July 4th (and all the days leading up to it)

We had a busy but fun holiday weekend!

 {On Saturday we hooked up with the neighborhood crew where we may have set off fireworks.}

{These may have been a sampling of said fireworks.}

Early to bed on Saturday because we had a pre-dawn wake-up call on Sunday to catch a boat ride on the river.

 {The kids loved honking the horn. Not at all annoying.}

{We rented a tube to pull behind our pontoon, but the rope pulled off the boat two seconds in to the first tubing adventure. Good thing we brought two human tug boats along with us!}

{The boys had a blast swimming in this filth all day. Us ladies preferred to just dip our toes in the shallow shore waters at the beach. Except that one time Camryn was in the tube with the boys until they hopped out and the tube flipped over. Luckily Jacob to the rescue so I didn't have to jump in, but, oh, the screams from that girl!}

{Last tube ride of the day was for me and this lady. Two seconds in to our ride we ran out of gas. Mathematically impossible said the rental guys. Proving that nothing is really impossible.}

{Caleb tried rowing our boat to shore. Hard to do with one oar and a pontoon full of families. Never mind that Caleb is out of shape. Luckily a boat towed us back and we were on our way home as the sky opened up on us.}

{This rainbow followed us for most of our ride home. Some of the sunniest skies, darkest rain walls, and biggest rain drops I have ever seen. All at the same time.}

On Monday we filled up the kiddie pool for the amigos and their friends to play in. They took a break from swimming to have a water balloon fight.

{We kept the girls separate for their own protection. This is how Camryn burned through her stash of balloons. Clear that she has older brothers?!}

On the 4th the kids spent the day swimming at my parents' pool, and then we met up with friends to join the crowd at the golf course fireworks show.

{This chick managed to pass out hard during the finale, but bounced right back when given the opportunity to ride the cooler back to the car!}

Such a fun weekend! Not pictured: Chopping down trees, camping out, smoking a brisket, and installing kitchen tile. Whew!