Independence Day in the Uintas

We didn't make it to the annual Park City breakfast and parade this year due to an exhausted family, but we did manage to make it up to the Uintas to celebrate our country in one of its beautiful national treasures.  Along with my parents and our dear friends, the Olsons, we had a lovely 4th of July kayaking, picnicking, and chatting by the non-existent campfire...prohibited this year because of the wildfire risk. As usual, I took a million pictures. 

Aiden wore his patriotic Romney shirt as well as his red, white and blue shoes.  

The guys were the first to venture out on the lake and despite having two three-year olds aboard, everyone stayed afloat.

Aiden's new favorite food is deviled eggs.  I think he ate about twenty, and I know that because I dealt with it on the other end.

Love these girls.

Four guys in a kayak.  

Going to eat him.  Right.  Now. 

"Are you telling me Romney LOST?!??"

The new face of Gerber?

Sometimes pretending to do something is just as much fun as actually doing it.

I guess they both needed to go think about their daffodils (inside joke.)

I love these three of my parents (in my dad's natural habitat.)

I wonder what Wes smelled in this one...

"Just because I wear a hoodie doesn't make me a gangsta'."    

Liam loves to fish with his Papa, but no luck that day.  They got skunked.

Look at my cute husband!  That's the smile I fell in love with...

Just give up, Grammy.  There are going to be no naps today.

Is it just me, or does he look like a mini Winston Churchill in these?  

My whole family in a two man kayak; we didn't move very fast.  

"Papa.  Hat."  

The kiddos did well despite no naps.  Aiden was still smiling by the time we left!

We had more than a few of these stops along the way...On one of them, Wes must've dropped his wallet on the side of the road because he made it all the way home without it.  He intended to go back and look for it the following day, but we knew our luck was running out when it thunderstormed all night.  Miraculously, the next morning, a mountain biker called saying he had found it about ten miles from where Wes knew he lost it, contents strewn about and soaking wet.  Nearly $70 was missing, but the important stuff was still there.  Thank you, mountain biker guy!    

We ended the day with a fireworks spectacle at Glenwild.  Wes and Liam teamed up with the extended Charles clan and Aiden and I saw them from the car on the way home.  Aiden was MESMERIZED.  Once again, proof that Liam and he are very different people.  At this age, fireworks proved to be a bit overstimulating for my eldest.  Let's just say Liam has turned over a new leaf. Happy Independence Day!