A Surprise for the Fourth!

I know...I'm running behind!
Our Fourth of July was so nice this year. We had the most wonderful surprise! Early in the week Dee and I were in our room watching a movie. It was pretty late, a bad habit we must curtail, when our door opened. We both thought Richard needed us for something but who should appear? It was Lucas, Nick , and Diana! I was overcome with joy! (Really, we need to stop surprising each other like this or someone may have a heart attack!) Their plan was to come in late, only letting Richard and Brittany know when they got to LasVegas. They were going to go downstairs and get in bed, surprising us in the morning. That would have been amazing too! They let Britt and Richard know when they would arrive and gave Richard instructions to just get the bedding ready on our little toddler bed for Lucas. Just before I went to bed I came upon my son getting into the linen closet in the hall. "Oh! I'm just looking for a blanket", was his excuse. Really? An extra blanket in July? I told him he could also turn his ceiling fan down! When Diana's little family pulled up into our driveway at 11:30 that night they saw our bedroom light on. "Dang it! Why are the old parent people still awake?!"  I ask myself the same thing every morning. They decided to just come right up and so they did! Who can go to sleep after having been so happily hugged by a little blond boy, knowing he is just downstairs?

The following days were full of fun and just good times being together. We got up early and watched "Nemo" and then Lucas helped Gramma do the laundry.

 

 Later that morning we took the boy to Cookie Cutters to get an affordable haircut 

(as in NOT California Prices!)

 

 I love this photo I caught of this sweet family, Lucas all fresh and clipped with his red balloon! That's Uncle Richard on the right who as Grandpa George would say has become "a tall drink of water"!

We drove on down to Provo and had lunch with Auntie Britt at Brassa's Mexican. Oh, was it ever good!

 Sisters and goofs!

On our walk back to Google Fiber HQ we found a store front with Lucas' favorite superhero "Steeeeve!!"

Auntie B brought out one of the fleet of Google Fiber bikes. Isn't it cute?! I want one, really, a lot! The team ride them all over downtown. They were getting them ready to ride in the Freedom Festival Parade.

Each bike had been equipped with an awesome bubble blowing machine for the parade. Lucas loved it!

At home, later that day I heard some noises from the powder room and found my grandson being very conscious of his dental hygiene, as well as his dirty feet!

 I took him outside where he met our neighbor's friendly tree. Of course he had to give it a big hug!

Then he and his Mama made some driveway art.

 We pulled Uncle Richard's out lawn mower out of the garage and Lucas had a blast!

If only it really cut grass we'd be in business!

 There is always some monkey business going on with this kid. I don't know what he was doing in the tub, but he was having a great time!



Then he went across the hall and had some fun jumping on Aunt Rachie's bed. Have you seen those Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles prints-gone-viral online? I have the originals in my house! I'm also painting this room a calmer color now that the artist lives in Provo!

The men and I ran to Wal Mart to grab a few last minute items on July 4th. We found a bin full of those personalized Coke bottles. They literally spent the next 30 minutes trying to find one for everyone in the family while I did the shopping. That was very helpful. They were there so long that they were helping everyone who came by because they knew where all of the different names were!

See the little guy in the green Monsters Inc. hat? Yes, that's my grandson mowing all of the grass at Thanksgiving Point where we gathered for fireworks!

 Along the way he made friends with some cool kids and their way cool air rocket launchers!

It was a lovely, cool evening to relax, read, and play games while we waited for dark.

Here's Nick and Diana after they had chased Lucas for the millionth time and brought him back to the fold!

I swiped this one from Diana. It's all of us who were there. Poor Brittany had to work an event that night and we missed her, but she wouldn't have liked to be at her old workplace anyway. 

It was a fun, fun Fourth of July! The fireworks were spectacular and the grandson just made it sweeter!