Family Fun on the Fourth of July!

Not to be confused with Family Fun on the First of July, here are some pictures from our holiday yesterday ... :)

I must start with some nature pictures from the morning! This is a tiny ladybug I found while snipping wildflowers ...

And look who we spied peeking out from behind a rock:

(Click on the picture to open a larger image.)

Isn't he darling? We think he is a baby (or young) chipmunk. We haven't had a chipmunk around here in ages, so we were very pleased to see this little fellow.

After dawdling outside for a while, it was time to get down to the business of preparing the feast! I didn't get a picture of the appetizers or dinner spread, but here are the desserts:

Left to right: star-shaped chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, cherry jubilee pie and frosted carrot cake. My mum made the cakes and my cousin made the pie. The pie is an old family recipe, one we have traditionally at the Fourth and often on Easter.

Later on, to burn off some of the extra "holiday energy" (i.e. sugar high), Bill had the boys running races out in the yard:

But they took time to sit for a picture for Mama:

My Guys.

A few minutes after this photo was taken, my brother showed up for a short visit, and while he was here, he set off a few small sparklers for the boys. Uncle Matt is always full of surprises!

I forgot to take pictures of the table, so later that evening I snapped a picture of the wildflower bouquet:

(Truth be told, the wildflowers were a bit past their prime, but they still looked nice.)

And I had to show you the tablecloth I used on the dining table - it belonged to my grandmother and brings back such summery memories! I love the cheerful strawberry print (and that's a soft terry material, too)!

Oh, and this was a nice surprise! The day before the holiday a package arrived for Bill. We didn't know what it was, but as it was marked Fragile: Glass, we promptly put it up out of reach and forgot about it until yesterday afternoon.

Well, inside the box was the clock Bill received last month upon his ten year anniversary with his company. We had completely forgotten it was on its way:

I just love it - I've been wanting a mantle clock since - well, ever since we got a fireplace two years ago, lol! What's even more lovely about this clock is at the hour it plays chimes sounding out the Ave Maria! At long last we have a centerpiece for our mantel!

OK, back to the holiday, and one more photo to wrap up. Around here we had steady rain move in right about dusk, so we decided to watch the neighborhood fireworks from the front windows. I took this one and fuzzy as it is, at least you can tell what it is (I think):

Honestly the fireworks are getting bigger, louder and more intricate every year (and, no, my state does not allow them, but they generally seem to be ignored by local law enforcement). I go back and forth between enjoying the show and being nervous about all the holiday revelers handling explosives out there. And the thing is, at 9 p.m. it is really exciting, but by 10, when the booms are incessant and your youngest is now awake and cranky, you're feeling a little annoyed.

Well, I hope you all had a great Fourth of July! I may be scarce for a bit - Bill is on a little vacation and we are getting ready for Bookworm's "Ratatouille" Birthday party tomorrow. See you all soon ... :)