Happy Independence Day!

Yet another fun time spent with family and friends. Does it matter that the day revolved around the food? We arrived in Paradise Valley at Megan's parents' home, which shall be referred to as The Mansion from here on. The Mansion is a beautiful, insanely large "house," perfect for throwing a pool and BBQ party on a holiday! We pulled up to the gate around 12:40 PM and actually got buzzed in! John and I needed Jeff's help to bring in all the goodies we brought...Jell-O Jigglers, Peanut Butter Cookies dipped in chocolate and peanuts, Double Chocolate Cake, two kinds of ice cream, four kinds of chips (including the best tortilla chips available in the valley from Food City), and homemade salsa. Jeff and Megan provided meat and buns for grilling hamburgers, and Joe and T'liese showed up with potato salad, Rice Krispie Treats, and condiments for the burgers. Needless to say, there was no shortage of food available for snacking and eating. Jeff's friend from Miami, Gabby, also joined us for the day of festivities.

We chatted inside for a while, then decided to hit the pool to cool down. It seemed warmer IN the water than outside! It was certainly a toasty day, probably around 110 degrees. That's how we like it here in July! We didn't stay in the water long, as people started getting hungry for some food. Jeff cranked up the grill, with assistance and advice from all other men within a 50-foot radius. Despite refusing to season the burgers, they turned out wonderfully! We ate inside since it was too hot to enjoy being out in their beautiful backyard. Then, to let our stomachs settle from a delicious meal, we watched some Food Network. The boys then played some Tiger Woods Golf on the Nintendo Wii. Megan and T'liese watched the movie Taken in her brother's room. Since I had just seen it, I spent a few hours outside enjoying the early evening sights and sounds in the backyard. I waded in the pool and watched the hummingbirds before getting my camera and taking some pictures of flowers, The Mansion, and rhino posteriors. I love occasional solitude and being outdoors, so it was a nice and quiet two hours to myself.

Later that evening, we grabbed a plate of snacks and sat in the living room, one of several in The Mansion. We visited with each other until 10:30 PM before realizing how late it was! Megan is 12 weeks pregnant, and T'liese is 8 weeks pregnant. Lots of conversation rolled around that fun topic, as well as John and I getting asked when we were going to join the bandwagon and start having kids. Luckily, that won't be any time soon!

It was a great day spent eating, laughing, and celebrating this great country we live in. I am still reading everything I can about the Revolutionary War time period, and it is neat to incorporate my new knowledge into my Independence Day celebrations. Our Founding Fathers struggled endlessly to establish a government where freedom could reign! God bless this wonderful country and those who fought and continue to fight for our freedom!