America's Birthday

Our Independence Day was filled with food, Michael Jackson, trucks, busses, cows, flags, more cows horses, donuts, Jeeps driving up on other Jeeps' tires, pools, tacos, chips, salsa, fireworks and exhaustion. If even five of those words fit your Fourth of July, then you must have been in Ontario, California, a.k.a. small town America. Ontario is the town I grew up in and it sports one of the most entertaining parades of all time!

Gracie, Lukie, and I spent the night at Nana's house and were up at the crack of dawn ready to head up to Euclid for the parade. Luckily, Uncle Jerry, Auntie Ten-Ten, and Aunt Bec had secured a prime spot in the shade and put up an EZ-Up to protect us from the sun. It was byfar the best set up ever! We had a ton of snacks, water, and a great spot for watching the parade. We were set.

Lukie loved seeing all of his favorite words.

A bus from my kindergarten school district.

Every year, the Shriners drive their tiny cars in crazy circles down Euclid. Lukie loved saying "car."

Every year, Veterans reinact the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.

Lukie played with a flag someone did not keep an eye on.
He loved sweeping it back and forth in front of him.

Nana is trying to start my children's Starbucks addiction early.
Gracie rode in the car with her and Nana bought her a chocolate milk.
As all things go, Lukie commandeered the chocolate "miwk" (as Gracie calls it).

I clearly starve my daughter. She ate anything that wasn't nailed down.

See? She even found the box of chocolate donuts.
You don't want to know how long it took to clean her up.

Auntie Ten-Ten giving Baby Emerson love. She's easy to love, that one.

"Look! It's the cows, Lukie! What do the cows say?"
"Cow!"

"Cow!"
"No, Lukie, those are horses."
"Cow! Cow!"

Baby Em hanging with Nana after her, ehem, accident.
(a.k.a. the only reason I don't have a picture of her in her totally adorable 4th of July outfit)

And, from the files of "Only in Small Town America," I give you Michael Jackson in the 4th of July Parade.

Followed by the Little Michael Jacksons...

I thought Lukie was going to jump out of his skin when he saw this!

Lukie loved the parade like it was Disneyland or something.
Gracie just had fun eating and playing musical laps.
Lukie spent most of his time sitting on my lap and clapping and cheering as the parade went by.

After the parade was over, we headed home for a nap and then went to Auntie Ten-Ten's house. There, Gracie ate a bag of chips by herself (and multiple brownies), we swam bunches, and ate tacos.

Gracie and Luke swimming with Aunt Bec in the Jaccuzi.
She refuses to swim in the pool because she says it is too cold.
Gracie and Luke wore their new floaty swimsuits.
Gracie hated hers. I think it is still too big for her.

Daddy arrived after his dialysis and had to rest a bit. Since Lukie refused to nap earlier in the day, he was asleep with Daddy by 6:30 pm after Auntie Ten-Ten and I took the Twinsies and Baby Em for a walk. He slept straight through the fireworks and stayed asleep when I carried him to the car, drove home, and took him into bed. He slept 12 full hours!

Gracie, the die hard, stayed up with me watching fireworks and attempted to set Uncle Jerry and Auntie Ten-Ten's lawn on fire when I made the fateful decision to let her hold the end of the sparkler for a moment. I won't be making that mistake again!

All in all, we had a fantastic day!