Proud to be an American!

Ooooooh how I wish this was posting weeks earlier than it actually is!  Haha!  So is life.

The Fourth of July.  It really is one of my favorite times of year!  I mean, parades, good food, good friends, fireworks...what could be better?!?  Oh yeah - and SUN!!!  It's one of the few dates that us in the PNW can pretty much guarantee will be sunny.  And the sun-kissed faces and red "tan"lines the day after are proof that we enjoy it to the max!

This year, we entered our kids in the Kiddie Parade once again.  We do it every year and the kids have come to love it.  They were SO excited to decorate their wagon and wave their flags and dress up, so we went all out as usual.  We even got crafty and made some toilet paper roll rockets for a little pazazz!  Hollywood was very proud, given rockets are pretty much his favorite thing ever!

This was my sneak peek on Instagram the day before the festivities!

The clothes this year were a piece of cake.  Cocoa's outfit from last year still fit (yep, she's that tiny, don't let the pictures fool you!) so all we needed was a $6 red t-shirt for Hollywood.  Easy enough, right?  Being that it is also National Afro Day, Cocoa rocked her Fro's on the Fourth (and even won this year's Instagram competition)!

A few friends have asked me what the Kiddie Parade actually is.  You just sign your kid up and show up with your registration info (a simply form you print out online) and check which category you want to be "judged" for.  I don't remember all the categories but we always check "best stroller/wagon".  We never win though.  All the fun is in the kid's faces.  They get a participation ribbon, and those who do win for their category get to be at the front of the parade.  Then come 11:30 we all walk the parade route and wave at everyone watching, and then sit at the end to watch the big parade!

"Yaaay, participation!"

Me with my BFF who willingly faced the crowds with us!

When we reached the end of the parade, our friends Joe and Trish (and their little cutie Katie) were there saving a spot for us to watch the big parade.  Our little ladies hadn't seen each other since last year's parade, but ran into each other's arms squealing anyway!  

We found the BEST spot across the street from air conditioned bathrooms and a FREE popcorn stand!  The kids were in heaven.  

Had to show you my FRO-TASTIC little lady!!!

I promise I did NOT pose this - she did it all on her own and I (thankfully) captured it!!!

After the police motorcycles and firetrucks, things got even MORE exciting when an ice cream truck came buy throwing popsicles and ice cream sandwiches into the crowd!  My kids each got their favorites and savored them with joy.

Oh yeah, and the kids got an amazing opportunity to sit on a police motorcycle!  They were both a little freaked out by it, but mostly because of the hot seat.  They agreed to a picture and then they were OFF!  All in all it was a great day, followed up with great food, and great fireworks to end the evening!!!!!

But if you really wanted to summarize the fun, you could just take a peek at my Instagram posts for the day!!!  Hahaha!  

Hope y'all had a great 4th of July as well!  Proud to be an American!!!!