Happy Birthday America

I know this is just a few days late, but I actually have an excuse.  As I'm sure is expected, we spent our Fourth of July at my mom and dad's house on the beach.  Well, more accurately, Colton and I...the two olive-skinned, beach-loving members of our family spent our day there.
We arrived around noon, and from the minute we got there, Colton was busy splashing away, jumping in the waves, playing on the "boats" (the big floats we have anchored in the water), and enjoying all the attention.

despite the look on his face, I promise he loved the "boats"...
he was just mad I made him sit still for a few seconds to get a picture with me!

Levi and Josh...the two ghostly pale fair-skinned, beach-loathing (although, Levi seems to be getting on board now that the water temperatures have warmed up) members of our family came down later in the afternoon with just enough time to join us for a bit in the water.

that's his buddy, Maisy...she's a few months older than he is

At around 5, we headed up to Mom and Dad's house for a cookout/pot-luck.  There were about 30 people there, and everyone had brought the most delicious stuff...and tons of it!  I should have taken a picture of the spread because it was ridiculous.  And I probably gained a bajillion pounds.  But more to the point, my boys continued to relish in all the attention.  Levi got handed off from adorer to adorer and loved every second.  And Colton spent time stalking his Ry (that's my brother, Ryan, who Colton just absolutely adores), playing in the coolers, and sneaking back into the "bubble pool" (hot tub).

Levi caught a quick cat-nap while we were there (for the record, he NEVER falls asleep on someone like this...he's usually way to wiggly...so he was either flat-out exhausted or he sensed Aunt KC's pregnancy hormones or something).

But Colton, well he kept going and going.  Out since noon...in 100-degree weather....with no nap...not a single breakdown...our little boy was a trooper.  And then around 7:30, he simply said "night."  Colton never asks to go to bed, but can you blame him?  Needless to say, we quickly rounded up our belongings, got the boys in the car, and hit the road.  He was asleep by the time we got out of their gate!

And in that haste, I left my camera, so I couldn't share these pictures with you last week!   But I hope you all had just as fun of a day as we did.