Griffin Updates: Happy Birthday, America!!

What a FUN Independence Day weekend!! We made the rounds and got into lots of patriotic and traditional July 4th weekend activities, and had 4 very exhausted Griffins Monday night.

Saturday morning we kicked off our love for America with a trip to the coolest educational toy store to make a patriotic wreath. We could have stayed there for hours playing with all the cool stuff they sell there, but we had somewhere very exciting to be next...

Daddy helps Hadley set the stage for the bedazzling of the wreath.

Applying the red sparkle paint

Bringing in the big guns to apply the glue to the rhinestones, because what kind of patriotic wreath would it be without them?!

TA DA!!

And then it was off to a childhood favorite of Daddy's and a FIRST for all 3 Griffin girls:

CHUCK E CHEESE!

Pizza ordered. Mommy and Harper waiting at the table for it to arrive. Hadley and Daddy immediately off and running to get a few games in before the food arrives!

Meanwhile...back at the table, Harper gets first dibs on the pizza crust.

Far too many lights, sounds, and people for her to care at all about the pureed sweet potatoes I was trying to feed her. And no match for pizza crust, naturally.

1/2 a piece of pizza consumed and back to the games.

WINNER!

Cashing in her winnings to see what she can buy

Checking out what 25 tickets will get you

So proud of her hard earned new matching flower rings!

We rounded out the day with a trip to Aunt Stephie's pool for some splashing in the sun.

Sunday was a break from the festivities, and with the exception of not seeing Izzy for the first time in a long time, it was a normal day. Church in the morning, followed by a sweaty shopping trip to Georgetown.

Monday, we jumped right back into the holiday spirit with some morning cookie making! Stars, liberty bells, and hearts because we LOVE America!

Our masterpieces from left to right: Aron's, Hadley's, and Mommy's. I work with rookies, clearly.

Then we stopped by a local July 4th celebration for some fun. After chickening out at the moon bounce, and then having to convince Hadley 10 times that SHE would not be the one getting dunked in dunk tank, it was over to the very nonthreatening Sno Kone station!

Boy scouts presenting the colors while a really old guy played the electric keyboard
and sang Yankee Doodle. This was thankfully followed up by the Pledge of Allegiance, which Hadley excitedly recited, and the National Anthem. We all sang proudly and Daddy even put Harper's little hand over her heart.

"It's hot, Mama. I'm really sweaty. Where's Daddy with the sodas?"

"Hi Hads...whatcha got there?"

"Um, why didn't Daddy get ME a hot dog?!"

"So close...can almost reach it!"

"Now that's just rude."

VICTORY!! Second time was the charm at the moon bounce. Not that she had a choice after we waited in line for 20 minutes. Mama would have thrown her in there herself!