4th of July!

This year was different.  Not bad...not good...but Ryan was not here so it was hard for me to be in the mood to celebrate.  BUT it made me think of so many families out there who don't have their honey at home because they are off protecting what we are celebrating...our freedom.  I felt selfish...whiney...

I miss Ryan...I miss him alot.  I think the kids are too because they are GLUED to my side constantly.  Little Hazel should be changed to my little duckling.  She is like a shadow (I remember Mom calling Adam her shadow).  She is DARLING!  I love her to bits!  Hagen is really good when Ryan is gone.  He is such a helper lately.

So the kids had their 4th of July Sweat-a-thon known as the parade.  Now it is only like 15 minutes, but I am that crazy mom that shows up about 30 minutes early to get a good view AND be in the shade!  I STILL didn't get good pics!  I am sucking at my picture taking lately!  Hazel and her best friend Sophie came out leading their class...it was precious!  Hagen came out all smiles and frantically looking around for me.  We never made eye contact.  When I went to get him in his class he was bummed and kinda sad.  "Mom, you missed it..."  What?  He thought that since he didn't see me that I wasn't there.  Note to self, don't ever miss a sweat-a-thon...his heart was broken!

That night I took the kids to Marble Slab for a treat after dinner.  To be honest it was more for me.  I ate mine, Hazel's and part of Hagen's.  I felt like SUCH a pig!! 

On the 4th, I did things around the house, the kids ate lunch and napped then we headed off to Aunt Karen and Uncle Dave's house to swim and cook out!  We had a great time!  Hagen is swimming so good and is now at the age that I don't have to STARE at him in the pool constantly.  He knows he can't swim unless I am there.  I told him that just because Nana or any other adult says it is OK that he is STILL to ask me.  he did...he wouldn't go out the door to the pool unless he asked me first.  Such a rule follower!

Hazel was happy too!  She was giving out hugs and kisses and enjoyed a 4 hour picnic on a towel eating fruit and chips...she was in heaven.

That night I really wanted to take Hagen to fireworks!  OK, honestly I could have cared less but he asked if we were going.  The thought of having a 1 1/2 year old and 5 year old in the dark by myself was too much.  Mom and Dad said I could drop Hazel off to them to spend the night and so I would just have Hagen.  We met up with Adam's family and had the BEST seats!!  We had no idea where they were going to be set off at but ended up as close as we could get...awesome.   Hagen was a big man this year and no ear plugging was needed.  Aunt Rebecca brought TONS of glow sticks to make necklaces and bracelets, I brought small flashlights, and they had a tootsie pop...life was good.

We got home around 10:15 and we crawled right into bed.  I let Hagen sleep with me again and we were both out in no time!  This morning?  Punk wouldn't let me snooze!  I could have all morning!!

That's about it!  Ryan home tomorrow THANK.THE.LORD.

Carrie