The Never-Ending 4th

We have been celebrating, and celebrating, and celebrating the 4th.  I guess that's the benefit of having the 4th land on a Sunday.  It's been a fun weekend, although any spare minute I may have had to quickly update my blog was lost to the fact that the computer has been commandeered by the rest of the fam.  I'm taking a brief moment today (I'm supposedly "cleaning the kitchen" while the rest of the gang is out detailing a couple of our vehicles) to post a few quick things.  Seriously.  I'm fast.  Then I'll email Taylor AND get the kitchen cleaned, and (maybe) nobody will know.

Friday night Bill and I went to the Rockies game with our oldest friends, the Yoshikawas.  They recently moved to Colorado from New York, although they live a good hour from us (up north by where Bill works).

The game was great... the Rockies won... and it went relatively quick as far as baseball games go.  Not like the record-setting game of last night (over 5 hours).  I guess that's what you get when you're at a game on Sunday (no judgement, just commentary).  Following the game Friday they had an awesome fireworks display.  We didn't go down on the field to watch, so we had a slightly limited view, but it was worth the quick departure after they were over.  Here's just a glimpse:

On Saturday we went to the annual ward BBQ/Bike Parade/Water Fight.  I was a little nostalgic as I realized that the days of bike decorating are nearing an end.  Mauri may have one more year left in her.

We got some fun pictures of the girls with their pseudo-brother Chase (THAT'S the way to have a little brother)

Lexee and Cheyenne (our soul-sister) got involved in the water fight... can you spot them?

Mauri enjoyed the water fight too.

Shilo stayed safe and dry in the "No Water Zone."

(This was obviously BEFORE the water fight, as Cheyenne is nice and dry.  That was also the last she ever saw of her beloved black flip flops, which mysteriously went missing by the time we were ready to head home.  Not like there were probably a dozen pair there.  She didn't want to take the lone pair we could locate, which were obviously NOT hers.)

Later that evening we went to the Leak's home for dinner and to watch fireworks from their deck.

Mauri told me three times, "We NEED to get a dog!"

The kids played with some glow-sticks while we patiently waited for the display to begin.  Lucky for Bill, the Rockies game was on and clearly visible from the deck.  How nice.

But that didn't stop him from having a little glow-stick fun too:

Finally the fireworks started... we watched (not quite the same as when you are up close)...

...then we went home to watch the Billats set off their fireworks.

This is what the flag in our front yard looked like as we finally went home for the night.  Cool, huh?

Never-ending.  I will have to update Sunday and Monday a little later... it really needs to look like I cleaned the kitchen or my cover will be BLOWN.