4th Of July 2013

The 4th of July has become one of our favorite holidays...

We are so grateful to live in America!

Then 12 years ago we were blessed with the birth of our sweet Liberty!

We started the morning with her opening her presents...

 
 We ordered her a Fleur Delacour wand, it's from Harry Potter.  It hadn't come yet, so I rushed that night to get a few gifts so she would have something to open on her birthday.

Then Steve & I were working in the yard until after 1:30am to try and finish the trampoline area before the fence guys came the next morning.  Then Steve comes in for the night with the mail & says, "Maybe you should check the mail before you go shopping."  It came in time! It had been in the mailbox all day!

 She was so surprised & excited!!

Her brother's sure love her too!

   Tyler got up super early to make a card & Zack made her an origami Princess Leia!

 I love that they are all such good friends!

Then she chose to have lunch at her favorite place...Costa Vida!

Then we got ready for our traditional birthday BBQ!

It was a fun night!!

I always have to get a few pictures of the birthday girl...

 She was so excited about her outfit...

 She got the chevron skirt in Las Vegas & couldn't wait to wear it for her birthday!

 She looked adorable!!

I had to get a picture by the "caution" sign...

Only one more year & we'll have a teenager!!

Here is a picture overload, but I love pictures...

 It was so fun to have Amber & her kids here from Maryland...Love baby Dax!  He has the cutest smile!!

 Steve & his mom matched!

 Marli & baby Allison in their matching shirts!

 Sophie LOVES birthday parties...it looks like she was celebrating with her toy cake!

 Aunt Julie with the birthday girl!

 Cute cousins...Quinci, Winni & Jorie

 Of course we had to get a picture with the other 4th of July kid...Happy Birthday Eli!

 Cora didn't know I was taking a picture...very nice pose though!

 AJ, Eli & Abe were serious about their batmitton game!

Sammi,Grady & Maeli had fun in the playhouse!

So did cute Eden!

 Tyler on the swings!

 Trae & Tyler playing in the sand.

 These cute boys played for hours!

 I stopped them for a mini photo shoot!

 Jasmine, Libby, Jaxynn & Cora...beautiful girls!

We always have to get a picture of Libby & Jazzy together!

 Allison just turned one on the 3rd of July!

She & grandma matched!

 AJ was "busted" with a cookie...ha, ha!

 Another pic of the birthday boy!

We had to get a picture with our birthday girl!

 We sure do love her!!

Her grandparents sure adore her too...

 

Grandpa Steen, Libby, Grandma Steen

 We also had to get a picture with grandma & grandpa Peterson...

Libby is so lucky to have so many people who love her!

Our neighborhood was banned for fireworks again, but after everyone left Steve put the trampoline together.

He finished about 12:30am & the kids were in heaven!  

 I felt a little bad for our neighbors because they were also very loud with happiness! 

 It turned out to be a great birthday!

Happy "12th" birthday Liberty...

 We are so lucky to have you!!

Liberty Turns 12...

It is so amazing to me that my 4th of July girl is already 12!!

 July 4, 2001

July 4, 2013

Here are "12" things about her right now...

1- She still loves Harry Potter!

2-We are so glad she is our oldest...She is a wonderful example to her siblings!

3-Her friends adore her!

4-Libby LOVES owls!

5-She is very artistic...especially good at drawing Manga!

6-She still loves to read.

7-She is an excellent student!

8-Dance class has become one of her favorite hobbies this year!

9-She is now taller than her Mom!

10-Everywhere she goes people think she is about 15, but I love how she still likes to "play"!

11-She has the kindest heart I know!

12-She is so excited to be going into Young Women's!

We love you SO much Liberty Lee!

Happy Birthday!!!

Las Vegas...

We were able to take a vacation to Vegas on June 17th.  

It was a little stressful when we first got there and realized our week wasn't at the hotel we wanted.  

We thought we booked the Tahiti Village, but it was actually a hotel called Tahiti.  So if you ever go to reserve your timeshare they are two different hotels & Tahiti Village is the one with the lazy river!  Let's just say my kids shed a few tears when we figured this out!

It actually turned into just the kind of trip we needed...

RELAXING!

We really had such a nice time!

It turned out good because the pool was never too crowded.

We went swimming EVERYDAY!

My kids are little fish...

Libby & Sophie

Zack loves his mask & flippers!

Tyler loved finding the diving sticks!

 Me & Libby had fun racing each other!

 Sophie loved jumping in & out...We did it over & over!

 Love these girls!

 So grateful for Libby's help!

Steve came down to the pool to swim a few times, but he wasn't quite as dedicated as the rest of us!
Our family ate at our favorite buffet at the Treasure Island.

I don't know if it's actually the dinner that's our favorite, but the dessert is definitely our favorite!

 They have cotton candy!

That is Tyler & Zack's favorite part!

 Libby has better taste...cheescake, eclairs & fruit tarts!
My favorite was the chocolate covered macaroon cookie!

Then we rode the train to see the volcano at the mirage...

 Sophie was so excited about that!

She couldn't stop smiling!

Me & the boys!

Then my parents & Shelly came for a few days at the end...

 Which made it lots of fun!

My kids adore her (and my parents too of course)!

We always have fun visiting the Bellagio...

 The dancing fountains are our favorite!

Here we are in front of the hotel.

Just the girls!

The garden was beautiful this year!

 They had a bird theme with real birds in a cage.

All of the birds were made out of flowers too.

My kids loved it!

Sophie matched the sunflowers!

The kids found a place to cool off!

Here is the view of the Eiffel Tower..

It's funny how contrasting Vegas can be...You can go from beautiful & peaceful places to the drastic extreme  within a few minutes.  

It was shocking this time with what the girls walking around were wearing.  

We did have a lot of fun though & were so glad we could go & spend some time as a family... 

 It was a good time!

 So glad Shelly & my parents could come for a few days too!

My kids ADORE you!!

 Sophie sure loves her Pa-Pa!!

We are so lucky to have each other!

On the way back it only took us 11 hours because of a slow leak in our tire, but we sure were blessed to make it home safely!