That time we had a July 4th BBQ

I think it's kind of become a tradition to have a 4th of July BBQ at our house every year.  We love having our friends and family over and we have a great view of our city's fireworks.  Too bad the fireworks were pretty sucky this year.  On the plus side, our neighbors forked over the big bucks for their own good ones.  

Ainslie and Avery were practically twins!

They are only 8 weeks apart and Avery pretty much follows Ainslie everywhere she goes.

And pulls her hair.

At last year's BBQ, our little Ainslie friend was just 6 weeks old and Avery wasn't even born yet!

I do not miss being that pregnant.

 I cannot even believe a whole year has already gone by.

I love these 2 together!

 The boys played football

 The girls played with babies.

 The babies ran all over the place.

Dani and Randy brought over this GIANT chocolate cake.

One slice easily fed 4 people.

It was amazing.

I still have a bunch left.

Come and get it!

A good lookin' husband and a good tastin' cake.

That's my kind of holiday.

I like to call this the "I got caught playing with a pink purse" face.

My parents even came down from Idaho to join the party!

We are doomed to never have a good family picture ever.

You know what?  Kyle tosses Avery in the air and she laughs her head off.  I do the same thing and she cries.  So not fair.

Maybe she loves him more because he can juggle.

I don't blame her.

It's pretty impressive.

And then the boys played croquet.

After they figured out the rules, of course.

What a bunch of champs!

 Croquet spectators.

Hands down, the best picture of the day.

 Avery went to bed before dark, but I got her up to enjoy her first fireworks.

Which she actually really loved until Kyle lit some kind of flying firework of death that flew under my dad's chair and scared the crap out of everyone.  And burned the grass.

 This was right at the moment the chaos begun, just before Avery realized everyone was screaming and became terrified for the next half hour.  After it was over, it was kind of funny, but for a few minutes there, I thought for sure we were taking someone to the hospital.  By some kind of miracle, we all came out unscathed.  And now it's a good story.

My beautiful niece and my beautiful mom.

Hope everyone had a great holiday!