We really don't see Lisa's family that often, and consequently our kids have never known each other well. It seemed like a great opportunity, so we invited the boys to stay over for a couple of days. Mission accomplished! Now they know each other and they all had a great time.
The boys were content to just hang out together, playing video games, jumping on the trampoline, having water fights and tennis matches, which suited me just fine.
It was strange having every seat in my van filled! And discovering that it's possible to be even pickier than Lucas!We had a barbecue with hamburgers, corn on the cob, potato salad, potato chips, and fruit. One boy had an ear of corn, and the other had a small bowl of mac & cheese. That's it! They didn't even want the after-dinner popsicles I proferred! I had to apologize to their mother when I returned them because they pretty much starved while at my house, despite my continuous offers of various foods...
They did accept Italian sodas the next day. (This is our new favorite celebration drink of choice.)
We went to the store to pick out some fireworks and the boys were thrilled, since they are outlawed in their hometown (Sam holding sparklers here).
Marc just about went crazy trying to light the sparklers. Our butane lighter ran out of fuel and apparently our matches are too short and flimsy to be of any use. In addition, it always seems to be super windy on the night of the Fourth! (Note to self: make sure we have a fresh lighter and "real" matches next time...)
We had our now traditional play with sparklers and photography (Max making an M).
Greg making a circle.
Eva went to bed because she couldn't stand the sound of the fireworks. "Seriously." "For real." I can't remember when I didn't love fireworks.
It was a typically low-key Fourth for us. I always feel a little disappointed about this, but when it comes down to it, I'm just a "low-level recreator" (as Denise says), so I should probably just accept it gratefully.
We also decided that it's a good thing to have cousins stay over occasionally so that we can experience the sigh of relief that comes when we are restored to our little family. They are good kids, but having that many kids around is just loud loud LOUD! and definitely more chaos than we are used to. I guess it's a good thing that we have just our three...
10 comments:
A pickier eater than Lucas? Surely you jest!
I love cousin time AND low-level recreating. And I also love your fireworks photography.
I love that, low-level recreating. I do it every holiday, birthday. Now if I can just teach myself to embrace it.
Feeding other people's kids is tricky. My nephews wont eat here either.
Great firework photos.
It's hard to imagine kids pickier than Lucas AND those who consume less food than Lucas! What is up with that?
How do your firework pictures always turn out so well?
'Just' three kids? That's a lot to handle, Michelle. There's no 'just' about it.
Your fireworks pictures have convinced me to try street fireworks at some point, especially sparklers. I think I may be burned out on big fireworks shows.
Your sparkler pics are awesome!
One of my sisters lives in California and so my kids rarely see her 3 kids. It is kind of sad that they don't know each other either so I like your idea of a cousin sleepover!
Busy people crave low key and low key people feel bad for not celebrating bigger-no wonder we are never happy!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your pictures! I'm almost ready to put down my camera- I just don't get how to use it.
I'm glad you had a happy 4th! Love the pictures with the sparklers....SO FUN! I need to remember to do that next year :)
It may not seem possible, but we had an even more low key 4th than you did--not fun with cousins. How fun that they got to do fireworks with you, though. They were outlawed in California where I grew up, too, and it was always a treat to be able to set off our own.
"Low-level recreator" could be my slogan. I love it.
Have you ever read the book "It Could Always Be Worse" where the rabbi asks the man who complains about too much noise in his house to take the goat, chickens, geese, cow, inside...and then when the rabbi finally tells him he can take them out the man sighs with relief that there are only five children and his mother in law and wife? Your comment reminds me of that. Amazing how two or three less voices equals silence, isn't it?
lowlevel recreator...never heard of such term....Oh wow...fire works are soooo fun, we can't have them here either because of the fire situation in California. Itis always fun to have cousins over, even if at first it is a bit hard to break the ice.
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