Independence Day 2011

We had a great, fun-filled, Independence Day this year. It all started bright and early strawberry picking. We tried to get there the same time as Cory and Kinley, but we had a couple false alarms of car sickness. So when we finally got there Kinley took Lilly for us, and Tanner helped us out for a while.

We filled that box to the brim, and Sam has been talking of the endless possibilities we can do with all those strawberries. I told him we are going to have to go back and get more berries for all the things he has in mind!

Grace mainly at the berries

But Tanner was an awesome "pick it and put it in the basket-er"

After we got our box full we got some strawberry smoothies and doughnuts from the concessions stand, and then this awesome tractor pulled up, and Grace could hardly contain herself!

So her sweet daddy took her for a ride.

The ride went around the field and by a bunch of farm animals. Grace thought she had died and gone to heaven when the sheep baaa-ed at her!

Man alive, I love these three!

We told Grace it was time to go...

But she couldn't leave without getting one more strawberry for the road!

Check out Grace's hair. It was supposed to be a star...but it didn't quite work out.

Sisters.

We came home and the girls had nap time, and then we had a whiffle-ball game, sand volleyball game, and a bbq with a bunch of our friends.

Sarah and Kinley....I couldn't resist a close up of these two lovely ladies. Check out Kinley's beautiful flower. She made it, of course!

Grace played in the sprinkler, and then the sand box. Not the best order.

After the bbq, we cleaned up and headed to down town Minneapolis to the Stone Arch Bridge to watch the fireworks. The Stone Arch Bridge is a walking/biking bridge that crosses the Mississippi River.

Grace had to learn the hard way that when you don't look before you run across the bridge you get totally pegged by a speeding bike! She really did get hit so hard, and the bicyclist felt horrible, but it wasn't her fault, Grace dashed right in front of her. They both went flying, but everyone was fine. Grace only had a tiny scrape on her ankle and toe. Although when we got home tonight we started to some bruising on her, but she'll be alright.

Grace Tanner Brielle

Kate and Grace right before the fireworks started.

Yes, I realize I look crazy in this picture, but Lilly looks so cute. She really was a trooper all night. She LOVED the fireworks. She just laid her head on my chest and watched without making a peep.

Grace and her favorite person in the world. Grace loved the fireworks too...thank goodness. Grace is afraid of the vacuum cleaner, so we were worried about how she would handle the loud noise. But she loved the lights so much, that she didn't mind.

We really did have a great 4th of July. We realized that this is most likely our first and last 4th of July in Minnesota, so we wanted to live it up. I think we did a pretty good job. I'm excited to see where we celebrate our next Independence Day.