Our July Fourth

Happy Fourth of July everyone! We hope that you all had as great of day as we did, celebrating with friends and family.


Our day started out at Heartland Park for a footrace in which all of the kids in our family participated in the Kids' Fun Run. They all had to run a mile and my niece Sarena came in first place for the girls! We had so much fun watching them run.



After the race we all met at my parents' house to watch the Floatilla of decorated boats go around the lake and down the river. After the kids decided to jump in the lake for a swim, we headed downtown for a pie contest at the bookstore that my cousin Jared entered. He didn't win anything, but they auctioned off all the pies and our family came home with some great desserts (Jared's pie went for $90!!!!)! The money from the auction went to support the local public library.





Shortly after the auction we walked to the candy store to get some candy to munch on during the Fourth of July parade which we watched later on. It was a great parade, however Maida got a little tired after eating her sucker and fell asleep on Auntie Kim's lap. After getting sunburned like never before, we headed home to take the speedboat out on the lake.


Erik, Sadie, and Sarena all were brave enough to jump off the boat to cool off. Kim and I stayed dry and later enjoyed cruising the lake as fast as we could go, jumping the waves (don't tell my doctor)!




The whole family came over for hotdogs on the grill for dinner and then we were off on the boat again. This time we took it down the river into town where we docked it next to some friends' and family's boats and watched the fireworks which were shot off right across the river from us. This was Erik's first time on the boat with the Kinkels to watch the fireworks and he said that it was the best fireworks he's ever been to. He couldn't believe how close we were and how loud it was! Maida, on the other hand, didn't give one care about the fireworks. She watched a few of them, but the big bangs didn't even phase her. She entertained herself by running up and down the boat, sneaking candy and snacks from anyone that would give them to her.

We ended the night by saying goodbye to my sister Kim and her family, who left early this morning. We had such a great time with them while they were here and it was sad to see them go.