So for the first time since moving to the States we spent the 4th on the East Coast. In Jersey!

Luckily for us we have friends who have become like family (those who do not live in the “mother land” know of what I speak) and they were kind enough to come and spend the 4th with us.

And we had a marvelous time together!

But let me back up a bit…

The day began with a parade and a pony ride. Millie couldn’t wait to get on the pony, it was all she could think or talk about UNTIL she saw the pony. Then she wanted nothing to do with it.

The coaxing begins.

“I CAN’T DADDY! I CAN’T!”

Jan whispers encouraging and pragmatic adivice. And after about 10 minutes…

We have contact!

And big smiles!

And the report! “I did it! I did it! And the horse is called Buddy and he was so cute and soft…etc, etc, etc.”

Way to go, Dad! You got her on there.

Then came the obligatory cotton candy.

Nothing like a healthy lunch, says I.

And then we spent the rest of the time looking at how long the lines were and trying to decide what to do with all the tickets Jan had bought. Which made me grumpy. And stressed. After all it was the 4th and I was exercising my inalienable right to be really, really ticked off. Which Jan made sure to capture on film.

Grrrrrrrrrrrr.

While mom was ticked Clara was darling.

(I could just eat those little tootsies! You?)

After Millie’s lunch of pure sugar we followed this up with dessert. Mmmmmm! Dora on a stick, delish!

Then we headed for home to prepare for our BBQ, suckaz!

Couldn’t have done it with out this little darling. Beneath her hood were some charming burgers and dogs. And not the dogs that howl, you get me?

The grubbins…

The decor…

The hostess wore…

Millie had three different outfits. By far the best was the one she came up with. Taking the left over decoration and turning it into a skirt.

(You get the idea, it was all tres festive.)

Best of all — the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful friends who inspired our little gathering! How we love these peeps!

The Dads and the older kids went to the park behind our house to play some good old baseball.

While the younger kids ran in the field and played in the dirt.

This may sound rather bold but I believe that if Norman Rockwell was still alive and if he’d happened upon us he would have whipped out his paint and easel and immortalized us!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!

My house is usually pretty clean.

I can’t help it.

It is in my DNA.

I usually never put off doing housework.

But the other day I got a little present for putting off cleaning.

Millie drew our family into the dirt on the windowsill.

It made me so happy I left it there for days.

Is needed by me.

I just put this mirror up in Clara’s room.

It has been playing musical rooms for the past while.

First it was in Millie’s room and never looked quite right.

Then it took a little hiatus to our bedroom and made friends with the dust bunnies.

Now I have put it in Clara’s room and I am just not sure it works.

So, honestly – what do you think?

Here it is a little closer up.

The other place I was thinking it would look good is above the crib.

It is looking a wee bit monastic in this corner. But there is something soothing about a monastery, no? I kind of like that look sometimes. I’m always torn between leaving a wall blank or putting something on it. A blank wall can be really, well, soothing. Or it can look down right naked.

Clara really enjoys the mirror here. She loves to gaze at herself, but she can paw at it, which makes me a little nervous.

HOLY GUACAMOLE! I love that kid!

Would love to hear what you think, about the mirror, not the kid. I am definitely keeping her around. No doubt about that!