Fourth of July!

We had a nice quiet fourth this year. We started off the day with a pancake breakfast at the park with our ward! It was very yummy and Elliott had fun playing with all the kids while we visited and kept Rya out of trouble. Later that day we went swimming with some friends. All of the city pools are free on the 4th so we took advantage and cooled off. Lance and I BBQed later on and had a great holiday meal.... even if it was just us. I as usual made way to much food! That night we lit fireworks in our front yard. Half our street was out doing the same thing so we had quite the show. We thought about heading out to see a show but we didn't need to. There were so many people around us letting off illegal fireworks there was no need to fight the crowds, we had a front row seat right at our house! Rya with her first sparkler! I was pretty nervous because they were the short ones and she kept trying to grab at the fire!
Daddy and Elliott with their sparklers! Elliott had a lot of fun with hers!
Mommy and Rya watching the show from the sidewalk!
Daddy lighting the fireworks.... that is a daddy's job!
See the great show going on in the background!?
Look at those festive girls! Grandma Robison bought all the nieces these cute matching outfits!
Helping with the poppers! lance is a dork and came home from the store with this big tube full of fireworks. He was telling me that Nevada must do theirs different than Utah because they all looked the same...all cones! Oh duh! The box says "the popper party!" Turns out they weren't fireworks but all whole lot of poppers! Oh well, Elliott had fun with those and Lance went and bought more actual fireworks!!
Sparklers.
Rya and the lighter... probably not safe but safer than a sparkler!

More poppers! poor Rya would jump every time one popped!

We had such a fun fourth but I can't help but miss being home with my family! You are supposed to be with your family on holidays, even if it is only the 4th of July! Every year we go to my grandma's house and swim all day and BBQ later on. Then we get back into the pool until we we are all completely wrinkled! Then we let the boys light tons and tons of fireworks off in the backyard! And lastly we all grab a lawn chair and watch the lagoon fireworks with a front row FREE seat! I think I really took for granted how great it always was to have this tradition! I guess we will just have to start our own traditions in Las Vegas!