tie-dye, parades, good friends & tarts... Happy 4th of July!

It's been a tradition of mine since my now grown daughters were little to tie-dye t-shirts with my children for the 4th. Although, I must admit, some years it was just plain easier to run to Old Navy and pick up matching shirts for us all. As the years have flown by, my kids are now grown (one with a baby of her own) and half grown and scattered here and there, it's harder to keep the traditions going... but I try. So you can imagine my excitement this year when I mentioned tie-dying to Haley (my youngest who's 12... but not for long with her baby brother due to arrive in late November) and she jumped at the idea. She was so psyched that she made two shirts! That makes a momma feel good!
We even got our neighbors, Tanya and lil' Sadie in on the fun.

Here are Haley and Jackson (my 13 yr. old step-son) bunching and dying...

Here they are proudly displaying their creations waiting for our neighborhood parade to begin... Doesn't Jackson look excited? He is on the inside... he's just going through that early teen phase... ugh!

Here I am with my adorable loving hubby. I have what you call, in-a-rush-get-everyone-up-early-to-make-the-parade-unwashed-pregnant-lady-sweaty-wind-blown-hair!

Let the fun begin...

Look! There goes lil' Sadie in her custom shirt riding in the parade... Go Sadie Go!

Here we are (Haley, Jon, Me & Jackson) having fun catching all the candy... Remember, Jack is haivng fun on the inside!

Haley's little friend, Erin and her mom and dad...

Here's my good friend, Mary Ellen and her guy, Tommy chillin' out in the shade...


Here's my best friend, Amy with her hubby, Brent and the youngest of their six children, Tommy... how'd they get so lucky to only have this morning? Yea Tommy, wave that flag! Can you see what his shirt says? It says "Lock up your daughters"! LOL

They even brought their Oscar-Dyer-Wiener-Dog along for the fun...

Here's Erin and Haley enjoying the fun... and candy!

Back at the house we enjoyed these Cream Cheese Tarts (and other good food), a little swimming (in our new fancy pool) and the company of good friends... I didn't get many pics at the house because I was just plain wiped out and HOT!

Here's Haley and Sadie cooling off... I told you our new pool was fancy. It's even got a bench and those much needed cup holders!

Watch out y'all! Tommy has the water hose!

We wrapped up the days celebrations with fireworks out in the country at Jon's brothers house (and no, I didn't get any pics out there either... by then I was more then wiped out... I was exhausted).

But let me just say how comical it is to me that you can give grown men explosives and they suddenly turn into giddy 13 year olds.

This was the final picture of the night (thanks to Haley)... A lovely one of me squinting because the flash was too bright for my exhausted eyes... I was way beyond ready for bed.

Good night America... and Happy Birthday!

xo

Ralonda