BEST DAY EVER!

...is what I exclaimed to Ben this morning, as we recapped yesterday's Fourth of July festivities. (I actually said it was "the best day of my LIFE!" to which Ben said, "really?" in a "why do you always over exaggerate" tone)

But it was pretty great.

To start off, Ben wasn't working, so that's always a recipe for a good day. But the expectations can be so high to make a day off or a holiday so great that it can just set you up for success. But this one delivered.

We were productive: handy hubby installed a ceiling fan ala Nana, we went for a neighborhood run and the kids napped

And we had fun: we went to BT and Oma's pool and had a lunch poolside, and we made our way up to Carol and Doug's for some good ol' American fun, lake side.

It was magical.

POOL TIME

Bode literally had this mouth full of food until we got home. 

hmm...I wonder where he gets the cheek-stuffing from...

Check out Mimi ;)

Then it was time for the LAKE!

When we walked into Carol and Doug's backyard the view was breathtaking.

Seriously. It was something out of a movie about the Fourth of July.

People were on all sides BBQing, in the water, splashing around, playing volleyball. 

And Mimi didn't waste any time grabbing a bucket of toys and heading for the sand.

Bode and "Uncle Doug"

Bode and the "big boys"

Everyone fighting over baby time with Bode

Bode with the Donahue girls...Emily and Rebecca :)

Everyone got to fight over Bode until Nana showed up ;)

Calvin and Joanna

GABERS! We loved getting some good cousin time in. He made the drive from the Springs...

He Mimi and I took the canoe around Lake Loveland. It was quite the adventure. 

We were channeling our Native American heritage. 

Grandma and Grandpa, you would've been proud, we were wishing we could harvest some wild rice, like you do on the reservation ;)

Passing around the "patriot hat" 

Gpa!

Our gracious hosts... Carol and Doug

This was Ben and Bode about the board for a boat ride. 

That eye rub of Bode's should've signaled that this "three hour tour" was about to go very wrong for us...

But against better judgement, we boarded anyways.

The last time we had the kids on this boat they were AWESOME. It was so fun. 

But as we all know, things can change with little people in an instant.

THE CREW

OUR FEARLESS PATRIOT CAPTAIN

More yawns...this was right when we were about to leave the dock.

We ditched the life jacket pretty fast. 

I figured immediate suffocation was worse than a possible drowning.

The boat was no place for this squirmy, over-tired fella. He wasn't horrendous, but let's just say the boat ride wasn't the most fun trying to keep him from screaming as he arched his back and wanted to play with all the cute college girls' iphones.

But Nana was a good helper. Thanks Nan :)

Here was our pass off to Gpa

Considering that Mimi fell asleep five minutes into the boat ride and Bode needed to, we left the lake before the fireworks :( It was 7:45/8 ish and they weren't scheduled to start until 9:02 pm. Oh well. There will be other years. But seriously, how fun would've it have been to see them over the lake in the luxury of Carol and Doug's backyard?!

Hope you all had a GREAT Fourth of July.

*****