Fourth of July!

Saturday morning began with a trip to Home Depot for their monthly kids' project. We'd never done this before, but one one of our many visits last week we saw the project for the month displayed and Abby wanted to make one.

Every kid gets an apron, which they bring back every month so they can adorn it with more project pins (the pins show the project you just made--very cool!). You pick a spot at the work table, grab the goggles (if you can get your kid to wear them--I couldn't) and the hammer, and break into the shrink-wrapped project kit that contains all the pieces and instructions you need. They have folks wandering around to help if you need it, but we're smart girls and figured it out. :)

Here is Abby honest-to-goodness hammering--she pounded in every nail I started for her!


The completed project: a tool box for her many....flowers.




After working up our appetites, we went home for a snack and waited for Gigi and Boppa to come so we could go join the neighborhood festivities. Our neighborhood held a very last-minute parade and party at the little community park down the street from us. We went to the park to watch the parade approach and to play and hang out with folks afterward, and we really didn't think the parade would amount to much. But it turns out a lot of families participated, and there was mention made of doing this every year, so I'm looking forward to decorating the stroller/tricycle/whatever wheels the girls have next year.














Once the parade arrived, they had some food and games, but we didn't stay all that long because the girls (and the adults) were getting antsy for lunch. Abby did do the balloon toss a few times, then smuggled a water balloon home as a pet (which is now sitting in my sink waiting for a time when she's not around so I can pop it), and we got to check out a big fire engine, too. We also met Leslie and her labradoodle, Riggs. Sweet dog!