

Crafts turned out to the be quite a hit, but the sack races took the cake.  Annie lost control after they said, “go” and fell into fits of giggles.  I helped her out as she giggled the entire way.

Hudson took things a little more seriously and was able to hold his own through all the races.

Fireworks proved to be great once again.  Although, Hudson started asking me when it was going to be over about 2 minutes into it.  And just for the record…these pictures are all thanks to Will.  He was the photographer of the day. What fantastic firework pictures! He got some awesome shots.

In helping Annie understand that her birthday is soon to arrive, Hudson and I started decorating the house.  Both kids seemed to enjoy themselves and it effectively passed the time of the day.  

Now, whenever we ask Annie about her birthday she just tells you she wants the cake.

The kids were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for most of the day.   The Rands spent the day with us so everyone had a buddy.  We love having them close by.  Hudson ran a killer 3-legged race and placed a competitive last place.

Once again we find ourselves with an incredible family picture…ha!  Will seems to be the only person ready for the moment.  Hudson showed the wear from the day in his tears and Annie just cried to fit in.