I absolutely love the 4th of July!!  I look forward to it every summer.  It just brings back great memories from my childhood and I hope to make it special for Katie now.  We started off with going to the annual free patriotic concert performed by the symphony.  It's hard to believe this was our 4th year of going.  I'm glad we've made it a tradition.  Katie had tons of fun waving her flag to the music and playing with friends.

Aren't they so cute?

Katie and Ada, cute all-American girls

These two talked non-stop the entire night.  Traci and I tease them about how much they talk, but we're happy they're such good friends.

Traci, Sydney, and me

Ben, Ada, Stacie

On the 4th, the Woods invited us to swim at their neighborhood pool which we all enjoyed on that hot day.  Afterward we shared a delicious potluck lunch at the Woods' house.  This was the only picture I took there.  Guess I was having too much fun stuffing my face with all the goodies. :)

Later that evening we headed over to a local neighborhood to watch a parade and fireworks.  We grabbed some free snow cones to help us stay cool.

She kills me with her cuteness.  This is such a fun age.

the cute Wood family

Stacie and me

Our nephew, Teagan, was in the parade with his Cub Scout Troop, but all my pics of them turned out blurry.  Oh, well, it was fun to see them ride by!

another family pic, sorry for the blur!

We finally settled in next to the Kosters and ShayNiel to watch fireworks.

Katie loved them!  For staying up past her bedtime two nights in a row, she was very well-behaved.

We had a wonderful 4th!  I was sad to see it end.  Although we have a lot of problems in our country, I still believe it's the greatest place to live and I'm so thankful to be an American!

Here are a few last pictures of our visitors.

Katie loved her cousin and after they left she kept asking, "Where's baby Abi?" I told her she went home to Idaho, so now Katie says, "Baby Abi's in Idaho."  She asked about Grandma for a long time too.

We love when our family comes to visit!  It's hard living far away from them so we soak up any time we get with them now.  Maybe we can just recruit more of them to move to Texas! :)

While Jacob's family was here we visited the beach in Galveston.  We spent a few fun-filled hours in the sun and I was reminded why I like the swimming pool better: no sand!  (Also, I hate being sticky and I always feel disgustingly sticky at the beach.)  Katie had a blast getting covered in sand and wiping it on everyone.  Then we brought half the beach home with us in the car.  I shouldn't complain cause the beach is so close; I just hate the clean-up.  I still loved seeing the ocean though and we had a great time with everyone.  :)  

Kolban surprised Cryshel and came a few days after her.  She had no idea he was coming!

Shay and Tylee

Kaden

Grandma and Katie

Katie slept the whole drive home.  She was wiped out.

Near the end of June, some of Jacob's family came to visit us from Idaho.  His parents, two sisters, brother-in-law and niece all came.  They were in town for our nephew, Teagan's, baptism into our church (which happens when you're eight years old).  We were excited to finally meet our new niece, Abigail, who was born in December.  

Isn't she adorable?

love her chunky baby legs

Since Grandma was staying at our house, Katie's cousins, Teagan and Kaden, came over almost every night to sleep over with her.  All the cousins had fun playing together in the morning.

Katie loved all the attention she received from her aunts and grandparents.

Katie and Aunt ShayNiel

Katie and Grandpa Nielsen

Katie and Grandma Angela

I think Katie made Grandma read that book multiple times every day she was here.

After Teagan's baptism at the church, we ate dinner at the Kosters' house.

cute Mom and her daughters (minus one)

Cryshel and her baby girl, Abi

cute one of Kaden and Katie

He really is like a big brother to her.

Mostly we hung out at either our house or the Kosters' house, but we did get out to swim a few times and one afternoon we took the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese's.  It was Katie's and my first time to go.  She loved it!  She had fun riding the rides and playing a few games.

Tylee and Katie

Abi and Katie

Once after swimming we enjoyed 50 cent ice cream from Burger King.  

Katie ate most of mine. :)

Our trip to Galveston with the family is next!