Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Fourth of July aka Warner-palooza

Fourth of July is a big holiday for the Warners.  Go big or go home is our motto.  I love it because all of my siblings come into town and there is stuff going on all the time.  Here is how we celebrated today:

We woke up early and dressed up as Patriotic Pirates for the East Millcreek Parade.  My mom does a float every year for the grand kids to ride on.  This year, my mom decided not to make a new float...and instead just pulled out the float from last year.  It is darling and everyone loves it.  We may just be the Patriotic pirates from here on out!

Here are some pictures from this morning:





I ordered these t-shirts for the ladies last year on ebay.  I don't know how mine gets tighter and shorter every year.  When I complained about it, my brother Rex told me it wasn't the t-shirt that was changing...



After the parade, Ashley and Tyler and their kids went to Kneaders with me for breakfast.  Everyone else pooped out and went home.  Their loss.  The food was to die for as usual.  Ashley and Tyler were raving about  it.



Then we all headed to the pool for the afternoon.  It was so fun to see all the little cousins playing in the pool together:



Even my dad came.  Buster loves to feel his beard scruff:



My brothers love to do tricks on the diving boards.  Here is my brother Cam doing a back flip.  I asked Rex if he had ever seen whales fly:


We came home for a couple hours then headed back up to my mom's for dinner.  My dad lovingly preparing the KFC:


We laughed that the blessing on the food was "Please bless this KFC to nourish and strengthen our bodies and we are so grateful for the Colonel and his 11 original herbs and spices."

My mom's candy jars were decked out in Fourth of July colors.  I don't know how she finds the energy:



Cousins often end up in the same outfits because Grandma buys them the same clothes:




The adult table (minus my mom who never sits down):



The kids spent 90% of the evening in Grandma's river:


My dad has a very weird preoccupation with these lips.  He is holding a photo of himself wearing those same lips on Christmas.  It isn't right:


Buster is totally freaked out by it:

Rex didn't buy any fireworks to do this Fourth of July and I'm sad to say, I kind of missed his white trash show.  But we got to sit on my parents driveway and watch fireworks from around the valley (I love this picture.  I stole it from my bro-in-law Tyler's facebook page:



Happy Fourth everyone!

12 comments:

LKC said...

You look super skinny in the pic with Sammie!

Jill T said...

So many great pictures...the kids in the river, the one you stole...looks like you had a great day!

alexandra said...

love it! you look gorgeous and i love that last photo.

GNB said...

How come all the girls (except for you) have matching beads? Was it one of those parades where you're supposed to throw goodies to the spectators?

Linda said...

GNB - you mean like a Mardi Gras parade?? Not quite. But appropriate that Brooke has already lost her beads!
It was a fun day.

Elizabeth said...

The pics are all great! You look so gorgeous as does the rest of the fam.
What a fun (sunny and warm) day.
Ex

Heather said...

I love the patriotic pirates! And Brooke...you look totally cute in your striped shirt. I love that your whole family is there! What a great tradition!

Tawni Atherley said...

We saw this float in the parade & thought it was awesome...didn't even realize it was a Warner creation!
It was so good to run into you - I was wondering if you could send me your email...I'd like to pick your brain a bit. When you get a chance drop me a line - tatherley@post.harvard.edu - thanks - Tawni

Unknown said...

Why the heck didn't my comment show up on here! IF you didn't delete it, it went something like this: Your legs are super tan. Your mom is amazing. You should make your dad a huge canvas of that photo and give it to him as a gift. Your family is so fun that I might have to move my whole family out there to stalk the Warner's at every holiday function.

Em said...

This looks so fun. Your mom's house is beautiful. As are her grandchildren. As are your father's fake lips. :)

ChrisandSara said...

We love the float. It is so cute! Love your dad's lips too.

The Mostess said...

The crickets weren't a reflection of your writing. They were a reflection of traveling peeps, and busy schedules.

I love that your mom buys matching digs for the kids. She's so awesome.

As I said on Ashley's blog, you cannot get bigger or better than the pirate float. That thing is genius, and it should be used year after year.

You look SOO hot and skinny in that Sammie pic. I know everyone said that, but I thought it before it was ever written.

Glad you had a fun and relaxing day.