4th of July Celebrations - G style

I suppose this post would be best with pictures - most posts would be best with pictures I think.  My posts tend to be a bit picture-less, I know, but it's because of all that confidentiality stuff and it's unbearably difficult to simultaneously make sure I'm taking a picture of one and only one kiddo while also keeping an eye on the other 3 in a crowd of thousands.  So, while I did take some pictures, I probably won't share them here.  Not now anyway. 

(and I have to say we have plenty...my son attempted to take a picture of every firework at the display last night with his very own camera, and that is not an exaggeration)

We had a wild and crazy weekend that left us exhausted this morning.  Really, a "good-mom" probably would have skipped the fireworks show on 4th of July, seeing as how it would keep the kiddos out really late on a school night, but not me.  I LOVE these types of family traditions and try to make the most out of all of them regardless the cost.  Which means we didn't get home until 11pm Monday night and had to wake up at 6am 7am this morning to go to school (and work).  It also meant we did all that without daddy who was working each night.  Here's what we did:

Friday night - date night with mommy & daddy.  Kiddos were with the sitter.
Saturday - took it easy.  Since daddy was home Friday night we didn't have to stay super quiet.  So we:

• went grocery shopping
• played outside on the playset
• cleaned
• went grocery shopping
• made chicken spaghetti
• did a craft to make lollipops out of lifesavers
• burned the craft to make lollipops out of lifesavers
• still tried to eat the lollipops anyway before realizing the popsicle sticks we used were plastic, not wood.  Yuck.
• laundry, laundry, laundry
• nap time for daddy & the 3 littles.  Movie time for mommy & Logie - honestly can't remember what we watched, which is strange.  I'm sure it was on netflix.
• Lots of playtime
• Auntie K came over with her kids - more playtime. 
• Auntie K, Mie, and 7 kids went to a public fireworks show.  Lots of fun.  Sprinklers came on getting everyone wet.
• Littles in bed by 11pm - Auntie K and her kids went home at 11:45 - Logie went with them.

Sunday -

• Late church for special service
• Quick Costco trip
• 3-hr Naptime!  All of us!!!  Mie too!
• Called Auntie K - she dropped Logie & her kids off around 5:30
• Took 7 kids to another public fireworks show, this time by myself
• Had lots of fun at the show.  Lots of traffic and poopy diapers made us slow to get home - around 10:45ish
• Put little kids to bed
• Started Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules at 11:30ish with the older kids and Logie
• Built a tent at 12:45am (???at this point even I think I'm nuts)
• Only one kid slept in the tent - all were in bed at 1am

Monday - Kids were up at 8am

• Had breakfast
• Had to keep the kids quiet for daddy sleeping - took them to the water/spray park (7 of them)
• Played at the spraypark until the kids "were freezing" - I got in the car and it said 113 (it lowered to 98 or so)
• Went home to clean house and play with daddy.
• Ate hotdogs and ham sandwiches and watermelon for lunch.  Dressed in our matching 4th of July shirts from Old Navy.
• Auntie K picked up the cousins.
• Littles and daddy napped. Daddy napped.  #7 tried to break the bed so he slept on the floor instead.  #4 & #8 didn't go to sleep right away but stayed in their bed - they did end up sleeping until 5:30 or so.  Logie & mommy went through papers and watched Netflix movies
• Made cupcakes and decorated for 4th of July.  Logie asked to "call America" so we could sing her happy birthday.
• #4's mom texted and asked how things were and if I could send pictures.  Decided to go to another fireworks show so I could get individual pictures to send her.  This time it was only mie and the 4 kids.
• Fireworks show #3 - had McD's on the way.  Kids went on bounce houses etc.  Ate ice cream and popcorn and cupcakes and watermelon and fishies.  I told them no chocolate milk when we got home.
• Left around 10:15 - traffic was crazy and sent us in the opposite direction.  Got home at 11 as previously stated.  All were in bed (including mie) at 11:45ish. 

Hope you had as much fun as we did this 4th of July!  (and if you did...hope you were smart enough to make today a rest day).