4th of July Activities!!

The 4th of July has always been my favorite holiday! I have always love going to my grandparents house in Richfield and getting to see all of my cousins who we usually only got to see at this time or even every other year on the 4th, it was always a treat and still is! It is amazing how big our family is getting with all the little kids! It is fun to get to visit and be around fam! I have to admit I think we have a pretty dang fun family!!! I was so excited for Emma to get to hang out with lots of kids around her age! I realized though that is is CRAZY BUSY! The other kids would sit and play...not so much Ems...she liked to explore all the new places! She sure is busy but I love watching her and imagining what that little mind is thinking!

We just drove up from Cedar in time for the parade and to have all the festivities of the day begin. Emma and my dad watching the parade! My dad was so cute with Ems he held her the whole time during the parade, not giving her up to anyone (even my mom;)) he would take her up to see the floats, let her wear his hat, and just entertained her! She kept pointing at everything heading down the street and enjoyed her first parade! Thanks DAD!!

All who it started with! My grandma and grandpa, we sure love you!!

The Christensen clan enjoying the parade!

My favorite Cuz;) Marisa, with her adorable little Dax!

Ems and her favorite cousins!

There were five babies close to Emma's age just like it was when we were little! Here she is with Sariah and Zoey, Sariah being 14 months, Ems 11 months, and Zoey 9 months! Such cute girls! It was impossible to get them to all look at me!

After the parade and park festivities we always go to my grandparents house, hang out, visit, and then have a bbq! Always fun with yummy food!!

This swimming pool has been around since I was Emma's age if not before that, I have pictures of me doing exactly what she is...crazy huh?! She LOVED this soooo much, and didn't want to get out! I didn't bring any swim attire thinking she wouldn't be getting wet so poor thing had to play in the water in her diaper and eventually nothing, since it blew up to a massive ball!!

They had a slip-n-slide for the older kids and they had tons of fun with it! They put dish soap all over it to make it more slippery and laughed and played for hours...the evidence was on the grass...pretty muddy! Good thing it grows back;)

Mitch and Shelton racing up the slide!

You can't tell in this picture but she actually really liked sliding down it!! Look at that diaper;)

Mitch giving Ems a ride on the teeter totter! This too they have had since we were little, I remember many times getting hurt on it!

Emma and Zoey were so fun to watch except Ems doesn't understand the idea of being soft yet so she would touch a little rough, but Zoey didn't seem too bothered!

Every year the Madsen's play a game of soccer against a family there in Richfield that the older kids grew up with and it has become this fun event for everyone to get involved in! It was a long game this year and we ended up with a tie! It was entertaining and fun to watch! We left with two injured ankles on the Madsen side, better luck next year!

Here is Andrew and Mitch chasing down the ball!

Kierra started putting the dead grass on Emma's head and Ems thought it was really fun so she started throwing it up to put it on her head herself..silly girl!

Ems being the center of attention getting covered with dried grass by her cute cousins!

Ems and I getting ready to watch the fire works! Yes this little lady stayed up through the WHOLE thing, just relaxing and watching! She didn't get scared one bit! On the drive home we probably only got two blocks and she was tuckered right out..tiring day for a little one who played so hard!

Just thought I would throw these in!

We were so excited the other day when it started pouring rain here in Cedar! This doesn't happen very often, it was crazy loud and Ems LOVED it! First she just watched it through the window then I decided I should let her go and actually enjoy it!

She first just tested it with her feet and hands watching it pour from the rain gutter but eventually she crawled out into it and love every minute, giggling and all!! In this pic it looks like she has a massive bruise on her leg, don't worry I don't beat my child! There was sidewalk chalk that rubbed off and got all over her leg;)

I finally had to call it quits when she was soaking and shivering, even though she really didn't want to go in! Lots of fun for her first time playing in the rain!!