Independence Day

Our favorite place to be for fireworks on the fourth of July is my parents' lakehouse on Lake Tapps. The house is on a miniature peninsula in the lake and most of the back side of the house is made up of windows. People all over the lake shoot off fireworks in a nearly endless stream all of Independence Day weekend, with the biggest best displays on the 4th itself. There isn't a specific firework show to watch, but on the peninsula we enjoy a nearly 360 degree display of fireworks for hours and hours. And even better--our bedroom there has an alcove of big windows facing the lake so Jeff and I can lie in bed watching fireworks when we're too tired to stand.

The Gibbons--Jeff's sister Steph and her family (husband and 3 kids) joined us at the lakehouse on Sunday afternoon. Cousins to play with!

My parents were also there with us for the fourth--bonus! My Mom had a few packs of three-foot-long sparklers leftover from a friend's wedding reception, so we went out and stuck them all in the lawn by the lake and lit them up. It was so much fun! We frolicked and danced a little around them like some midsummer night ritual because it was silly and fun. But being outside on the lake with all of those other firework explosions echoing across the water continually was surprisingly exhilarating! I did not attempt to take fireworks pictures--not worth it. I enjoy fireworks the best in the moment.

Jay and Rose made us promise to wake them up to see the fireworks, but just like every year, they never really woke all the way up. We carried them outside and showed them the sparklers and fireworks, which they gazed upon blearily before drooping and being taken back to bed. They did not remember it in the morning. 

 Oh, to be a five year old riding downhill.

 Amber rode around on her Plasma Car saying "weee, weee!" over and over.

 Jay graduated from Plasma Cars to Razor scootering.

But the teeter totter is still popular with everyone! 

 Rose and Layne, watching 2 year old Tate have a meltdown--their faces are so funny! Tate wanted one of the Plasma Cars, but it wasn't his turn, and the girls were worried that a grownup was going to make them give up their rides. O ye of little faith! haha

 I'm so glad Rose and Layne have each other--Layne is 22 months younger than Rose, but she's the closest girl cousin age-wise that Rose has on either side of the family. They are BFFs.

 Grama Meri got out her kite on the blustery 4th of July afternoon, to much celebration among the kidfolk.

After a grilled dinner, Uncle Jasen started a fire for s'mores and we all joined in.

Rose kept covering her face from the heat of the flames. The funny thing was, it was actually chilly enough for us to appreciate the fire!

 Amber kept stealing graham crackers--she never even had a s'more, just the crackers.

 Amber's profile, Tate, and Steph's pretty foot--she was there, I promise! The Whites are not big on being in pictures, so I limited my photography to the kids. 

 I kept trying in vain to get a picture of all of the cousins...HAH.

After the kids were in bed on the fourth, Jeff and I retired to our alcove of a room to await sunset and fireworks.

I love the reflection of the lake view in the room windows.

 The golden trail of molten sun shining on the water is one of my favorite sights at the lake.

A gorgeous sunset on the lake, peppered with cracks and booms from early fireworks. 

On Sunday July 3rd after visiting sacrament meeting in the Lake Tapps Ward, we went on a family walk around a local park and found a nice chalk drawing of Lady Liberty (I had Jay change out of his Sunday pants before our walk).

 Happy birthday, USA!

July 5th

The fifth of July was a FULL day. Jeff and I took turns running and showering in the morning, trading off childcare in our traditional seamless summer running fashion. I love that cozy hang-out time with my kids. We all piled onto the bed, read Ameila Bedelia books, and giggled together.

The cousins watched a bit of Frozen together before we embarked on The Day.

Grayce and Amber were slightly wary of the intro to Frozen.

Once we were all exercised and showered, we drove an hour to Seattle's Alki Beach Park for some sand (minus the sun--Seattle was feeling cloudy that week). We had been going all out and going to bed late so the drive was sleepy. Jim Dale to the rescue! We relied heavily on Harry Potter #5 book on CD during this trip. It was breezy and chilly at the beach! At the beach I finally accomplished my yearly quest to take a cousin picture--it was no small feat getting six kids ages 7 and under to look at the camera all at once. But I treasure a good yearly group shot, so I persevered. After the photo, the Gibbons went out to a favorite restaurant while we stayed to play and picnic on the beach. It was fascinating to sit and watch the tide come in--we arrived at low tide and it seeped back in while we watched. Jay and I ventured to a wet sand spit and built a hasty sand castle with a moat for the tide to destroy. I have wanted to let the tide destroy a sandcastle ever since I read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The book was right, it really was worth whooping about when the tide swallowed up our little castle. After two hours on the beach, we made the hour long drive through dread Seattle traffic back to the lakehouse. I am such a small town girl. I would perish living in a city with more than five stoplights--Jeff to the rescue! He manfully drove through those crowded streets and got us back to the tranquil lake.

 Hello, a bald eagle was sitting in the seaweed on the beach! We didn't go too close--this is a full-zoom cropped close picture, but what on earth was this guy doing there on the beach? I hope he wasn't hurt!

Six cousins on a log at the beach

A quick history of The White Cousin Picture:

April 2013

December 2013

August 2014

September 2015

July 2016

Ok, back to Alki Beach:

 Jay and Rose collected a small heap of beach treasures: bits of shell, driftwood, rocks, and other debris.Then they buried it in the sand and put sticks in an X on top--X marks the spot!

I asked Jeff for assistance in getting the kids to smile, and he started doing some sort of LOUD, crazy Hakka. I wish he had done that for the big cousin picture! The kids were all looking and laughing their heads off.

 Crab bodies everywhere!

Our partially destroyed sandcastle, with the tide swooping in

Amber started getting pretty tired by the end.

After dinner, we still had a little bounce in our bungee so we went on a family kayak paddle: girls in one boat, boys in the other. It was relaxing to float and paddle on the glassy evening lake together. Rose ended up peeing in the bottom of the kayak, so it wasn't perfect, but we still had fun. Eventually we paddled over to the lake trampoline and the kids each jumped in a few times.

 Amber likes to pull Rose's ponytail.