Independence Day

We had a wonderful week/weekend celebrating our country’s independence and my sister’s birthday. There are so many photos I love, it was hard to pare them down… just a warning – this post is long!

We kicked Thursday off with a big pool and ‘Big Family’ {‘Big Family’ is our awesome group of family members who aren’t quite blood relation but may as well be}.

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Charlotte preferred to watch and enjoy a snack poolside with aunt Sheila before getting in.

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The nephews enjoyed cooling off in the pool.

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Charlotte eventually made her way to he water but wasn’t too thrilled.

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Cousin giving her an encouraging word.

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She eventually enjoyed a few cruises around the pool…

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but definitely preferred to hang out on dry land.

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The celebration continued on to Chick’s beach later in the evening to prepare for the fireworks with some family friends. Cathy is the amazing woman who gave my mom a kidney and we love her and her family.

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Charlotte took a while to warm up to the sand and waves. Other than the brief birthday bash at the beach for me in May {in which she barely touched the sand}  Charlotte has never been to the beach.

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She preferred to watch her cousins play from the safety of Honey’s lap.

 

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but Papa was eventually able to coax her to play in the sand and she LOVED it and loved playing with her cousins.

 

 

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Glowsticks!

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Charlotte really loved the fireworks, which surprised me.

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Here she is playing in the sand. I’m not sure what the faces are about, that’s the first time she’s ever made those, haha.

Happy Independence day and a happy birthday to my sister!!