There was sun (sun!) and swimming, babies, stories, laughing, food, desserts, watermelon, strawberries, jello, iced tea, margaritas, old-school nintendo on an outdoor projector(!), more food (seemingly as far as the eye could see — we are a big Italian family, after all), kites, lawn games, tofu dogs (yes, and lots of “real” meat, but I didn’t take part in that; reportedly delicious), a few more margaritas, more babies, more sun, more swimming, some rockin’ fireworks (good work Bri and Eric!) and s’mores around the campfire!
A fantastic 4th of July celebration all-around. Got to see two of my brothers and lots of other friends and family for a super fun time. I even got to swim with a two year-old, which really made my day (thanks, Caelin!). I wasn’t really basking in the patrioticness or anything, but thinking about it now, it was the first Independence Day in so many years that I wasn’t slighly embarrassed to be an American. Thanks Mr. President!
Here’s Happy, waiting for my cousins to invite her over for some clams. She might have had a few too many, plus (I still think it’s a rumor) perhaps an entire bowl of melted butter. oops. She gave herself a good mid-day nap in the garden, though, and was back for more at dinner time. She really likes hamburgers. In case, you know, you have any you want to send her. Also, while we’re discussing it, she does not like fireworks. not. one. bit.
My cousin Haley made this amazing graduation cake — many-layered and totally delicious. She just graduated early from high school (she’s only 16!) and is heading to Brazil for a year starting in August. What a rockstar that girly is. And she totally hates me saying it. hehe. Plus her brother Chris graduated from Elmira College and my brother Ed graduated from Parsons with a fancy-pants Architecture degree. Congrats, kids!
Check out the sweet old-school Nintendo setup, with the screen hanging from our old swing-set! My computer-whiz brother Brian had to take the console apart the night before to get it working, apparently it had some, er, Barbie hair stuck in it? You KNOW I didn’t do that. Poor Barbie.
This is the crew making s’mores while waiting by the pool for the fireworks show. It was totally spectacular!
