Happy Birthday America

Since we have lived outside of the U.S., it is hit and miss on if we are home to celebrate the 4th of July.  This year was a hit.  We had just gotten to the U.S. about 18 hours before, so we were a bit jet lagged and disoriented but we managed to get dressed and downtown to the parade that mosied its way down Main Street.  The girls were excited to watch and wave as we had never been in Breckenridge for the 4th before!  Stinkerbell positioned herself right up front so she could catch as much flying candy as she could (and did she ever) while MadHatter stood a bit farther back, perhaps a bit too old for fighting for pieces of candy? 

After the parade, we wandered around for a bit just taking in the festivities that were going on all afternoon.  Stinkerbell tried them out when she could, and the rest of us enjoyed watching her have fun.  It was the highlight of the day because unfortunately Colorado is under Level 2 fire bans and there would be no fireworks allowed anywhere in the state.  We had to make do with watching them on TV.  But even with that, it was a great way to get outside and try to beat back the jet lag.

Happy Birthday, America!  Glad we were here to help you celebrate!

Driveway chalk drawing.

A snap in the backyard with Lucy.

Easter Fools

After a few years of doing it, the Easter Bunny is getting pretty good at hotel room egg hunts.  This year he switched it up a bit though and instead of leaving their baskets and an egg hunt, he simply left them a small scavenger hunt with a twist at the end.  See, it was not only Easter, it was also April Fool's Day and the Bunny took full advantage by playing a little trick...

The girls awoke to find this pink egg by the water bottles in their room.  They quickly discovered it had a clue inside that led them to their next egg, and the next and the next...

 He did leave them a small bag with a few treats but they would just have to wait until we got home on Monday to hunt for their baskets.

 

This is the story of a Girl...

It's a simple story.  Really.

Girl is at work and sees Boy, in a tuxedo, walking through the mall with his {then} girlfriend as they are heading to the Prom (the girlfriends', as Boy is a college freshman).  They stop to chat with friends at the very place that Girl is working and then head out to the dance.  Girl has no idea that said Boy works at the same place when he is home from college.  In fact, he and his brother and sister (that's me) have worked there for years.  A few weeks pass, the school year ends and Boy is back in town and back at work, this time working alongside Girl.  The two spend many hours together at work and connect.  Boy breaks up with girlfriend.  Boy and Girl date for a few years.  And this should be where the story ends happily ever after.  But, Boy being young (and dumb) breaks up with Girl due to distance and college.  Girl goes on to get married, have 4 boys and raise her family for the next 20 years.

Girl is once again single.  She wonders what happened to
that Boy she first saw in that tuxedo so many years ago.  She looks him up, friends him on facebook and they reconnect all these years later.  Quickly, they fall in love again and Boy finally does the smart thing and doesn't let Girl get away for the second time.

And that is the story of how I got to spend my 12th Anniversary this New Year's Eve, at Boy and Girl's rehearsal dinner at a private venue in DisneyWorld, laughing and talking with family while watching the fireworks go off over Epcot from a very spectacular location.  And now I now get to call that girl, sister; and I added 4 nephews, a niece and a great-nephew into my family all in one fell swoop.

Happy Anniversary indeed!

My brother C "buying" B a drink.

Brothers.  In both the Picture above and below.

Coolest desert ever (and quite tasty!)

These chocolate balls are hollow but filled with Blondies and Buttercream.  

They put them in liquid nitrogen to flash freeze them, smack them with a spoon to break them open and then drizzle them in Carmel and sprinkle with sea salt.

Amazing!

Because the ice cream balls weren't enough we also got Mickey Ears!

And of course, a fireworks display that only Disney could create...

These guys then plotted their bike ride down on the boardwalk.  They got a group together and rented a covered bike for 8 and spent 1/2 hour cruising the boardwalk below us.

Looks like someone is milk drunk...

On our way out, C remembered the cooler full of Mickey Ears and found an ingenious way to make sure we took each and every one of them home.