An All-American Girl

We had a great fourth ... lots of new adventures for Samantha. We started the weekend out right on Thursday night at the house with a cookout. The Pierces, Millers and McCullochs joined us. The church in front of our neighborhood has a huge community celebration every year, complete with fireworks, so we usually throw some sort of shindig before walking up the street for the big show.

We started the kids out up close, knowing we could go backwards if they didn't like the fireworks. (It was Garrisons first fourth, too ... his birthday is August 1.) We put Samantha in her stroller sans carseat (she looked so big!) and made our way to the festivities. Outside of one bottle-related mini-meltdown, the kids did great. It was a fitting start to a very exciting weekend.

Taking a siesta with Lindsey before the big show.

Steve and Brent have come a long way from their Sig Ep days!

Taking in the fireworks show.

Garrison was a little more skeptical than Samantha about the whole thing.

Though it didn't seem to bother her, I was worried about Samantha's little ears!