4th of July
The fourth of July is one of my all time favorite holidays for SO many reasons.. family, fun, fireworks, food, freedom, friends, and, a particular highlight (if that’s what you’d like to call it) this year was jumping into the deep end to save your 3 year old that thinks he’s a FISH.*insert face palm + heart attack*
Lets get the scary and unpleasant situation out of the way-
To make a long story short, Rocker jumped in the deep end of the pool without his floaties. Thankfully there were adults ALL over the place and my brother and I jumped in the pool instantly to save him. He didn’t even come up coughing or crying. My mom adrenaline was crazy and I hope to never experience that again. If you are taking your family to water (pool, lake.. whatever!) please bring your life jackets, floats, puddle jumpers, whatever you need to keep your littles safe! Thankfully, Craig had Jagger and I had Rocker so we were 1-1 with the boys, but still… you can’t be too safe!
Now, on to the fun in the sun! We’ve got a family tradition where we spend the first half of the day swimming and vegging out at my Aunt and Uncle’s house, and this year was particularly fun as it was our first year to celebrate with both boys! Last year, I was a beached whale at the pool 9 months pregnant with Jagger. Both of our boys LOVE the water, so of course we swam and enjoyed the pool.
We got our BBQ on and made hamburgers and hot dogs to join our already over flowing table spread of chips/dips, veggies, fruit, pasta salad, and my favorite brownies and cookies. We love spending time with our friends and family swimming and soaking up the day. Our littles are blessed with an amazing support system of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and so many friends that are basically family.
Our second stop of day/evening was my in-laws house. They have a beautiful home farther out from town where you can actually shoot off your own fireworks. My boys aren’t at the age where they really enjoy fireworks, but one day this will be a tradition they love. There’s a firework stand down the street from their home that the boys take the golf cart and go shop for the evening fun. Rocker loves the snap poppers you throw on the ground and smoke bombs. After it got dark we put Jagger to bed and I sat with Rocker inside watching the fireworks through the window.
Want some 4th of July ideas?
1. Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut up your fruit or mini sandwiches
2. Hit up your local Target dollar section for fun USA themed sunglasses, necklaces, and other accessories
3. Search patriotic music playlists on Pandora or Apple Music
4. Get out your corn hole boards or ring toss games!
5. Create a bucket of sunscreen options for friends and family to share
6. Sparklers and all the glow sticks you can find
7. Be prepared with your water safety and bug spray/candles in advance!
8. Share the responsibilities with you friends and family and everyone bring a dish to eat
9. Get your stars and stripes clothes early! You know you’ll want to wear something fun on the 4th!
10. Remember those that fought for our freedom and share some love with a thank you of any kind
Still need more ideas? Research “4th of July” on pinterest for more ideas than you could ever ask for!
Wrapping up, we had a great day! I’m truly so grateful for family, friends, and freedom. I can’t stress the importance of water safety and keeping an eye on your littles. Let freedom ring, Happy Independence Day!
