4th of July

Happy 4th!  What a wonderful day it was to spend with friends and family!  This fabulous, hot-weather day consisted of:

-sleeping in!
-enjoying the parade w/ family
-going to a cookout at our newly married friend's house
-ROCKIN' at ladder ball! (if you know me, you know I'm not very athletic at all, however, I sometimes can surprise myself and Col at my lawn games skills)
-family time spent outside
-seeing Col finally enjoy a slip 'n' slide (I guess it's been a life-long dream of his to have one...I know, how did I not get a picture of this?!)
-fireworks on a blanket in a field, side-by-side w/ family and the best niece one could ever ask for

I miss the traditions that my family had when I was a kid, mostly going over to my grandparents' house for a cookout where grandma would have everything decked out in red, white, and blue.  It was a good day to remember all that she did for us growing up.  I do love our new traditions too though.  I guess that's a step in the right direction for an uber traditional fanatic like myself.  I'm learning to enjoy the change as I get older and life changes :)

Hope everyone enjoyed the freedom we have to enjoy these things today and every day!