A Family 4th

Family

Was anyone else thrown off by this whole 4th of July in the middle of the week? It almost didn’t feel like a holiday.

Well, almost.

Technically, the swimming photos were from the weekend, but they were too fun not to share. That Simon, I tell ya – he’s got some mad diving skills! We also managed to talk Jude into jumping off the diving board too.

On Tuesday, the 3rd of July, we went to the state fairgrounds to hear the OKC Philharmonic play a free concert. Afterwards there were lots of fireworks and we didn’t get home until 11pm, which made for one very tired boy and parents. But it was worth it to hear him squeal with delight.  The next morning we were up and at ’em to get ready for the annual neighborhood parade, which is hands-down, my most favorite part of the 4th of July.

As usual, it was sweltering, and I have to admit, I was a little nervous about this whole let’s-ride-the-bike-for-a-mile business. We helped Jude decorate his bike and I was fully prepared for him to poop out halfway through. So I was pleasantly surprised when he not only rode the whole way, but did it in style!  Of course, his rigged decoration that we placed on the back of the bike fell off about 10 minutes into the parade, so I carried it the rest of the way.  J would ride ahead of me so I’m sure I looked like the weirdo carrying the stick w/ balloons on it. Um, why, crazy lady?

Afterwards we had lunch w/ my parents and cooled off. It was determined that there would be swimming later in the afternoon. All three of us piled into the big bed and napped the afternoon away before heading over to my parents’ house to swim it up.

 

Have I ever showed you the little pool house at my parents’? Forever, it has held pool supplies and equipment, but when I was probably 12 or 13, I convinced my mom to let it be my little house. She let me paint it whatever I wanted and I filled it with a papasan chair, a hammock, and a radio. I’d sit out there and read for hours on end. Now it cracks me up to go out there and see the crazy haphazard paint job and the scribbles of my friends on the walls who autographed it like it was a yearbook.  But do you know what I really see? I see a mom who was willing to let me experiment and foster some of that creativity bubbling around in there.

I hope you had a marvelous 4th of July!

with love,
Rachel

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