4th of July Fun!

What a fun 4th we had! First we went to the Carnation parade. We met up with Dan's Mom, Dan's Aunts, Uncle, 3 of his cousins and a 2nd cousin. Natalie had so much fun for the kiddie parade. They throw candy at all the kids and she caught on real fast that if you wave, they'll throw candy right at you. At first she was just trying to eat it but I had to show her to put it down so she can get more and then eat it at the end. So she'd wave, they'd throw candy, she'd run all over picking it all up (sometimes I had to help because both hands were so full....they were not stingy), put it in her wagon and then wave to the next group. It was cute. Then we met up with Dan's family for the rest of the parade. After that, we went home to put her down for a nap and then off to Barb and Jay's we went. hey had about 60 people there! Natalie was a doll and had so much fun riding the cars in the driveway, riding the powerwheel for the first time (she had no concept of steering), playing on the swingset out back and watching the fireworks. She held a sparkler too and after the initial fear of it...she ended up loving them and I think did 5. We got home at 10 and she was out...but still woke up at 7 the next morning. Such a morning person. Oh well, at least she wakes up happy.

I love these pictures. He loves that little girl so much.

Natalie was SOOO excited for the parade. She doesn't know what a parade is, all she knew was Daddy promised her a balloon. Of course they didn't have the cheap regular balloons that she would have been happy as a clam with. We had to get the $8 plastic kind. Out of allll the choices they had, she wanted Spongebob. The exact same one she got last year, but he broke. She has slept with him every night so far, so I guess it was a good choice.

Dan made a cushioned back for the wagon. Spoiled girl!

My sister Beth and her hubby Wes at Barb and Jay's

Boys and their toys. Here's everyone playing with Dan's potato gun. It was a big hit.

Here is Natalie on the Power Wheel. So much fun. Like I said though, no concept of steering. At one point, she was going straight for the hedge and I was yelling at her "Turn! Turn!" and she turned (while driving) to look at me and say "What?" right as she ran into the hedge.

Jena loaded up the kids and took them on a quick tractor ride

I can't believe how old my baby neice is....

The big toy that kept the kids busy for hours

Firework time! They were shooting roman candles at the fence.

Natalie set her baby in the chair and then sat in the one next to it and was "hanging out"

Natalie taking her cousin Shayna for a ride.

Yummy hamburgers!

This little boy jumped in the car and she handed him her baby and said "here, you can hold her!"

How cute is that hair?!

A baby is always with her

Shayna riding the car

Shayna and Abby riding in the car

Natalie holding a sparkler

Shayna's turn!

Fun at the Beach!

Today we went to Newcastle Beach! What a great beach! Shaya and the kids came shortly after we got there. Natalie, my little fearless child, would walk to the water edge to get some water, which is fine...but I blink and she's walking out to the rope. No fear. Once Shaya got there she got to use the doughnut and she loves that thing. She kicks around all over the place. We had a great time but she was tired. She could barely stay awake to eat and didn't even want to watch the rest of her show. After she was done eating I asked her if she wanted to watch the rest of Einsteins or go to sleep. "Go to sleep" as she's walking to her room was her answer, to which I replied "You are SO your father's child". Dan is napping right now too at this moment. Those Gallegos' sure love to sleep. ;) I can't pick out my favorites. I love them all, so....there's lots of pics.

I taught her how to fill the bucket with wet sand to make a castle so if you notice at her feet...she did that all by herself!

Here's my fearless wonder going out there by herself

Shivering and freezing but having the time of her life!

Kiki and Sydney making castles too!

She had to come show me she got splashed

Little Miss Sydney

I love those buns!

Look at all those toys! Natalie and Noah having fun in the sand.

She loves this doughnut! She can kick around forever!