Christmas in July

Try not to be jealous, but I get two Christmases every year.

Christmas in December consists of trees, presents, hot chocolate, family, snow, ornaments, yummy food, Christmas music, white lights, and the absolute indescribable joy and love I am always surrounded by on Christmas morning.

Christmas in July consists of vodka watermelons, fireworks, sun, the lake, bonfires, s’mores, family, friends, yummy food, fishing, and the pure, unadulterated all-American feeling of summer… also known as the Fourth of July.

I think my cousin, Megan, and I Facebooked back and forth to each other probably 100 times the week leading up to the Fourth about how excited we were! The Fourth always ends up being the perfect combination of fun and relaxation, and of course, yummy food.

Have I said “yummy food” three times already in this post?!?!? Hmmmmm…

Speaking of yummy food, my Mom gave me the brilliant idea of making a vodka watermelon for a fun snack on the Fourth. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to partake in eating it (me and vodka are no longer speaking), but it was a fun summer treat, nonetheless!

We had a total all-star cast this weekend up at the lake – my parents, Jordan & I, Megan & Chris, Penny & Rich, Grandma Ha, Lorna, Rio, Nick and a bunch of his friends, Leo, the McMurray Family, Nicole & Marc, my grandparents, and Maggie and Charlie, the dogs. :) We missed having Lindsay, Cilya, and Sara there!

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend...

Jordan and Rio collecting rocks for a sand castle. Rio is my cousin, Cilya’s, daughter and was the flower girl in our wedding. She absolutely adores Jordan!

Jordan taking Maggie out for a swim to cool off!

Chris, Jordan, and Megan having one of many great conversations around the table on the new deck. Notice there is always a snack involved. :)

I love this picture of Megan and Chris on the surfboard… totally double-fisting vodka watermelon and a beer. Now that’s talent!

My Mom and her twin sister, Penny. Yes, they are twins, I promise!

My Dad is the ultimate fisherman, and he is also the most patient man I know! He took all the little kiddos out fishing!

Letting the fish go, and watching them swim away -- some kids never grow up! :)

Nicole, Megan, and Charlie out on the point playing ladder ball.

Megan and Chris were worried their dog, Charlie, wasn’t going to be a water dog. Well, let’s just say they don’t have that problem! He would literally stand in the water just like this and not move an inch for 45 minutes at a time -- it was absolutely hilarious!

My Mom with her famous Fourth of July gooey brownies, of which I ate half of the tray by myself. :)

Photo shoot on the deck!

Mom and daughter picture -- me, Mom, Megan, and Penny.

Tampien family picture...

Couples shot! Marc, Nicole, me, and Jordan...

One of my all-time favorite humans! Darcy and I...

I hate to sound conceded, but we really do have one of the most beautiful spots on the lake. Sometimes when I’m having a bad day, I’ll think of this view and it always helps me relax and realize how lucky I am to have such an amazing lake place… it’s our own personal slice of heaven!

Once the sun goes down, the Fourth of July really begins at Murphy Bay. Fireworks, bonfires, s'mores, oh my! :)

We had such a great weekend, and are so thankful to get to celebrate being American! I just had to post this last picture of Maggie -- she was so tired from the weekend that she fell asleep before we even reached the car bridge on the drive home, which is less than 5 minutes from the cabin! So sweet…

To see all of our pictures from the Fourth of July, click here.