The 4th and 5th of July......

We have had the best holiday weekend with all sorts of special moments to celebrate!

Louis Dean and I drove over to Quadville late Saturday afternoon.

The kids were all in such a good mood and so excited about the fireworks that evening!

They colored 4th of July pictures for us and I read the new books they had received from a special friend before we all went outside to play while Amber and Mike got dinner ready!

I tried and tried to get a pic of all four - and failed UNTIL Granddad came out the door!!!

Ah, these kids are growing so fast I cannot  BELIEVE it!!

Each quad has their very own unique  traits and personalities.

All four are precious!

It felt like a HOLIDAY!!

It WAS a holiday!!

The meal was worthy of the 4th!

Mike grilled all the food on the grill while Amber had seasoned it all to perfection before sending it outside!

Timing was PERFECT!!

Just as we finished putting the food up, Amber had gathered all the snacks and drinks and Mike had loaded the lawn chairs, it was starting to get dark! Time to head out to watch the fireworks!

We got there in plenty of time to get a great parking place and settle in before they started.

My flimsy camera didn't capture a really good shot but we saw a great show!!!

Amber and Mike knew just where to go to watch them without getting into a lot of traffic.

We sat at the edge of a field and could see several groups of fireworks from communities close by.

When they were over, we simply loaded up and drove home.

Easy peasy!!!

Louis Dean didn't have a good night so he slept in this morning and I went off to church by myself.

Mike had stayed home with Harrison who was running a little fever so it was a girls only afternoon!!!

We ate lunch at Chili's!!

My beautiful daughter!

I am so relieved that Amber is finally regaining some of her health back after her quad pregnancy.

Trystan was so excited about going to see Cinderella after we ate.

We dropped Kailey off at home and just took Trystan and Logan to the movies.

Kailey was getting really tired and she was anxious to see Harrison.

I LOVE how these kids LOVE each other!!!

We met Summer and Rayne at the theater and it was sweet to see the cousins hugging each other and complementing each other on their dresses!

Summer was all patriotic and I was wearing a scarf she brought me from Puerto Rico.

I admit it!!!

I am enormously PROUD of my two daughters!!!!

They are talented, beautiful and have such Christian values and character.

22 years difference in their ages!

I came home this afternoon to find Louis Dean still in bed.

I went about my changing out the patriotic things in the house and they are all in tubs ready to go up in the attic.

All the spring and summer things are gone now, as well.

I strung up some brand new pear garlands from Restoration Hardware (purchased at the thrift store for a fraction of the original price!) on the foyer tree and grapevine wreath.

Tonight my home is fragrant with candles and the aroma of freshly baked cookies.

I've gone room by room, cleaning and restoring order after taking down the seasonal decorations.

Without all the 'extras', I can see better the things that stay year round.

I plan to look through the old journals and my collection of ephemera soon.

This wine scented candle is on the dining room table.

I am doing a wine themed table scape and will be shopping for new 'plates' tomorrow.

I simply don't have room for any more dishes - so I will be looking for PAPER plates to complement the table setting!!

The only 'fly in the buttermilk'  this whole weekend is that Louis Dean has NOT felt well.

It's not so much his knee as he aches all over and is so tired.

We think it may be a side effect of some of the  medication he was taking. 

At any rate, he got up to sit with me tonight and share a glass of wine before I blow out the candles and turn off the lights!