4th of July

The fourth of July is always super busy. We went to the parade, the car show, walked around the park and then headed home to finish up our last minute projects. Mike's family came over and we all played in the pool, BBQ'd hamburgers, Mike opened presents and we had cake. I had bought two pounds of dry ice for the volcano but it was down to a tablespoon size by the time we had cake so I was very disappointed that the volcano didn't erupted like I had wanted. Amanda, Ashley and Owen did a few snakes in the driveway, we walked over to the park to watch the fireworks, did a few little fireworks and sparklers here at the house then had a glow stick pool party.

Watching the parade

Ashley looking cute

Kristey being patriotic

Kristey, Mike and Owen

car show

Watching the kids in the bubbles

Ashley in the Johnston cabin

Owen in the Mckenzie Cabin

Amanda, Owen, Ashley and Cliff in the pool

Amanda, Ashey and Owen

Grandpa Al and Grandma Reva

Cliff, Carla, Amanda, Kristey, Ashley, Owen and Mike in the pool

Amanda, Ashley and Owen lighting snakes in the driveway

BBQing hamburgers

Mike with his Doomsday Preppers present

Mike's Disaster birthday cake - earthquake, tsunami, tornado, flood, volcano and aliens

Waiting for the volcano to erupt......... and waiting...... and waiting... :(

Ready to watch the fireworks

Start the show....

OOOOOOOOooooooooooo

Awwwwwwwwwwww

Last minute projects

Ashley making fondant decorations for Mike's birthday cake

As if cleaning up the house and yard to get ready for our 4th of July BBQ wasn't enough work, Mike was busy building steps next to the pool. Ashley was right there to oversee what he was doing and keep him on track. She also helped make fondant decorations for Mike's disaster birthday cake and helped paint a pool rules sign. All of which we were still rushing to finish on the 4th before everyone started showing up. They all turned out great but we will probably need a few weeks to recuperate.

Design stage

measuring

One side ready to install

Getting close

Ashley testing the steps out

Adding hand rails

Ashley painting the Pool Rules sign

Mike's 44th birthday

For Mike's 44th birthday we found ourselves at Home Depot. Seems to be a birthday tradition of starting new projects on his birthday and ending up in Home Depot. He decided to build steps and a small deck next to the pool so we need some more wood. While he was working on that Ashley baked him a Butterfingers whipped cream birthday cake. We made chicken salad sandwiches for dinner, opened a couple of presents and ate cake. We are saving the main cake and presents for the Fourth of July when more family will be here.

Ashley cutting up the vanilla cake she made

Chopping up Butterfingers candy bars

Putting chunks of cake and whipped cream in a glass bowl

Finished Butterfinger cake

Presents

Fourth of July lights and t-shirt, and a floating disco ball light show for the pool

Mike with his cake

Lakeview Waterpark

My sister Molly, my soon to be sister-in-law Marisa and I took the kids to Lakeview Waterpark to play for the afternoon. It was a lot of fun and a great way to stay cool in this 105 degree temperatures.

Ashley and Delaney

Kids in the water