Happy 235 America!

It was another fabulous fourth at the Stockwell compound, complete with all the usual traditions and a few new ones thrown in.

Saturday night's BBQ turned into bubblemania thanks to the ingenious addition of a giant bubble machine that entertained young and old alike.

Then there was the usual zany Stockwell parade on Sunday morning. We took home the "Bedtime Story" award for our Cat in the Hat costume.

Here are Thing 1 and Thing 2 with Grandpa, who was part of a whole pack of Canadian mounties:

There were the usual groups who put our last minute costume planning to shame...

Hot chicks

And it wouldn't be a Stockwell family parade with at least a couple of cross-dressers.

Jersey Shore

On the fourth of July itself, we spent the morning filling up at the town breakfast, stocking up at the giant annual yardsale that accompanies it, and whooping it up at the town parade. Betwixt and between all the planned fun, there were plenty of opportunities for reconnecting with family,

Catching up over lemonade at the BBQ

playing with cousins, cousins, and more cousins,

boat rides,

face painting,

and some good old-fashioned playing.

There were scavenger hunts, s'mores parties, lazy mornings at the beach, hikes up Mt. Tire'Em, fireworks, porch visits,...we even got to witness not one, but TWO rainbows. Considering the significance of rainbows for the Stockwell clan, and the fact that seeing a rainbow was on Ethan's summer bucket list, we were pretty pleased when this beauty fell on the lake as we were arriving Friday evening.

Our days at the lake were full as always, and the boys loved every single moment of it all. They gobbled up their dinners and fell into bed each night with smiles on their faces and warm memories in their hearts. Watching them experience this idyllic place, become part of this amazing community, reap the benefits of a huge, close extended family - it's awesome. It will be years before they realize just how lucky they are, but that's okay - they're kids and they should be blissfully unaware and carefree. And I'll feel extra blessed and thankful in the meantime to make up for it.