A Wet and Wild 4th

Yeah, I know, right? I can end the post right here with just this picture and you would already know what a fabulous independence day we had.

You can stop drooling now.

The 4th of July is a huge event at our house, and it lasts the whole day. I festoon the house inside and out with flags and buntings.

I love Americana - so bold and graphic! (my decor is still up, by the way, at least inside, and it might just stay like that for the rest of the summer - but only because we won't be around to take it all down.)

The festivities started with breakfast, and breakfast means huge Belgium waffles with homemade buttermilk syrup (if you have ever tried it you KNOW what I'm talking about, topped with red and blue berries, and brown sugar bacon. BACON!!! I love bacon, BTW.

Then we hang around and digest everything. This part can take a while, but it is important because we need to be fully digested and up to good form so that we can dominate in the Annual Signs Family Independence Day...

WATER FIGHT!!!

It is always kids verses adults, and the kids are very serious about it. Right after breakfast they go out and start strategizing. The older kids will be in charge and will come up with a battle plan. This year Dylan left their plan right on the counter where my sister the soy in an act of espionage, snatched it and shared their plan with the rest of the adults. Brilliant!

The kids will make banners and stockpile weapons. This year they decided to start early by filling the water balloons the night before. By morning they had all burst.

Gee, too bad. Such a shame.

So after a few hours of the adults digesting the kids start to get very impatient with waiting for the adults to attack. They start baiting us and begging us to make our move, but we don't attack until we are good and ready.

They always have two bases - 1. the play structure that works as a great fort where they can shoot at us from above. The rig it with the hose and station soldiers around it. 2. The Spa, the lifeblood of the battle, which is always well defended from above and beneath.

They diligently wait and watch and guard their stockpile with weapons full and ready while we adults hang out in the house, chat, nibble on bacon, and nap. War is rough.

Finally, on our own time, when they least expect it, we ATTACK! Let the battle begin!!!

My parents are very serious about this battle. They have purchased too-of-the-line water weaponry that they stockpile at home just to use once a year. Grandma's motto - "Take No Prisoners!"

And those sweet looking children are absolutely ruthless with grandma! What kind of rotten kid would do that to a sweet old lady? Shameful, really.

These kinds of kids:

Wicked,

ruthless,

and just plain rotten.

They call this one the Squirtinator!

Poor Grandpa - right in the jugular. Ossil did the noble thing and poured water over his own head. He was not going to give the enemy the satisfaction.

But this year Dennis got the brunt of the brutality. He has a reputation for disappearing to someplace dry as soon as the fray begins, but I'm not calling him a chicken or anything. But this year he did not go AWOL, and the kids took advantage.

Sweet revenge! (And this has to be my favorite picture of the whole day! Love it!)

Eventually we declared ourselves the winners. We always do.

Then the kids whine and complain that we old folk are lame and that they still have more water, and have only begun to fight. They could do this all day, but we grown ups like a different strategy - swiftly get in and out and get the job done.

But Luke was so funny. He was not done yet. He kept going back to the spa, filling up the pitcher, carrying it back, over and over...

and dumping it on dad. Good ol' Dennis just took it patiently, over and over. Until...

Dennis had finally had enough. Poor Luke.

The losers. We like to call them the Redcoats. (look at Luke and the little guys in the front - totally dejected.)

And the winners, the Patriots, who fought valiantly and won the fight for freedom - or something like that. We look even scarier to those poor kids, I'm sure.

Until next year, Sucka's!

After that we all drip dry, nurse our wounds, nap, and chill out for several hours before all getting together again for a barbecue.

This is Nate sporting his "Edward" look. I think he had just had a nap.

Grillin' the all-American hot dog!

Dogs, baked beans, watermelon, and chips - pretty much all you need for a fabulous fourth of July meal.

Followed by snow cones in every color and flavor, before heading off to the...

you guessed it... FIREWORKS! I am such a fan of fireworks!

I love Independence Day! Happy Birthday America!