Fourth of July!

The fourth of July is essentially the same every year. And I love it. My favorite moment is at dusk, right before fireworks, waiting with Scott. Kids are jumping over us, teens snuggling on blankets, the parades and parties done and wrapped up. That's the moment I marvel at how much I love my life and all the people in it. Yes, it's a lot of work. My goodness, creating a happy life is exhausting! Fostering positive relationships takes time and careful effort, thoughtful decisions. But it's so worth it, and that twilight moment on the blanket every year is one of the glimpses I get of just how much that effort is paying off.

Breakfast. Rather than the chuckwagon breakfast, we made a fancy waffle spread.

Then the parade

Then the water parade!

Then party prep. How adorable is this girl?

Scott and I had a scuffle over Freestone's 4th of July party that I organized without mentioning to Scott. :) His idea is to relax and have family time on holidays, especially when it's one of the few days we get Freestone. Understandable! But my idea is to take advantage of the holiday to get to know Freestone's friends and have them around us. I reminded Scott how his friends (incl me) always crashed his parents' "family" 4th of July BBQ and they never seemed to mind.

The argument was moot since the friends were already coming, but I'm sure we'll have more chances is the future to debate the pros and cons of having people over. Right, Scott? ♥

Freestone, Kessler and Sebastian. All three of them will be new PTD's this year at Ballet West.

Taten, one of Freestone's super good friends at ballet. Last night, (this is July 24) Freestone told me, "If Kai leaves to go to Boston Ballet, it will just be me and Taten." I said, "What do you mean? There are other boys. In what friend group would it just be you and Taten if Kai left?" He said, "MeTatenandKai." Ha ha. All the groups have sub groups.

A BUNCH of girls from the Ballet West intensive took Frontrunner out to Layton where I picked them up. It seemed like to me that they were all enamored with Freestone. And also, his girlfriend Amelia was there. Kudos to her for being friendly and not intimidated by all those girls she didn't know.

Cruz was here last summer and this summer. I don't think he's staying, though.

Kessler lives in Park City, so he stayed and went to ballet with Freestone the next morning. Jake also stayed because he is fun!

Celi, Spencer and a super friendly kid from Bountiful. All of them and the Spaniards plus Freestone and all of his friends ended up at the Bountiful fireworks the previous night.

The next day, since you know, I wasn't leaving for three weeks until the NEXT day, I took the girls to Park City. They shopped while I went to the pool with Ptolemy and Tziporah. We invited Sarah with Alex and Lincoln. They were two hours late. Then I went home with the littles and left Golda, Sofia, Araceli and Irene in Park City to have fun overnight at the condo. Scott picked them up the next day on the way to their weekend in Vegas. Except Golda who got a ride to Kaysville with the Bazails. By that time, Freestone and I were probably somewhere in Nebraska. Life happens fast!

 Golda wasn't planning on staying overnight until I begged her to, so she didn't have a suit. She borrowed one of Irene's. So this might be the only time you see her in a bikini!