Celebrating the 4th of July.....

With family and friends.

We have an annual tradition for the last few years [and one that I hopes continues for years to come] where we head to Ricks cousin Linda's home for a 4th of July celebration.

Everyone makes a dish and we gather and there is bound to be laughter, singing, dancing, horseshoe playing, eating and drinking and lots and lots of fun!!!!


Hanging out chatting with family.....


What is the 4th of July, without a swing in a hammock?!?


Being Silly with Aunt Sharon


Sharing a quiet moment with Aunt Hedy [this is Rick's fathers sister....who has been battling an illness of late and we were so happy to be able to visit with her on the 4th.


Baby Claire......I just love this picture.....the tenderness of her Momma's hand on her head. What a precious & beautiful little girl Claire is.


Miss Livija........she is getting so big and is just so beautiful.


Emma Sage with Aunt Heidi.....she just adores her Aunt Heidi


My Miss Independence.............Emma Sage has to do everything herself.....including getting her own food.


Blowing a pinwheel [which always makes me think of Jennifer, an amazing writer and mother at Pinwheels.....who also shares that magical bond of loving someone with T21]


Going to look for fish........


Yup.....she found the fish!


Dancing the day away........Mangus joining in the fun.......


and then the rains came.........


I love this picture.....cousins.....Livija and Anna


Contemplating on swimming.....as it got cold from all the rain.


Otto and Michael.....waiting for the rain to stop.


Daddy and his girl.....waiting out the rain under the tarp.


Smooch!


Linda and Livija.............too cute!


After the rains, Rick and the older kids headed to another friends party to watch fireworks.....through the rain drops that still kept reappearing.....actually, it poured, but the got a bunch of 'illegal' fireworks in [another one of New Jersey's irritaing laws.....we have a law against almost anything you can think of!]

Emma Sage and I headed to bed.......sweet dreams.