Happy 4th of July!

I tried my level best to dress the girls in their cute little red, white, and blue outfits so that we could get an Independence Day photo that would rival the ones from last year. However, the cards were apparently stacked against me as is evidenced below... Ella couldn't find her flag shirt and instead of the plain white one insisted on the pink trimmed tank top with "lovely" pink bow right on the top of her head.... which matched perfectly with the red skirt with white and blue stars that she was wearing, in her mind. I just don't fight her fashion desires, so there you have it. Sarah has a matching outfit like Maggie and Kate's, but she refused it as well... again, not something worth fighting about, especially since I was able to convince her to wear the red, white, and blue dress. This was the best we could do, and I suppose it is every bit as cute as last years', but comparing the two makes me really wonder where did my little babies go?!?

Trying to get the photos was another feat. Ella has taken the summer cold that I've had for the last couple of days and has been projectile sneezing out wads of snot.... sorry to be so graphic and gross, but really the description doesn't do the phenomenon justice! Her every sneeze today has been like our very own little fireworks show.

She has had her fingers in her mouth about half of the day I think as just a comfort measure of sorts. When we had them all posed and ready, Scott took a couple of photos in a row and at this point requested that Ella take her fingers out of her mouth.

In the next second he took the following photo where Ella did, in fact, take her fingers out of her mouth.... thank goodness! ha, ha, ha, ha!

Because Ella was under the weather today, she and I stayed home and enjoyed watching and sleeping through some of the Disney movie CARS while Scott and the little girls played in the river in Helen this morning. After they all four finished napping this afternoon we went to Mimi and Pop's for swimming and dinner. None of the girls is feeling great, half of them at any given time have had a low grade fever this afternoon and evening, but it didn't stop them from enjoying Mike-Mike's motorcycle! Looks like Daddy may have four little biker chicks on his hands one day...

In all seriousness, we would like to say a special thanks today to all the service men and women who are providing the wonderful freedoms that we treasure here in the USA. We do not, and will not ever, take them for granted!!