Happy Birthday, America!

Wednesday is probably the worst day for the 4th of July, right? I mean, Tuesday/Thursday Fourths are not much better, but they are easier to fold into a weekend.  Wednesday?  Just really messes up the whole week. Unless, like us, you have a completely flexible summer schedule.

So, we went to Pekin to see my parents and our favorite small town fireworks show.

We kicked off the weekend at the old golf course where my childhood pool club used to be with 4 badly behaved dinner companions.

 Cooper kept saying he was going to do a back dive into this tiny pond, and I was ready to let him.  Gah.

 We put the kids to bed and watched Blockers, though, and it was really really funny.  You should definitely watch it.

The next morning, Dorothy woke up before six and asked to use her iPad, so Ben took her downstairs, and the rest of us slept.  When we woke up, we sneaked out to Andy's, our very favorite breakfast spot.  (We brought Dorothy back eggs and pancakes, so she was totally fine with it, mostly)

 Ben plugged in the waterslide/pool we brought to my parents' house (we are leaving it there so Henry can use it, too, since he stays with them when his dad has work travel), and Dorothy immediately put on her swimsuit and her doll's swimsuit and stood by the widow to watch it fill.

 It takes a long time to fill.

 But she was pretty patient.

 But seriously, that pool takes about 2 hours to fill up with enough water, so I gathered the children and took their picture in the yard (FAIL), and we went on a Pekin adventure.

 First stop: our favorite park!

 NextL: Wal Mart where we performed an unsuccessful search for Cubs flip flops

 But did find this sweet $4.96 shirt we almost bought for Ben to wear to the fireworks

 And finally, because I got a text that the pool wasn't ready yet MY GOD, a quick donut because why the heck not?

 Finally: POOL

 It kept the kids busy for over an hour, which definitely exceeded expectations.

 When they started beating each other, I got them towels and popsicles, and we threw them in dry clothes and dragged them to the Peoria Portillos because you guy, we have driven a lot further for Portillos.

After lunch, Ben stayed back to work on his summer classes (the man has 287 summer students- yes, you read that right), and my parents and I took the kids to a really fun pool in a neighboring town that had a high dive.

AND THEY ALL WENT OFF THE HIGH DIVE!

Cooper:

 Harry:

 Jack:

 And then, with no hesitation: DOROTHY!!!!

So I did, too:

 IT WAS REALLY FUN!

COuld there be a more summery scene?

 We capped off the night with fireworks in 1100-degree weather.

 There was so much lightening in those huge clouds behind Harry, and we all kind of wished the storm was coming toward us even though we were sitting on metal bleachers because rain would have felt so amazing. (We did not let Harry drink those Mountain Dews, even though they were the only cold beverages left at any of the snack stands because we are MONSTERS)

Dorothy got to drive a firetruck-- YUGE highlight.

 Our bodies were melting through our skin

 Fireworks!

 Yay!

 Very tween of him, yes?

 But he got some good ones

 Then the next morning in another totally tween move, he ate a literal handful of pizza for breakfast

 On the way out of town, Ben spied a brand new Baskin Robbins and drove across 2 lanes of traffic to go to there even though it was like 9:30am.  The kids have never had Baskin Robbins, and Ben loves their mint chocolate chip like no other.  ONLY THEY WERE OUT OF INT CHOCOLATE CHIP.  Wah-waaaah.

HBD, USA.  You don't look a day over 239.