4th of July Weekend

I love the 4th of July ... especially in Orem/Provo, so that's where we went (goodbye 110+ degree weather). We left Wednesday around 5p and drove through the night (Brandon is a rockstar long distance driver) and we got home Monday night, so it was a pretty good amount. Rachel was really good in the car (a special thanks to "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Choo Choo Express" and lots of library books) and other than a runny nose and not quite enough sleep, she was fairly pleasant all weekend.

Just before we left, mom wanted me to make up an invitation for her BBQ, and I loved how it turned out (I totally copied the idea off tinyprints.com):

Ever since I was little, we went to the hot air balloon festival and I still love it. It was windy, so only 3-4 balloons got off the ground, but we still had fun with the Parker/Thompson family. This was the first time I've ever had to explain to Rachel what to do if she got lost (luckily, she didn't have to use the directions I had given her!) - and it was sure cute to hear her practice. "Find a mommy and say 'I lost, a name Rachel Hale, I 2'". After the balloons, I had my first experience trying Kneader's french toast - yum!

My brother Cade (15), me, nana, Rachel, Grandpa & Grandma Thompson, Chad, Logan, Cindy. Brandon would have come except that he went golfing with his dad & brothers.

We were especially excited to go home to meet the new babies!! Chad & Cindy had a little boy at the end of May - Logan David Parker. And Chris & Kacie had a little boy named Chase Bradley Hale, born June 4. How fun that our little guy is going to have boy cousins on both sides just a few months older than him!!

Brandon & new newphew, Chase

Kacie made the girl cousins matching outfits with the letter of their name to match - here's Kennedy, Rachel & Brynn showing them off. So cute!!

Brandon & Rachel with new nephew, Logan. I had a little photoshoot with him (I'll post pics later) and it was a lot of fun to play with him and practice taking pictures with my "manual" setting. He was so cute and was a good boy!

Grandma Nancy & Chase

Grandma Nancy got a bounce house for the kids to play in and they had such a ball! What a great grandma toy to have! On Saturday, all the cousins spent most the day at Grandma's house and had a great time jumping, swimming, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and doing fireworks. Brandon and Chris enjoyed the fireworks more than the kids since they add fireworks to the tanks and have "tank wars". Seriously, you would have thought they were 10 years old. Then they made a giant popper by taking the insides of 100 poppers/snappers and putting them all together in one = very loud popper!

Hale Cousins - Cannon, Mason, Kennedy, Rachel & Brynn

Swimming in the hot tub (temp turned down) at Grandma's house

On Saturday night, we went to the "Stadium of Fire" in Provo with my family and it was such a good show (Grandma Nancy babysat Rachel)! Carrie Underwood performed and she is absolutely AMAZING live and just gorgeous! The most exciting part of the show was when one of the in-field firework towers malfunctioned and started shooting fireworks into the crowd - it was in the VIP section too! It was so crazy, but it was in the last 5 minutes of the show and there wasn't a big deal made about it - I read on the news that 3 people were injured/burned and treated on the scene, but I was shocked that there wasn't anyone seriously hurt.

My Grandma Thompson got a new vehicle and she calls it her "convertible" and let us grandkids take a ride. Here's Nana & Rachel cruising in the neighborhood in the "convertible". :)

I have a love-hate relationship with the parade, but we always go - I guess I am just always a little disappointed, but Rachel had a great time so it was definitely worth staying for. I love this patriotic picture of Rachel - note the blankie - a number of times over the weekend, Rachel told me, "mom, brrr it's cold, need a jacket!" This was in 80 degree weather! We have officially ruined her by living in AZ! Funny stuff!

Cousin Mason & Rachel with their flags and doughnuts, of course!

Nana with her grandkids - Logan & Rachel

Family picture at the parade - luckily I am ok with this "angle" of the tummy (26 wks)