4th of July Festivites, Part 1

Packing my suitcase for the 4th festivities is like sparklers going off inside me.

Traveling: Love it.

Family: Love it.

Burgers on the grill: Love it.

America: Love it.

Celebrating: Love it.

See, that's why I have that sparkler effect going on. That and the swimming, boating, corn on the cob, American flags, warm night air... yes, the 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. Really, fireworks are so fitting for the joy of celebrating our freedom.

I love America and what it stands for: a shining beacon of hope, equality, hard work, peace, compassion, freedom, prosperity, dignity, opportunity.

I'm proud to be an American.  

A weekend to celebrate is positively lovely.

{Suitcase packed}

{Our traditional stop on the way out of the city}

{Road trip}

{Miley Cyrus' "Party in the U.S.A." got downloaded onto the I-Pod}

Destination: My family's for the first few days, and then to Neal's family's for the rest of the weekend.

With my family, "Go big or go home" seems to be a recurring theme, and we had aunts, uncles, and cousins visiting from all over the country. (Because of adoption, I have siblings or cousins from Brazil, Africa, and Asia, so enjoy the diversity in the pictures- a beautiful, and rather American, sight!)

{Outdoor meals in perfectly gorgeous summer weather}

{Family worship in the evening}

{Staying with Tiff & Paul meant I had a little friend to get ready with me in the morning}

{Because what are aunties for?}

{Shimmery eye-shadow}

{Porch chats}

{Morning coffee made better by the porch swing effect}

{Best friend and her almost-here baby boy}

{Girl cousins in braids}

{Homemade ice cream sandwiches}

{Parker & his roommate, the real deal collegiate runners}

{Perfect blackmail}

{Basketball}

{Smelling Grammy's flowers}

{Isn't this little dress she showed up in dreamy?}

{New tire swing}

{Gardens growing}

{Friday night fish fry}

{Cousins}

{Painting nails red, white, and blue}

{Pool fun}

{Granny & Aunt Lanie}

{Baby Connor}

{Pool Volleyball}

{Sights for smiles}

And that, my friends, is an American summer celebration at its peak.

Look for 4th of July installment #2 for pictures from our time at Neal's family's on Lake Bloomington. Hope you had a sparkler-filled weekend of your own celebrating the 4th of July! I know Chicago has some preettty cool celebration activities, so I'm looking forward to hearing about those from my friends here.