4th pictures and . . . a little contest

We had a wonderful {and L O N G} 4th of July weekend. Kirby took both Friday and Monday off, thus extending our weekend to 4 {mostly} glorious days! Here is the re-cap:

Friday::

After swim practice {for Rebekah} and piano lessons {for the 3 oldest} as well as a nice visit with a childhood friend {for me} we came home, ate a quick lunch and helped set up our 3 little entrepreneurs with their first lemonade stand of the season. They camped out on the corner for about 3 hours and closed up shop roughly $36 richer! {They are saving for a wii, which we, being the mean parents that we are, won't buy for them}. Plus it involved lots of cooperation among the 3 {and sometimes even 4} of them. No fighting + no kids in the house {except Anna who was asleep} + $38 adds up to a very pleasant afternoon for the whole family! Good work, guys!



We topped off the evening with lots of backyard fun including lots of playing, a bonfire and the 4 biggest kids and dad sleeping in the tent . . . or at least that was the plan until one by one by one by two {when dad & Lydia finally gave in and came inside -- together -- about 3ish} they came inside to sleep for the rest of the night.

Here is Anna going up the slide:

And then back down again:

Into the waiting arms of her big brother:

Look at all those bad examples of the right way to use the swingset.
Remember, we go down slides, not up . . . whatever!

Saturday::

"Miss USA" all ready for the day to begin:

Waiting for the parade to start:

That looks to me like some sort of scheme in the works:

Jacob, Rebekah & Joe rode in my dad's car toward the end of the parade:
{I don't know the guy in the passenger seat. My dad just picked him up . . . honest!}

Post-parade picnic at the park
{and an amazing use of alliteration!}:

At Ama & BopBop's {post-nap}:

Hey, hey, the gang's all here:

The annual 4th of July watermelon hunt:

Aha, they found it:

Anna stuck in an old toolbox box on the porch {poor girl!}:

Joey sportin' a sag
{I didn't think kids started saggin' already at 4!}:

We finished off Saturday night watching the fireworks from my parents upstairs deck {you can see downtown Minneapolis' display as well as displays from a couple other suburbs from up there!} No crowds. Less noise. And, the option of sleeping through it all with all the comforts of home if you so choose {you know, if you're only 1 and could care less about fireworks . . . Anna}. Perfect!

Sunday::

On Sunday we went to church and came home for lunch and much needed naps! Then we joined some friends from our neighborhood for dinner and a fun afternoon/evening at their house! All 8 kids and 4 adults had a splendid time. We walked back home tired and dirty and ready for bed!

Here are Norah & Joe {only about a month apart in age} playing nicely together. It was dicey there for a while. One minute they would be the best of friends and the next they had serious need for a referee to break up the fighting. Thankfully, though, there were no major injuries during any of the boxing/kicking/pushing/hitting/name-calling/yelling/tattling matches!

Monday::

Monday was quite a bit busier {and parts of it not too fun}, but lots got done. Kirb dropped Jacob off at band camp and then brought Rebekah to swim practice. I brought Joe to Superhero camp {preschool day camp at our church this week . . . with a Superhero theme that Joe is THRILLED about!}, then picked Jacob up from band camp then we met back at home {all by about 10:30 am}. I returned to church to pick up Joe {taking a couple kiddos with me} at noon, and then we were all back home for a little bit. Kirb cleaned out the gutters of dirt, leaves, "helicopters" from the maple trees, 100's of sprouting maple trees {which we didn't clean out of the gutter while they were still "helicopters"}, tennis balls, newspapers and a few other mysterious things that we suspect some shortish people who live here might have thrown up on to the roof! {Thanks, babe!!!} I had a very unpleasant "little" 55-minute trip to the post office that I won't talk any more about lest I get all upset again! I went to the Y to get started on my triathlon. We had supper. We went to the bookstore and the library, both of which were less than pleasant as well due to still over-tired kids and a various other factors! We all went to bed. Anna didn't sleep well at all {darn molars!} and we're hoping for a better day today!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend too and enjoyed some times with people that you like to be with!

Contest::

Ok, here's the contest part: Since I love a good book, I would love to know the last really good book you read. Just leave a comment {click on the word comment at the bottom of this paragraph} and I'll randomly {aka: "Jacob {or Rebekah or Lydia . . . probably not Joe or Anna}, pick a number between 1 and ____"} pick one of you to win some sort of fun prize. Fun is relative, but hopefully you'll like it. Chances are good it'll be something I made. If you really have an idea of a prize that you want, you could tell me that in your comment too . . . or leave 2 comments and double your chances of being "randomly" selected. Ok, ready . . . go! Let's say you have until Thursday morningish to comment and then we'll be pickin' a winner. Sound good?