4th of July - Colorado Style

We spent another 4th of July in CO with my family. I think this is going to be a new tradition. It was so much fun, and great to get out of the AZ heat!

One of the neighbors got a panda bear for the new baby, but Brooklyn decided she would take it over instead. Here she is "reading" him a book.


I had left the panda on the rocking chair when I put her down for a nap. When I went in to check on her, I guess panda was in reach because she pulled him into bed for a snooze with her. Silly goose.


Sage, Tanner and Brooklyn playing t-ball.

Brooklyn trying to steal Auntie Heidi's diet coke. Sorry missy, no soda for you! Even if you do look cute in your new sunglasses. Brooklyn calls them her "eyes".

The kids chillin in the chairs on the front patio.

Brooklyn driving Grandpa's pontoon boat. She thought she was hot stuff! My dad would put his hands on the steering wheel to help and she'd push them away and tell him "move".

Wait, let me turn on the tunes while I'm driving!

Sage and Tanner fishing. Too bad we didn't catch anything.

Tanner and Brooklyn made up a game of their own. They'd run through the house, then throw themselves on the floor and yell "BONKERS". I was cracking up. If they would have fallen down on accident I'm sure they would have cried, but since they were playing, I guess it was fun!

We spent an afternoon at the park letting all the kids get their energy out before naptime. Brooklyn loved the swing.

I think Auntie Heidi and Tanner did too!

And the tire swing

Brooklyn thought she was a big girl and was climbing through all the castles all by herself.

I think my mom even had fun on the swings! Way to go Grandma!

Tanner had cool red white and blue spikes in his hair for 4th of July!

These two are BEST BUDDIES!

Brooklyn was sharing her lunch with Tanner. Doesn't she know that mom is watching and this doesn't count as finishing your plate? :)

For those of you who remember, last year our firework show did not go as planned and we ended up exploding all the fireworks at once and our entire stock was gone in a matter of minutes (not to mention we started a few fires on the property). Luckily nobody was hurt.

This year, we decided to go about things a bit different and were much more careful. We had a great show and no catastrophes!

There were a ton of ground works that were really neat.

And we had over 70 of the large skyrockets. Our firework show went on for over an hour. It was great! I think I counted at least 35 people at my parents' house that night. They must have been brave to come over knowing what happened last year :)

It was a fun night~

The next day Brooklyn was jumping on the air beds that my mom set up for the bigger kids. She must not have remembered what happens to little monkeys who jump on the bed... she fell and bumped her head... big time. She hit the metal ridge on the main bed frame. I'm actually surprised it didn't break open. We would have been checking out the urgent care for stitches. She's ok though. Just a bit bruised.

This was right after she hit. It got worse, but not nearly as bad as I expected it to be.

She soon forgot all about her owie and was off and running again. Here's an action shot. She sure is a fast runner!

Trying to feed Bailee rocks. Good thing Bailee knows better!

She even got to go on a quad ride with mommy... a slow one to the neighbors house :) She was loving it!

Flirting with Grandma. She loves her "eyes". This is the first trip she'd actually keep them on. I think it helped that Tanner was always wearing his glasses. She likes to be big like him.

We had such a great trip! Didn't like coming home to the heat though. We always have fun when we go to CO. This was our last vacation this year since the baby will be here before we know it.