July 4th Rocks!

With the exception of the year my Dad chose Independence Day to declare his Independence Day, July 4th has always been one of my very favorite holidays.

Growing up, we spent every Independence Day going through the craft show at the National Guard Armory, enjoying the carnival rides and parade, and then either watching the fireworks in the Park in Snyder or shooting off fireworks in a Fluvanna field.

The summer after my Big Wreck, I spent July 4th in Stephenville with the Norris family. I remember we shot fireworks in a big field. I was glad to be alive!

The summer after my Junior year in college, I had the opportunity to spend July 4th at the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, D.C. I was with three former National FFA officers. What an incredible experience!

The summer before Biggsy started his MBA, we spent the 4th in Austin and watched the fireworks from a parking garage with another soon-to-be MBA and his wife. We were embarking on an adventure and that excitement really made the trip memorable!

Biggsy spent Abbie's first 4th on the couch with a severely sprained ankle. My Dad came in that weekend and went with Abbie and I to our first July 4th parade. That was the year we found "The Tree." The Tree would become our parade-watching spot for the rest of our time in Plano. We met the Scotts, Matthews and Depners there every year.

One year we met Alan, Amber and Kodie at the park for the fireworks. I have the cutest pictures of Abbie & Kait on Kodie's first 4-wheeler.

Once Biggsy started working for Dresser, the parking garage of his building became our fave spot for watching Addison's Kaboom Town Fireworks. We'd park a car at the top of the garage in the early morning, blocking off a couple of spots. We'd move that car to open up party space right before the show started. The key was to park your getaway car on the first floor of the garage, so you didn't have to fight the traffic.

I have the BEST memories from the top of that garage! We'd be eye-level with the fireworks. It was so cool!!!

This trip down memory lane makes me miss our friends!!!

Poor Kam. That was the year she had stitches in her chin.

This is my favorite picture of Linds. Ever.

And I miss those curls!!!

Our first summer back in Houston was a time of uncertainty. Mom was back home in Snyder, but we had no idea what was going to happen. But we knew we needed to bloom where we were planted. So we decorated the girls' bikes and let them ride in the parade. We met up with the Bruins there and spent the evening on Happy Street, eating make-your-own sundae's and getting some idea of what Baghdad must have been like!

Look at those cheeks!
That was the summer of Abbie's "Africa Necklace" that she made in Sunday School on Missions Sunday. She wore it until Biggsy made her take it off for safety reasons. I still have it, though.


Those are some cool bikes!

Last year, we watched the parade with the Jean family. And spent the evening shooting off fireworks with the Hensleys and Venettes.

And... That brings us to this year!!! The girls have figured out how to do the parade by now. We get a seat along the route, so they can watch the parade and get CANDY. Then, we fall in with the rest of the bike riders after the parade goes by.

Here they are with some neighborhood cuties.

And here they are with Will & Brooke.

We had a huge crowd over for hamburgers and hot dogs on the 4th.

Brooke was our social coordinator and arranged lots of games for the kids. They had a great time! Afterwards, we had a pinata and fireworks. And only one kid got hurt (minor injury!) I consider that a success!!!