After our fabulous 4th at the cabin, we managed to leave a few important items at the cabin.  Dwayne left his coat and keys there, and I made a big deal about me having to go back to get them, but full disclosure makes me admit that I left my credit card at the thrift store.  They put it in a safe for me, and I picked it up first thing when we got to the island (and then used it to buy lunch for me and the kids at the Braeburn—yum!).  But since we were there, we decided to hang out at the beach. 

Piper  declared that she wasn’t going to touch the sand at all and vowed to not have any fun (she didn’t get to go to the beach she wanted—these deprived children have at least 4 good beaches to chose from close to the cabin).  That lasted until she was ignored long enough and then she and Kyla built their own beach house out of drift wood, seaweed, and shells. 

 

They even made a hidden shelf for all their shell dishes!

 

Building codes forced them to build an outdoor kitchen and fire pit.  Don’t mess with Island County regs!

 

I’m not sure what Wesley is doing (though I am just as shocked at you that he’s wearing clothes), but one can appreciate the beauty of our Northwest summers in this shot.

 

The extra-large, extra-advanced enzyme cleaner, necessary after the cats somehow got entry to our upstairs while we were gone for the 4th of July weekend, has not improved Denise-Cat relations in our household. 

Meerkerk Park had their annual fairy house building day.  The volunteers provided gathered sticks, pine cones, flowers, wood, moss, ribbons, and hot glue guns.  Everyone brought their imaginations (I wish I had brought my camera—I settled for a device that technically can take pictures but is overall unsatisfactory). 

My kids didn’t make anything to brag about (their mother had to abandon her even worse attempts), but there are some really creative fairy-fans out there!  We’ll try again next year.

It’s simply the depth and breadth of the bathtub ring once the kids are clean and pajama-ed at bedtime.  Today was a particularly entertaining day, according to this reading.

Honestly, it’s hard to beat the Island for the Fourth of July.  We now know to get there early enough on the 3rd to go to Freeland’s Freedom Festival—live shows, food booths, local interests (this year, the new fireboat was open for public tours) and then amazing fireworks over the harbor, first by God…

then by the local community.

  

The actual 4th of July brought a parade through the small Maxwelton Community—the same one we did last year.  I somehow forgot to take pictures once the candy started flying.

 

Back at the cabin, our neighbors had a lot of fun shopping at the fireworks stand.  This year, instead of trying to get the kids to bed at a reasonable hour, I sent them outside to join in the fun.  I have two pyromaniacs and a coward-pragmatist (that’s Piper, by the way).  Kyla and Wesley were invited to shoot of kid-works by the neighbors and when I finally put them to bed after 11pm, they went straight to sleep.

Happy Birthday, USA!  You throw a great party.

Wesley desperately wanted a Captain America costume. How desperately?  Enough to save 60 marbles ($15) over several weeks.  I had ordered it and it sat on a high shelf taunting? inspiring? Wesley until today:

(See the shield?  Wesley loves it—I made it from a $3 fabric frisbee from Target, black elastic, and white paint.)

 

But don’t call him Captain America; he assures you that he is just wearing a costume.

Piper loves to do fantastic hairstyles.  She has learned to braid, at least from the sides.  So she braids her bangs and then pins them back along the part.  Then she divides her hair into three pony tails, braids the two sides and leaves the back as it is.  It’s this week’s go-to style!