Happy 4th of July

Wow! What a fun Fourth of July weekend we have had! It has been filled with lots of friends and fun. It began with fireworks at Oakdale and ended with a fun day at Timrod Park...here are a few pictures from our fourth of July weekend.

God has blessed us with a wonderful Sunday School class. We have met many couples in our age group with children AG's age. It truely has been a blessing getting to know these amazing people. This summer about six couples in our Sunday School class joined Oakdale pool. We have had a great Summer spending time together at the pool.
Here is a picture of Katie (holding Cole), Sandy, Jennie (holding Ashton), Olivia and Will.
And on the back row - Christy and me.


AG and her friends enjoyed swimming in the pool before the fireworks began.


Here are some of the children playing on the blanket together.
Cooper, Cole, Ashton, Olivia and Eliza. Cole, Ashton and Eliza are three of the seven babies born in our Sunday School class over the past year.


Brian, Thomas and Ray hang out and catch up.


There was a DJ playing some favorites - Electric Slide, Macarena...you name it. While some of the ladies danced, AG and her friends enjoyed watching and trying to do the dances!


AG, Olvia, Hazel and Caitlyn patiently wait for the fireworks to begin.


Jason, Caleb and Thomas are having a great time at the 4th of July party.


Steve and Joey catch up. Joey is holding his 2 week old baby boy, Brady. Can you believe that head of hair?!? I love it! He is so precious. Brady is another one of the babies born in our Sunday School class.


Thomas and AG are ready for the fireworks to begin.

AG hasn't enjoyed fireworks because the loud noise has always scared her. She didn't enjoy the fireworks at the beach last year and she didn't enjoy the fireworks at Disney World. She hates fireworks. I was talking to a friend the other day on the phone about going to the fireworks at Oakdale. I told my friend that we would be at the show. When I hung up the phone AG said, "Excuse me, mommy. I don't like fireworks. They scare me, and I don't want to go to the show." So....we thought we may have to leave early.
Thomas sat with her in case she got scared. Good news...she loved them and thought they were beautiful. She didn't like the noise, but enjoyed them more than she ever has.

One of the decorated boats that drove around the lake before the fireworks began. It was hard to get a good picture.


Another picture of everyone enjoying the fireworks.
Steve, Eliza, Thomas, AG, Caitlyn, Ray and Cooper.


We were woken up on Friday morning with by a phone call from our great friends, Clay and Terrica. They were coming to Florence to spend the 4th of July with us! We were so excited!! We enjoyed spending some time together, playing in the play room, making ice cream, eating...lots of eating, swimming at the pool, thunder, getting out of the pool, getting back in the pool, eating some more, laughing, thunder, getting out of the pool, getting back in the pool...and so on...

We enjoyed dips, chips and sandwhiches for lunch at our house. Here is a picture of Madison and AG. Madison is 21 months old and she is so precious. With their blue eyes and blond hair, the girls could almost pass for sisters.


Another picture of the girls eating lunch.


When can we get in the pool? AG is ready to get in the pool and swim. We had to wait until the thunder stopped.


Good times at the pool - Terrica, Madison, Clay and AG


The best part of the day?!? AG loves bugs. She caught a cricket and put it in Caitlyn's bucket. Ray, Katie, Caitlyn, Cooper and Cole joined us at the pool. We stayed until about 9:00pm last night and let the kids swim. It was so nice and relaxing.


Lastly, today we enjoyed the "Spirit of Florence" event at Timrod Park. It had everything from jumping castles to snow cones to face painting and childrens games. The only thing it didn't have was air conditioning...and boy was it hot. We could have died, but the kids had fun, so it was worth it.

AG and Thomas walking on the bridge. AG was hot and wanted to find some shade.


Here is AG climbing thru one of the bounce houses.


Caitlyn and Cooper climbing thru the bounce house.


Ring Toss - AG style


Fun times with putt putt


And fishing


Caitlyn, Cooper and AG went from game to game to game and played and played and played.... while we sweated in the boiling hot sun.


AG and Caitlyn playing another game...


And another game....


Then we walked 5 miles across the park to get the kids' faces painted. We had to walk so far that we thought the face painting was a joke...but we FINALLY found it.


Two cats and a pirate - ARGH!


And then...we found some drums. The kids enjoyed beating on them while we sweated to death.


Ray and Cooper taking it all in. That thing around Ray's neck was a cold ice cloth. We all had them around our necks so we didn't have heat strokes!


Cooper was so tired...he almost fell asleep.


Happy 4th of July!! We hope you all had as much fun as we did!!