Fourth o' July

Did I ever mention that my family is just the best? On the way home from Kentucky, we went to good ol' Palmyra, Virginia to celebrate Independence Day with the Nalle clan. I believe that the "official" extended family numbers 23 people now, but when you add in the extended-extended family and friends, we maxed out at about 33. Good thing my Grandpop and Gran have a huge back yard.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First: the getting there. The drive from Louisville to Palmyra was supposed to take 7.5 hours. Including stops, it took us five hours longer, for a total of 12.5 hours. It was a long, rough day. No major disasters--just slow going and cranky babies. And toward the end... a cranky and head-achy momma. Dave was the stalwart one. Needless to say, we were all very thankful to arrive safely at the home of my Uncle Rob and Aunt Julia, who always host us so graciously when we're in VA.

OK, so back to the family gathering on the 4th. I have so many little snapshot-memories to capture... I think I'll do what I call a word picture. It will look sort of like a poem without really being a poem, and hopefully it will give you a feel for what our 4th was like. (If you actually read it all the way through. Which is probably unlikely.)

Load out of the car; Meg already sweaty
Hugs and hellos in the driveway
Ari walking for real now
Jacque so slim
Grandpop leaning on his cane; he's always there to greet his guests. I love that.
Lawn chairs out back, under the big trees
The men clustered together
Cubby: straw hat, dark glasses, immaculate blue, white and khaki
No time to greet him until the dessert's in the fridge...
There's Alfie, Aunt Sam's dog and baby
Women in and out of the kitchen
Storm door bangs
Meg adorable in her pigtails
Uncle Don holding Matthew: "Look what I've got!"
Sneaking Gran's snickerdoodles in the pantry--shhhhh--Mom (the cookie fiend) made us do it.
Meg in and out of the house
Storm door bangs
Plastic cups and sparkling grape juice
Dad feeds Matthew grapes
Cheese platter--Meg helps herself
Mason, on being as tall as me: "It happens."
Storm door bangs
Ari gobbles kidney beans
Sit on the dry grass with Matthew
Talk with Uncle Ed
Cousin Johnny and Co. arrive
John always wears the same patriotic shirt
Little Dawn's legs getting so long; so cute

Figure out nap locations
Set up pack 'n' plays, fans
Storm door bangs
Meg eats with the green bench as her table, so happy with Nana as her attendant

Stretch out in a huge circle
Join hands
Ed prays: thanks for all of the children you've granted us, for the way you transfer the faith through the generations

Put the kids down for naps
Quilts over the windows in Gran's room
Meg is exhausted; Matthew always sleeps.
Phew.
Back outside.
Storm door bangs

Food--several card tables support a bountiful buffet
Load up a plate: chicken, fruit, coleslaw, beans
Gran's homemade lemonade, the best and sweetest there is.
Sit on a white wood Adirondack chair
Ask Uncle Don about his garden
Dave chats with Uncle Bob
Lena snaps pictures
I talk with Cubby about Marg; watch the tears collect in his eyes

Water fight starts: five boys, one little girl and a dog
(Alfie likes being squirted)
The boys lurk outside the picnic area, lying in wait for one another
Uncle Rob joins in... the bucket... it's over
Everyone soaked
Mason walks by in sneakers: squish, squish, squish

Check on kids
They're taking fabulous naps: thank God!
Back outside; storm door bangs

Gran and Dave start churning ice cream
Ice, salt, more salt
Crank
Crank
Crank
Uncle Don takes over
Crank
Crank
Dave joins the water fight, late, but not too late to get drenched

Storm clouds rollin' in
Aunt Heidi feels it in her bones: rain's coming
Not-so-distant rumbles from the sky
Pack up, head inside
Storm door: bang, bang, bang, bang, bang
Storm breaks: crashing thunder, rain blowing sideways
It's over in ten minutes

Boys settle down on the floor of the formal living room for Risk: Lord of the Rings version
Uncle Rob cracking jokes, provoking Mason
Asher talks Middle Earth
Dessert appears... mmm... chocolate trifle a hit
Luscious ice cream: melted creamy peach,
Rock-hard strawberry, just like when I was little
Way too much sweet food
Vats of Gran's cookies
Wish I had room to try everything
Guess this is our dinner

Meg plays with Aunt Sam's old dolls
Dressing and undressing
Matthew makes everyone laugh, squawking for mama
Eating baby food; his face a mess
The Leesburg crew says goodbye
We pack up too; we'll have to miss fireworks this year
The kids need an early bedtime tonight.
Meg gets a quick leftovers dinner
Kisses and thank-yous
And back in the van

In addition to my word picture, I have a few real pictures to share. I must warn you in advance that I have no pictures of my own kids from this day. Guess I had other things on my mind when they were around...

Lena and Cubby:

Mom and Jacque.

I just wish someone in this family was good-looking. :)

The Spruills

Uncle Ed and Dad talking Kindles and iPhones

I wish I had good shots of more family members. My Aunt Julia had some great ones, including some of our children, but I lack the means to post them here. I do have a few of the annual water fight that bear sharing...

Ben, heading to fill up before the carnage began

Dawn, usually the only female fighter

Elijah, hunting his quarry

Oh, mercy, here comes Uncle Rob with his weapon of choice.

Rob always wins.

Oh, and one final shot: my husband, soaked but satisfied.

We are a blessed family. I hope everyone who was there enjoyed the day as much as I did.