My Favorite Holiday

I LOVE 4th of July!  I look forward to it all year.  Our house is right on the Redwood City parade route and all the noise early in the morning from people warming up their instruments or practicing their dance moves doesn't even bother me.  People are just all around happy on the 4th, which makes me happy!  Anyways we were planning on being super mellow this year and staying in after checking out the parade until fireworks time but that didn't happen (shocking right?). 

Around 9:30 we headed out to meet Carcus and the Givens to watch the parade downtown.  Once it was over we tried to walk around all the booths that were set up but there were too many people so we headed over to the carnival down the street where Joe won Kendall her first pet gold fish :)  After that we all piled into my car and headed to the Menlo Park Chili Cook-Off.  Sadly there were a zillion people there as well and in order to get even one sample of chili we would have had to wait in a 30+ minute line.  No thanks!!  By that point we were all starving so we headed to Oasis burger in Palo Alto for some super late lunch, followed by driving back to RWC to the Shanahan's house for a BBQ (although none of us were hungry after our 3pm lunch).  We still had a great time hanging out until it was time for fireworks at the harbor.  Again, there were too many people to get where we wanted to go but Lucas remembered a super secret pedestrian bridge you can get to by walking under the freeway.  We weren't as close as we wanted to be but Kendall still seemed to really enjoy the fireworks (as did I).  Around 10:30 we arrived back home, pooped!  What a non-stop day of fun!!

 The Feinberg's gave Kendall this adorable outfit for her birthday.  I apparently didn't get a picture of her standing up in the full get-up so I'll have to put her back in it again :) Oh, and I of course had to make her a 4th of July headband.

 Her hat was pretty big for her so I stuck it on top of the headband to keep it out of her eyes.

 All comfy in her backpack - Thanks to Lar & Tam for the hand-me-down!!

 Watching the parade.

 You are getting very sleepy....

 Just a couple people come to see the parade every year.  Some of the girls and I met for dinner and a movie the night before and they girls couldn't believe that people had already set up chairs all down the streets.  I had to tell them they start a week in advance!

 Our 4th group.  Jen and Joe were super stars and ran the 5K that morning.

 And shes out!

 I think I stared at her most of the parade :)

 This is my "look friends!  I'm wearing shorts!" picture.

 Meet Godzilla!  Kendall LOVES that fish.  The second we get near her room she starts pointing at him.  We have to say good morning and good night to "Zilla" every day now.

 Waiting for fireworks

 Love these ladies!

and love my little nugget :)