Shawk an' Awe! Shawk an' Awe!

Dear Peep!
This 4th of July weekend celebration was one to remember.  

 We started out at Bahboo's and Grandma P's where all of Mommy's lady cousins, Uncle David and Aunt Lea, Aunt Clarice, and baby Jack were there along with JD, Kolsen and Jonny,  You had a great time running around and playing but weren't ready to go swimming just yet.  After the rest of the crew went out to Ogilville to Uncle David and Aunt Lea's (with Aunt Clarice next door) to prepare for fireworks we waited for our buddies Mike, Megan and Devo to make it to Columbus.  With Devo excited to swim, you got in by his side.  Bahboo pulled Devo and his parents by tractor across the pool in a tube.  

Such fun but you weren't willing to give it a try this time.  You happily played in the hot tub for quite a while with Devo.  Before we left Bahboo gave the little dudes a short tractor ride. Our tummies started yellin', "EAT!"  So we left Bahboo and Grandma P at home to rest, they'd been watching Jonny (5) for a week while Uncle Gary visited Aunt Michele and were beat!  

We made it down 25th Street and pulled into our spot at Becker's Root Beer Stand.  This isn't a first for you but for the Emmetts it was.  I turned around to get food to you and Jonny in the back and you both were O-U-T after a long day of running and playing!  They were excited about the little rootbeer mugs, as were you and cousin Jonny.  You love to giggle at the exuberant belches the root beer produces.  After eating we continued out to Ogilville for an evening of family and fireworks.  

I should mention like many families that combination can cause for an "exciting" fireworks show.  I should have known when Wendy and Nash went to buy the fireworks and she had the 6ft long package set across the cart, swung around a corner and knocked out an entire display of red wine at Sam's Club that it was going to be one of those kind of nights.  

While the big guns were being set up Megan and Mama lit the sparklers for the kids to play with.  You all loved swinging them around, with the assistance of my hand on yours because your excitement made your arm fly around haplessly.  

JD and Matt came to make their annoncement that the light show was ready to commence.  We took our seats and JD proceeded to promise a display of, "Shawk an' Awe! Shawk an' Awe!"   few moments later the first couple of fountains blast into the sky and my heart starts to beat faster as it feels rather close...for such big plumes of sparks!  Then about the third thrust clearly something went wrong as a rocket launches straight to the left hitting a back hoe nearby with a bing_and a sparky loud explosion, and another shoots next door in front of Aunt Claricee's kitchen window.  HOLY COW!  I couldn't stop laughing, you begged for your blankets from the van, Jonny came to cuddle on my lap and Daddy backed up.  Kyra was shoutin' how she felt like she was dreaming, Mike thought he was witnessing battle and we all were stuck to our chairs not knowing where the next would land.  In the midst of the chaos you and Devo were screaming repeatedly, "Shawk an' awe!"   Luckily on the first set nobody was hurt and it turns out even Sam's Club fireworks can put off a might percussive blast that can knock the whole rocket unit to its side.  After some adjustments, the rest entertained us without a hitch and was one of the best displays ever!  We really enjoyed laughing with family and friends but our little dudes were getting sleepy.  We watched Kolsen show off his Michael Jackson-esque moves, applauded loudly and headed back to the van.  What a lot of laughs.  

We are so fortunate to have such a great family.  Too bad everyone couldn't make it, but there are more fireworks out there and more 4th of July's. It made it all the more fun experiencing it with our Peep.  "Shawk an' awe!"
Love, Mama