July 10, 2020

land that I love

God bless America, my home sweet home.


Our traveling plans changed last minute in order to be wise during the pandemic. But it all worked out beautifully because then we got to gather with family!
 

Who wouldn't want to spend a weekend with this crew??




The oldest and the youngest have a special relationship.


While all the kids played, the adults pulled out this game: Hanabi

It's a fun one! And since it had to do with fireworks we thought it was a great one for the Fourth of July. It is a cooperative game. It definitely took us a few hands to communicate productively, but we got better and had a good time.

Then we headed out to the pool for the rest of the evening.


Backflips for America!






They wanted to attempt Layla on top of me, but we didn't last very long like this anyways.


We loved swimming with all of the cousins.


















Thanks to this girl here for taking all of the swimming pictures from the side of the pool.


Brinna bug LOVES to jump in the water and go under.
















Splash!




When it got dark enough, we lit up the fire bowls. Eric placed this mystical fire powder on the flames (that he got last year for my burn, Cancer, burn party). This is the coolest stuff!


Magical green, blue, purple flames...




It was mesmorizing.


Doesn't this look like a dragon flame? so cool.


I totally love these pictures.




Soon the fireworks began! We stood in our backyard and could see them in just about every direction.


We set off some of our own small fireworks.




Sparklers!


Sparklers always remind me of Harry Potter. Lumos!















I went upstairs on our balcony and soaked in the view from there. 


So pretty and peaceful. I'm so grateful for my family and for this land that we live in.




We all loved when our next door neighbor shot off some big fireworks into the sky.



Such wonder!


summer days--sunburn (from the lake the day before), watermelon, and watching fireworks


Happy Independence Day, America!