So Far Behind

It is hard to get motivated to do anything when you wake up and the fancy-schmancy outdoor thermometer/clock thingie already looks like this:

Yup, that clock says 7:06 am. Later it will look like this:

I don't want to over state the obvious, but IT IS HOT. We don't wanna do anything but swim or lie on the couch watching Harry Potter movies in eager anticipation of the new release this week. I'm so excited to go see it. Did I mention The Greatest is taking me! We can not remember the last time we saw a movie together. Seriously! We actually sat and thought about it, and we thought some more, and we thought some more, and we drew a complete blank. The best we could come up with was Batman Begins, which was released in 2005. Now that is just sad isn't it? So Hooray for hot dates! I can still call it a hot date even if he's taking me to a decidedly non-sexy matinee showing on a Wednesday afternoon right? Not all hot dates have to take place on Friday night right? Oh well, after 11 years of marriage, I'll take what I can get.

But that is all neither here nor there because I really here to show off some Fourth of July photos.

I know, I know. I'm like a week late doing it. And I'm pretty sure there's some statute of limitations on showing off holiday pictures. I think it expires 48 hours after the event. But I went crazy with the holiday crafting this year and I must document the insanity.

See those cute kids?

I just love them. They're so squishy cute! And I mean that in the best possible way.

I love America. And I love the Fourth of July. And I want my kids to love it too.

But Fourth of July has a PR problem. It has fireworks. But that's about all it has going for it. There's no mascot, like the Easter Bunny or Santa. There's no candy like Halloween or Easter or Valentine's Day. There isn't even the promise of Grandma and unlimited deserts like Thanksgiving. Sure, it's got barbecues, but small children just don't get all worked up over potato salad and grilled meat.

Mmmmmm...........grilled meat..............mmmmmmmmmmm...............meat...........mmmmmmmmmm.....wait....where was I?

That's right..Fourth of July.

I want my kids to get all excited for it. I want them to understand what a wonderful nation we live in. Flaws and all, I love it and feel bless to be a citizen of the United States through the happy accident of my birth. But how to get my kids excited?

I came up with the perfect plan. It was so simple, yet so brilliant.

Halloween has costumes. Easter has new Sunday clothes. Christmas has new pajamas.

Fourth of July needed wardrobe!

I had two white pillowcases just waiting to be made into dresses. I found this cute tutorial for a dress for Sweet Pea (side note *when I made it she only offered the dress is 24 month size, she has since added larger sizes. I think the 24 month size is on the small side, but your mileage may vary. Overall it is way cute and a well written pattern, especially considering it is free*). Then, of course, we needed accessories! All in all I made one pair of earrings, three little white dresses, three rings, four bracelets, and five hair bows.

It worked just like I hoped it would. The girls loved getting all fancy in their new clothes. Meaty didn't mind getting shafted with a bracelet and ring (honestly, I could have puffy painted a flag on his shirt or something). We were all dressed up with no where to go.

The Greatest was working so it was just me and the kids. I discovered people just don't "DO" Fourth of July out here. There are no parades. Few events. It was kinda a non-event around here. I think it might have something to do with the fancy-schmancy thermometer thingie. Have I mentioned how HOT it is? Fifteen google searches and four reading of the local paper and I still couldn't figure out where to go sit to see fireworks. In desperation I called a friend who informed me that she knew the perfect place to see the fireworks: her in-laws front porch. It was so kind of them to let me and my invading army of cute crash their family gathering. (Thanks so much Wiffy! Love you!)

And a good time was had by all!