4th of July!

Hope everyone had a HAPPY 4th of July! 

We had a weekend packed with festivities, starting Friday night when my brother-in-law acquired some (ahem) less than legal fireworks from an undisclosed location and gave us all a show to rival the city's fireworks!  It was fireworks, four-wheelers and friends in a field...what more could you ask for??  Thanks again, James and Kristin! 

Saturday we celebrated my nephew Garret's 3rd birthday.  My how the time flies, and my how this family loves that little fella.  He is so little and already has such a sense of humor...love him! 

Finally on the 4th, the whole family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc) all gathered at a fun park in the Dells for a picnic and play on a huge jumping pillow (FUN!), trampoline basketball and pedal carts.  I think everyone who stepped on that pillow was instantly transformed into a kid again! 

My little firecrackers.

My sister's little firecrackers. 

The Mama and the Papa 

My sweet Grammy

My sister and brother-in-law.

Me and my man (well, part of him anyways)  :-)

Mama and Me (and a very bright sun)

My little cupcake coming down for a landing. 

...and Dad on his way up!

Here's Dad right before I blew by him in my car. 

(or was it right after he blew by me...no matter, just details right?..hehe)

We topped the night off at fireworks.  It was lightly raining, but they decided to shoot them off anyways, making them all the more magical with the cool mist hitting our faces.  Four friends from Turkey joined us, and the girls got to learn some Turkish words along the way!  We're so blessed to have a large international student population come to the Dells every summer and provide us the best Geography class a kid can get!

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Multitude Monday time! 

As part of the "Gratitude Community," each week I'll choose 10 things I'm grateful for and name them in a list, eventually naming 1000 gifts. Every day, even the hard ones (and there ARE hard ones), I'm overwhelmed by God's goodness, and I'm excited to recognize these gifts in worship to the One who granted them through magnificant and amazing grace.

I'm thankful for...

11.  A spilled beer and 40 years of friendship written on two lovers' faces.   

12.  Laughter uncontrolled. 

13.  Ethiopian hands holding American flags.

14.  Photos taken cheek to cheek. 

15.  The way my girls love my Gram. 

16.  The way my Gram loves us all. 

17.  Summer evening drives with windows down after the rain.

18.  Bluegrass music in open air (with 3 of my favorite people).

19.  Two languages intertwining through a crowded car. 

20.  One nation, under God, and the freedom in each.