Let's Talk: Red White and Blue

Happy Almost 4th of July! Today Andrea and Erika are asking about anything red, white and blue. I wanted to do a 4th of July wreath, but time has escaped me and I didn't get to the store to buy anything. While at Hobby Lobby buying for my summer wreath I tried to buy the stuff for a 4th of July wreath but nothing was on sale and I refuse to buy when it's not on sale, because I know it will go on sale, it's just a matter of time...

Anyway, I thought I would talk about traditions. My Dad has 3 brothers, between the 4 brothers there are 12 kids, so I have a bunch of cousins, plus most of them (9 of the 12) are married now with kids of their own, so it's crazy trying to find a time when we can all get together. For whatever reason we've made 4th of July that time. It's hard with the holidays because everyone is switching off between Mom's side and Dad's side of the family, you know how it is. So probably 20 years ago the 4 brother and the 12 kids all went to Santa Barbara and stayed 3 nights, we would all stay in rooms next to each other and we would all watch the fireworks over the pier from our room or on the grassy part in front of our rooms

...well fast forward many, many years...2006 an one of the cousins got married 4th of July weekend, so that one was out, the following year another cousin got married the weekend before, actually at the same hotel we were staying at, but a week prior, so that year was out too. Then the following year it just got too expensive, so my Uncle decided a few years later to host 4th of July at his house, he gets amazing seats to watch the fireworks because he is on city council...so we all head there and most of the cousins go. It's such a blast. I love seeing my kids with my cousins kids, it's so sweet and reminds me so much of when I was growing up with my cousins, getting together every opportunity we got.

2012

2013

July 2014

July 2015

Now this year, and we're doing it again! So excited to see everyone in just a week or so.

Do you have any family traditions?

Totally bonus pictures...for our yearly calendar for our parents, I tried to dress the kids up for each holiday...yep I was THAT mom...

Baby Fox

Mini Fox....

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