The Pursuit of Happiness

Paul and Anne invited us over to grill for 4th of July and we happily accepted the invitation.

Paul and Anne's porch is the best place to hang out!

The boys tend to group together (safety in numbers, you know).

Paul can look a little frightening, but you just have to remember... he's more scared of you than you are of him. Most of the time, anyway.

Grammie with Gracey and Isabella doing some front porch cleanin'.

Jessica mugs with Anne and again with Sharron.

Siennalee loves to play with Auntie Anne.

Grammie took the girls out front and treated them to some superb bubble blowing.

It's really not as sad as it looks... in fact, it's a little funny. Okay, it's a lot funny. When she grows up Gracey is gonna want to know why we have so many of her fussy faces caught on film. And I guess we'll tell her, "Well, it was a little funny... a lot funny..."



After dinner, Paul set up a sitting area for us all in front of his Mexican Fireplace.

The boys enjoyed a couple nice cigars. Pre-cupcake cigars, actually.

What a cutie.



Grammie and Isabella



Post-cigar cupcakes. Just kidding. They're actually 4th of July cupcakes. Very patriotic. See the red and blue stars? All part of the Pursuit of Happiness. And boy do they take you there...



Sorry, did someone say cupcakes? I do like cupcakes...



Boy you weren't kiddin'!



Auntie snags a pre-cupcake kiss.

Having delivered all the required pre-cupcake kisses, Siennalee settles into Mommie's lap for half a cupcake. Wholly patriotic though.

I think toddlers could possibly eat their weight in frosting and cake. Just a supposition though.



Ahhh, darkness is falling. Time for the beautiful lights of fireworks!

Uncle Paul had the goods all ready.



The man likes to play with fire. Note the bucket of water to the bottom right of the picture.

Our little family started off quite cute on the curb, lined up like ducks. Then when the BOOM and CRACK of the fireworks started in earnest, the shortest Kantola ended up in Mommie's lap. She wasn't terribly in love with the LOUD part of the fireworks.

It's pretty alright. But let's keep that bucket close by...

Siennalee was quite sleepy and a bit grumpy, not to mention over cupcaked. She tolerated the fireworks, but between lightings she put her head snuggled into my shoulder. We talked about them a little, she did like the ones that screeched like birds... she screeched back at them.

All in all, it was quite a nice evening. I mean, how can it not be when it ends like this? Happiness pursued and caught.