Independence Week (sorry about the dates on the pics)

Admittedly, I don't get as excited as I probably should about the arrival of other people's newborns.  However, I am excited about this one.  This is little Taytum Cole, my niece's daughter, and come mid August, Shana gets to watch her a few days a week.  I'm excited to have a baby around the house during the day, but gone at night. 

 On with the festivities!  We spent the day of the 4th up in Pine Valley with the Sullivan crew.  Good food and company...which seems to be a theme throughout the week.

 Wells rule of photography - there will always be at least one "special child" in any group picture.

 The Troy earned his stripes playing with the kids.  They wore him out.

 We stopped in at Huggy Awma's to say hello.  I wanted to check in on the garden.

 These are the potatoes that the boys and I planted.  They're doing well and we're looking forward to a nice harvest in the fall.  Janice keeps an immaculate garden pulling every weed by hand and has done so for years.

 Festivities continued at the standard location - Grandma Sullivan's house.   We throw our chairs out on the road to save our spot for the fireworks and let the kids play and eat their pizza.  The kids get Little Caesars and the adults get Papa John's.  There was homemade root beer and chocolate sheet cake to chase it all down.

 The Troy and Co.

 Remember the Wells rule of photography.

 The St. George fireworks display was a lot like 'Thunder over Louisville'...with a lot less fireworks.

 And finally, the annual trip to Powell - courtesy of Mason and Mandy.  They put up with a lot of nonsense inviting us all out there.  We had a great time and really appreciate Mason and Mandy's hospitality.  They put on a great party.

 Can you feel the love!?

 Shana appears to be sharing her love with her in-laws by passing gas.

 We spent a good portion of our time at the "sand castle."  Last year Drew and I scaled it 7 times.  We were a bit more relaxed (lazy) this year.  I think I did it 3 times total and Drew is claiming to have climbed it 5 times over 3 days.

 The trip down is quick and usually quite entertaining.  Shana is thinking to herself, "Please don't fall, please don't fall."

 Seth in stride.

 The Troy in descent.

 Focussed and determined Drew.

 Mason killed it with his standard Tri-Tip meal...

...earning the highest of awards - The Troy's approval.

(Comment of the week.  As The Troy was trying to ask for seconds of the potatoes, he states, "I'll take a deuce on those potatoes."  I'm still laughing.)