4th of July-the 8th Annual BBQ

Slideshows are just a bit too easy...sorry about that, but when you are this far behind on bloggling, it's easier overall to post a show than individual pictures that seem to go on forever!
We had a blast on the 4th of July...as usual. It was our 8th Annual BBQ. I cannot believe this little tradition has carried on for 8 summers. It doesn't seem like we have been in our house that long. I love, love, love this get together. We have such a hodge podge of people and I think that is exactly what I like about it so much. We have roughly 45 people that come to our house. We have "who brings what" down to a science. We waiver a bit from year to year, but it's pretty much the same. One year my mother-in-law breathed that she may not make her beans due to back surgery and most of the people threatened her and couldn't believe the blasphemy she spoke! My mom made them for her that year, just because I think she felt sorry for the poor woman! Back surgery, schmack smurgery...the beans must be made! Peter actually went up to her this year and thanked her for the beans. It made her day. The 4th is after all, all about the food!
The Karsnia families are a new addition to the party...but we do other things with them throughout the year. Easton was just a newbie last year and this year he was doing the bear crawl all over the place.
Ruby made her first 4th party and vegged out in her diaper or Onesie during one of the hottest 4th's I can remember. At least we didn't flood this year!
The Froemke's came down again for the 2nd year in a row. Minus their oldest boy Jake. Who was in Wheaton visiting his Grandma and Grandpa for a week. We missed having him with us for the party and the float! Garret wouldn't do it without his big brother! But he had a blast flirting his big brown eyes at Emma and playing trains in the basement with the boys.
The Bilbens attended...they are after all "family". Regan battled the heat 6 months pregnant and it wiped her out completely. They made for an early night, assuming that we would be down to their driveway for the fireworks. She makes the best popcorn on the 4th for us as we pile at the end of her driveway to get a great view of the big show in the sky.
Chris turned 40 this year. His birthday was in June and we all forgot. Or were late with his card. Or didn't call him or anything! I mentioned it to my mom and she felt awful. Not to mention that it was a big birthday. Birthdays are a big deal in our family. So we turned the end of our 4th party into a 40th party. Mom made Chris his favorite cake and she found sparkler candles and a cute 40 and sporty centerpiece candle. We surprised him with our family rendition of "Happy Birthday" and "Chris has a birthday". He really was surprised and then immediately asked "Whadidyagetme?"...ha ha! Just be lucky that we owned up to forgetting your birthday made good with it Leps!
It was a bit tricky juggling a float, the kids wanting to be downtown, the heat, the hosting, etc...but by the time 3 o'clock came around, the kids had had enough of being downtown and we were welcomed home to a garage full of family and friends who had already made themselves at home...just where we wanted them. It was nice not having the 5k fun run the same day of the 4th. That made the day a little less hectic, but the float sure did add on to the business of the day. It was an awesome day that turned into an great evening...the storm that came scared us away from the fireworks that still went off...we were all tucked in bed when we heard the booms from across town. We all stayed there with eyes closed dreaming about how pretty the fireworks must have looked and how many mosquitoes the rain storm brought out.



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