Independence Day!

Today the kids leave for their first trip to sleepaway camp! They're so excited, and to be honest, so are MJ and I. For one week, they will have a blast swimming, doing crafts, making friends, climbing ropes courses, canoeing, and -- in Sweet Pea's case -- doing a ton of gymnastics. MJ and I will sleep, go out for probably every single meal, and sleep some more.

So that means yesterday was our 4th of July. And we crammed an amazing amount of fun into one day!

First, we went to Patrick and Karen's house for a cookout with Memere, Pepere, and Uncle Jon too. We played cornhole, met their adorable new puppy Lily, and had a blast with everyone.

Then we came home and celebrated Grandpa's birthday with -- appropriately -- a fireworks cake! After dinner we did sparklers and a new (to us) kind of firework that shot sparkles and colored smoke into the air with big crackles and bangs. They were so cool! The kids loved them and were scared of the noise, all at the same time.

We had so much fun that we literally forgot to give Grandpa his gifts. How could we have forgotten?! Grandpa and Grandma were long gone when I realized and shrieked so loudly I almost woke the kids up. I can't believe I did that.

This morning Sweet Pea and I dropped the gifts off on his doorstep at 6 am, because that's how early she had to be up to catch the van to gymnastics camp. Once she was off, MJ and I had a long drive to bring CC and Little Man to their camp. But now we're kicking off our kid-free, adult-only week. It gives new meaning to the term "Independence Day"!