Independence Day 2011

We had a pretty eventful weekend - the 4th of July is always a fun time and this weekend was no exception. It was great having the holiday be on a Monday - we had 3 straight days of BBQ's, parties and late nights of fireworks.

Sidenote: I had been complaining on Twitter that I was annoyed by all the people going crazy with Utah's new laws allowing more powerful aerial fireworks be for sale. The first few days fireworks were OK my neighborhood was just going CRAZY with loud fireworks until 11:30-midnight EVERY night. And it was waking up Grahm, and thus me. So I was bugged! But tonight was better, and so I won't complain, for now. We'll see what happens for the 24th of July (Utah's state holiday).

I started the weekend off right with a pedicure in a fun new summer shade (sent to me all the way from Switzerland from my awesome friend Jill).

We then had a little excitement on Saturday night when there was a mishap with some fireworks being set off a few streets over from us and they went into the garage catching the house on fire and kind of exploding the garage. Lots of sirens and then neighbors walking up to scope out the action while all the news stations were there. At midnight.

Then on Sunday we braved the heat (over 100) and went to the zoo. We love the zoo - such a low key and fun outing. We love the elephants and the bird show (even though Marc refuses to see the bird show seeing that he is terrified of birds).

Mason was super-loving the elephants and learning all about them - he was impressed that the elephants femur was taller than he was.

As we were leaving the zoo we noticed the mountain behind the University of Utah was on fire. They had just started dousing the flames with a helicopter carrying a big bucket of water which the boys thought was the coolest thing ever, so we found a shady parking lot and watched them fight the fire for a little while.

Then Monday was the holiday! We had a bunch of our friends over for a BBQ in our backyard. Marc made pork tenderloin with pineapple jalepeno salsa/chutney/relish that was delicious. All the kids played in the sandbox and with the squirt guns and Grahm took a 4 hour nap because he's still fighting off an ear-infection that just won't quit. And the adults played a marathon game of Bocce ball where I managed to win every single match I played (and I'm usually terrible!)

Then it was fireworks time! Our neighbors all were outside doing their fireworks at the same time and it made for a pretty great show. We could see aerial fireworks all around us for hours.

Grahm was loving the show - he can be a nervous kid so I was glad he wasn't too afraid. And I had some cool glow-in-the-dark bracelets on, too.

Mason and his best bud Corinne - these two were 2 peas in a pod the whole entire day and didn't spend too much time apart from each other or not holding hands, for that matter. Kindergarteners. ;] We're sad that they're moving to Texas soon!

The 4th of July rocked this year! It was perfect weather, perfect friends and family, great food and amazing fireworks!