honest Abe and the 4th of July

Blogging in real time is not my strong suit. So after your Instagram was blowing up with festive, finely filtered firework photos (going for the five world alliteration finale there but had to settle for photo...at least it sounds like a F right?) You get to read about our 4th. (!!!) Or you can always click on my friend the X in corner....I'll never know. ;) 

Judge us and judge us good for taking the kids for a little mall walking to celebrate our great founding fathers. But sometimes when it's summer and blazing hot and everyone is going insane in the house we take the kids to walk the mall. Jake had taken the boys to our church's 4th of July pancake breakfast at the park that morning. (While I slept with Beck...holiday traditions will start next year.) SO they did get some fresh air and  4th of July socialization before we traded that it for stale air and herds of other Americans filling escalators. 

 

The kids loved it and they ride the little rides that "don't move."  I always consider making a sign that reads "if anyone ever dares to tell them that these things have the capability to actually move/make noise -- you will be on my hate list forever." but then than seems rather immature.

But then came the parents that paid to let their twins ride the firetruck as our kids watched in SERIOUS disbelief and started asking us some SERIOUS questions.

My parents were in town and very kindly offered to buy Jake some new work clothes. Which was SO incredibly generous. Jake wanted my 2 cents on what kind of ties he should get so my dad took the older two to the crazytown play place and I was incredibly helpful to Jake while I took Beck-n-me selfies. 

Beck is smile city these days but when he gets hungry...watch out.  This kiddo smiles so big and so hard that you can practically hear it from the rack of men's dress pants three racks over. What can he say...he really feels the menswear vibe. 

In other 4th of July news, our fish Cactus died that morning. Cause of death: being a fish. I fed him his 4 pellet breakfast which he ate and then about an hour later he was "sleeping" at the bottom of the tank. 

I was concerned about what the repercussions of flushing Cactus might bring on our boys and on our toilets. 

The following situations wouldn't be unlikely. 

1. Rhett and Rad being terrified to now use the potty.

2. Rad thinking it would not be appropriate to put other non-toilet related objects down the drain.

3. Either of the boys trying to find the flushed pet.

So we (I) decided to bury him.

Rhett keeps asking when we'll go dig him back up to put back in his tank so maybe this wasn't the better option. Time (and hiding all shovels) will tell. 

We splurged on some Costco candy apples and Rad was obsessed with the sprinkle one. I literally could not take a picture without his hand slipping in. Creeper.

But finally by the evening, we hit our 4th of July stride.

Baby your a firework. (Thank you Katy for that lyric...it will forever be used in conjection with this holiday. Although I doubt that was your intention.)

When we bought what we thought were "toddler-friendly fireworks" (which gave mommy a mild seizure after 5 consecutive min but whatever) we realized "what kind of crazy people get any sort of sparklers/fireworks for their 4 and 2 year old kids on the 4th of July??"

These idiots.

Buuut when we made it through our homemade show with no injuries - we were high fiving each other dumb and dumber style. 

Happy (very late 4th) from us to you!