July 4th Happenings

This week, compared to the last two, has been SO much better!  Such a reminder to me that the sun will shine after the storm.

This past week was July 4th.  We love celebrating July 4th in Colorado because they have a huge fireworks display in the middle of town and it just always brings back fun memories of ones we have celebrated here in the past.  We started the day with a parade (the 1st one they have ever had here in Fort Collins!) and while we weren’t sure what it would be like, it was surprisingly good.  They had lots of participants and it seemed like everyone was giving out candy.  They even had a few women dressed up like princesses, which, considering the stage Kinsley is currently in, made her day, and even more so when Rapunzel gave her a high-five.  That evening, we grilled out with fun friends, played with sparklers, and tried to buy time until the fireworks.  We ended up bailing on the fireworks because 1) no way was Emerson going to last til then 2) Kinsley was watching them on TV and kept saying they were too loud, that she didn’t want to see them here, and she wanted to sleep and 3) the fireworks started about 45 min after they were supposed to.  Regardless, it was a fun evening.

Then, Saturday morning, Ed decided to take K on a little hike with him while I stayed behind with Emerson.  They had so much fun and she was such a trooper, making it to the top of the hill they were climbing and hanging in there for 4+ miles (granted, she was riding in the pack for most of that).  Then, they flew kites, which is quickly becoming one of her favorite things to do.

On Sunday, after church, we headed to Ed’s Aunt May Claire and Uncle Tom’s house in Littleton, which is right on the outskirts of Denver.  It is so fun to visit them every time we are out here and we just sit in awe of their wonderful view.  They live right next to the front range (they walk out the door, cross a fence, and hop on a trail!) and because there house is set above others in their neighborhood, from their back deck they can see the mountains on one side and the City of Denver on the other.  It is so neat watching a rainstorm hit the city and seeing it from a distance.

They live with Aunt May Claire’s mother who, along with May Claire, is from South Africa and I love talking to her, hearing about her travels, and listening to her amazing accent.  Their kids, who are growing so fast, loved visiting with the girls and the girls loved playing with them.  They also have 2 golden-doodles, and while Kinsley was cautious, Emerson delighted in chasing them around and getting kisses.  Ed’s uncle co-owns a company called Aspen Seating, LLC who provides seating and ride designs for wheelchairs, paralympic athletes, etc.  It is a really neat thing to hear about how they are growing and helping people move and function better.

Kinsley kept talking about seeing her cousins and going to her cousin’s house.  Of course, she didn’t mind playing with new toys, their toys, for a change.  Here is a picture of Elizabeth reading to Kinsley and the view from their deck.

When we arrived back in Fort Collins on Sunday night, we were greeted by Gammy and Pop-Pop (my mom and dad).  They are still here, so I will be sure to post pics from our adventures after they are gone.  My dad has taken a great interest in fly-fishing (and falling down on rocks) and we enjoyed lots of time at the river yesterday with them as he was learning.  So blessed to be surrounded by God’s beautiful scenery as we enjoy the great outdoors!

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