4th of July Weekend

Well, it is nearly the 1st of August and I am a month behind in my picture posting/blogging so you'll have to bear with me while we do some catch up :) Tonight's blog will be about our 4th of July weekend, up north in the Brainerd/Crosby area. The kids had a blast and encountered many 'firsts' and the stories that Joshua tells about our time up north are priceless!! Here's a recap of our holiday weekend

Both kids went fishing! This was Madelynn's FIRST time FISHING too :) However, she wasn't too interested in holding a pole above water (she'd rather drop the pole INTO the water) but was VERY fascinated by the worms

and the fish

Joshua, on the other hand, thought fishing was the greatest thing ever (I have to agree that it is one of my favorite up north things to do too!) and he was catching fish left and right! The bobber barely had time to float on the surface of the water and he had a bite.

Both kids got to go on a boat ride (Madelynn's FIRST BOAT RIDE, Joshua's 2nd-EVER!) while Auntie Molly and Mommy went tubing behind. It was a blast for all of us. Joshua giggled and laughed the whole time, and Moo enjoyed the ride-cried when we had to get out of the boat-but seems unsure at times while out on the water.

Both kids also go to SHARE a FIRST as we headed out to the RAVE-a floating trampoline-equipped with their life jackets of course!! Here are some photos as we headed out into the deep :)

Joshua got to play with his FIRST sparkler AND stay up late enough for it to be dark and set off some fireworks-however both kids were sound asleep the night of the 4th and have yet to experience real fireworks in the nighttime sky...here are some sparkler pics

Joshua and Madelynn also got to ride on the gulf cart, taking turns driving with Auntie Molly-another FIRST for Madelynn :)

And last but not least, the HIGHLIGHT of the weekend, the kids got to ride in their FIRST PARADE!! Joshua was SO excited that he was going to be able to "throw candy at people" and he did an amazing job!!! Madelynn lasted the entire ride, on the back of a Scorpion Snowmobile, the entire parade-well as long as I was shoveling water and candy into her, and it was a great time. Being as both Dan and I were IN the parade, we didn't have many pics to share, but here are a few that were taken (and we have received)

So there you have it, our 4th of July weekend in a nutshell! If you have the chance to talk to Joshua about being in a parade or going fishing at great grandma/great grandpa's house you should ask him about it-he'll talk your ear off and he tells the BEST fish tales-he's learned already!!