It’s Independence Day

Woo to the hoo for another Fourth of July with our favorite peeps. We left for Corpus on Tuesday to spend a couple nights with the Collins Fam and enjoy some patriotic activities. We got there just in time for a DEE-licious dinner: crawfish etoufeé (my mom’s recipe, actually, which Aaron executes so well) and garlic biscuits. SOOOO good. I can still taste it. I could do an entire post on the wonder that was the etoufeé, but I’ll move on.

We woke up on the morning of the 4th, and Brian and Ben had this amusing conversation:

Brian: Happy 4th of July, you guys!

Ben: Huh?

Brian: Happy Independence Day!

Ben: So we each get to do what we want all day?

Brian: No - it's the 4th of July!

Ben: Oh, yeah, Fireworks Day.

I guess we need to focus a little more on US History. Once Ben had been properly schooled, we decided that we would spend the day swimming at the home of some of A & L’s friends. (We tossed around the idea of going to the beach – but decided at the last minute that it would be way too crowded.) I think that decision was a good one. The kids had a great time swimming and jumping off the diving board, and our hosts kept bringing out cookies fresh from the oven.

How many kids can Aaron hold at one time?

Brian showing the kids how it’s done (and blinding us with his whiteness).



Gracie braving the diving board.



Noah preferred to chill on the boogie board…



…until I pulled him too fast and he went for an unplanned swim.

Lunch time!

Worn out!

After our swim, we headed back to the house for clean up and naps. Once everyone was rested and dressed in their 4th of July finest, we loaded up the vans and headed to the baseball field to see the Corpus Christi Hooks play.

  

First things first, we had the annual Red, White & Blue group photo shoot. I lowered my expectations from everyone looking and smiling to everyone in the frame and not crying.

   

Our tickets were for the grassy hill behind right field, and I honestly did not see a single at bat. It was still totally worth it, though, because we were right next to the recreation area for the kids and we also had a prime spot for both the stadium fireworks, and then later the city’s fireworks that are fired off of the USS Lexington. Liz and I held down the fort with the babies while the men-folk took the bigs to play on the playground.

Once the play area closed, there was lots and lots and lots of waiting.

We broke up the waiting by rolling down the hill, waiting in line for dippin’ dots, wrestling, and eating lots of popcorn.

Both sets of fireworks were awesome, but it made for a very hot, long night. Noah & Rylan were a little bored with the whole thing before it all started.

I took this picture of Ben as Brian was explaining to him that the fireworks couldn’t start until he sang Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA”.

Fireworks time – so worth the wait!

Noah wasn’t too sure about things… but what else is new?

The princesses thought the fireworks were a little loud for their delicate hearing.

Noah got a second wind, right as the festivities were ending.

Sooo purty.

The next morning we had a little bit of play time before it was time to head back to San Antonio.

It’s always sad leaving (especially when Ben & Tanner go on and on about being best friends). We’re definitely looking forward to our next opportunity to spend time together! Thank you, thank you, Collins Crew for putting up with the crazy Barricks for a few days. Happy Fourth of July!

PS. Due to the aforementioned wrestling on the hill, we had to take Ben to the doctor when we got home. He spent the next week wearing this lovely contraption. Good times!