4th of July

At home before the festivities

Ready for the 2-mile walk in the parade!

Despite how it looks, little R DID enjoy the parade...not sure what this look was!

However, he was totally unimpressed with the fireworks!

I know I'm a little late, but since it is almost August I figured I would post our 4th of July activities! It was horribly humid and rainy pretty much all day, but by evening the rain had stopped, so the fireworks were on!

A's cheer group was in the town parade, so we sat through an extremely long parade to see/hear them cheer in the parade. Then that evening we went to Edmond's fireworks show. It was a humid, muddy mess and they didn't start the fireworks until 10:00. I think little R asked at least 100 times to go home before they even started! Then, when they did start he absolutely hated the noise...and ended up falling asleep with my hands over his ears!

I love the 4th of July! I don't know if it is because of R's career or just being grateful to grow up in this wonderful country, but I always get sentimental on the 4th of July, and I can't hear the Star Spangled Banner...ever...without tearing up! So, despite all the mud, rain, humidity-induced bad hair, and the ashes falling all over us at the fireworks display, it was a good day and we were so happy to celebrate together as a family!

She's a bike rider....FINALLY!!!

A has never had a desire to learn to ride a bike. We have attempted numerous times, and she was terrified! She has a Barbie scooter that she has been perfectly content to ride around the neighborhood. Finally, we decided we were doing our daughter an injustice by not making her learn to ride (she is almost 9 years old!)...so after a couple of crying, slobbering, snotting evenings of Daddy making her do it, she is now a bike rider....AND LOVING IT! I was totally convinced that the neighbors were going to call DHS on us those evenings...A was totally overreacting and causing quite a loud scene, begging Daddy not to make her do it! But no DHS workers have shown up at the door, so I guess we are safe!

This is what happens when you are the only boy...

The girls love playing dress up, doing each other's makeup and hair. Little R likes to be involved in whatever his big sisters are doing...so this is the result!! I don't think James Dobson (Bringing Up Boys) would approve, but the girls enjoy it, and little R enjoys it...so no harm, right??? And we won't mention Daddy's opinion of the whole thing...we will keep this G rated! : )

Sooo....what does this tell us? Do we need another little boy in the Willis house to even things up????

Cheer 4 Christ

A continues to LOVE Cheer 4 Christ! They were actually in the 4th of July parade on Saturday, but I didn't get any good pics of it, so I thought I would post a couple of their performance pics. Both pics have one of A's best friends, Reese...they met at school this year, and have become quite close. They won't be going to school together next year (they are both moving to different schools for the new school year), but we are hoping they remain friends...they have LOTS in common, especially their LOVE of cheerleading!