Our 2010 4th of July

This year for the 4th of July we took a trip to the Lake. Steve's parents were the only ones in his family who were able to go so we stopped by the Hanks house and kidnapped Heber so we could have an on-site babysitter. It was the best idea ever! (I think he had a pretty good time too).

We really wanted to experience the 4th in St. Charles so we looked to find all of the festivities. So when we woke up, we hurried and got everyone ready, piled in the car and drove to Paris for the parade. But we found out that the parade didn't start until 1:00. So it was back in the car and home for some fun before the parade.

Anina and I drove to Mont Pilier to find a farmers market that we read about. After driving around for 45 minutes we decided to cut our losses and just go to the grocery store. We stocked up on some yummies and drove back to Paris to meet the fam for the parade. They had found a fab spot and we got there just as the parade was starting.

The kids were very excited. Crew couldn't wait to get his hands on some candy! He doesn't quite get the idea that he should put the candy in a bag and save it for later. He thinks every piece of candy he grabs should be eaten immediately. Not that I blame him, but in the mean time Reagan's bag continues to grow and his stays empty. He may not see that as a problem at the time, but as soon as we get home he thinks its a BIG problem.








Grandma and Grandpa Diederich joined in on the fun. It was so fun to have them there. Grandpa stayed back to observe all the craziness that comes with a parade.



Grandma is more hands on. She was helping the kids get candy off the ground. She was making sure that our little toad was covered so he didn't get a sunburn.



The kids loved everything about the parade. And I loved that they loved it. Steve took control of the camera for the event. I must say he did a fabulous job and I am planning on handing it off to him more often.





After the parade was over we went back to the compound for some lunch and water fun. It was a beautiful day! So sunny and warm. The best part was that some clouds rolled in at around 3:00 and showered us for about 30 minutes then cleared up again. Perfect.



As the evening started to approach the temperature started to drop. So we bundled ourselves up, grabbed a bunch of blankets and drove out to Mont Pilier for the firework show. It was FREEZING! I don't know how it went from perfect to so freaking cold, but we didn't want to miss the big show so we suffered through and were able to see a fun show. The fireworks are actually lit about 10 yards from where we were sitting so it was pretty cool. Here is my check list for our firework escapade...



The weekend was a hit! Love this time of year and the fun we get to have together.