4th of July at the Lake

Our 5-day mini-vacation to the Lake reached its grand finale on Monday, July 4th.

Our Independence Day started off just like the founding fathers' did 135 years ago... by putting their kids in front of an iPad to watch Sesame Street. (Right? Am I messing up historical facts again?)

Andy's parents hosted a 4th of July Picnic at the Lake. The get-together also gave the extended family a chance to finally meet Gwen for the first time. Gwen was a very gracious guest-of-honor, smiled for everyone, showed off her crawling and cruising skills, and even modeled Dad's Sox hat.

The weather on the 4th was absolutely perfect, which made for a great afternoon of swimming, food and laughs. We're not sure what Andy's Mom and (long-time blog follower and first time blog guest star) Ruth were laughing at. But apparently it was really funny.

Morgan and Gwen both enjoyed a heavy dose of "Truax Time" during the party -- whether it was swimming with Aunt Linda and cousins Mandy, Sarah and Steven, or coloring at the picnic table with Andy's crafty clan.

This year, we promised Morgan that if she took a good nap on the 4th of July, she could stay up late and watch the fireworks over the lake.

Morgan was impressed with the bright lights and booming explosions. But she was even more impressed with the glow sticks that Ariella bought for the occasion. She quickly decided she would create a light show of her own.