Celebrating the 4th... Pearson style!

For the first time in about 4 years the Pearsons spent the 4th of July at home! We had a great 3 day weekend just the 3 of us. I kicked off the long weekend by getting my toepangas and front yard festive!

Jaxon getting ready to help Mama
Deciding where to put the flags

On Friday night, we went over to our friends, Jimmy & Francesca's house for a BBQ & firework lighting (yes, fireworks are legal in NM as long as they do not go soar above 6 feet). Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of this fun event, and boy, did we have fun! Jaxon was too funny. He LOVED watching the fireworks. He would clap for the ones he liked and shake his head "no" for the ones he didn't. I believe a few even got the "stink eye"!

On the morning of the 4th we went to the Rio Rancho Fourth of July Parade!
Jaxon watching the parade. He apparently is not impressed!

At the parade with Sloan & Kellen (Jimmy & Francesca's kids who love Jaxon!)

After the parade it was clearly time for a nap (for Jaxon). He was asleep in the car about 2 seconds into our drive home. YAY!

After the nap, we got ready to spend the rest of the day at the pool!

I'm ready for a pool party!

I took my camera, but it wasn't very convenient to tote the camera around as I chased Jax in & around the pool. Brian & I were super impressed at how well Jaxon did at the pool party. He spent almost the entire day (from 1:00-4:30) in the pool. The kids were entertaining him and feeding him marshmallows so he was in heaven. He even got into a little scuffle with a 2-year-old named Jackson. I can't say that I blame him. Moments before the scuffle Jackson was stealing his snacks! A big no-no in my Jaxon's world! The 2-year-old Jackson stole some flags from the planters near the pool and brought them over to the edge of the pool. He lost interest for a while in the flags, so my Jaxon "borrowed" one of the flags and was having a ball waving it around. The 2-yr-old Jackson came back and YANKED the flag out of Jaxon's hand. Well, after the snack stealing incident, Jax was having no part of his flag being stolen! His arms tensed and he SCREAMED at Jackson! His face was turning red and everything. It was pretty funny and I was proud of Jax for sticking up for himself. Jackson's mom finally took notice and made her Jackson give the flag back, which made my Jaxon extremely happy.

Like I mentioned before, we had a great time lighting fireworks on Friday night. Well, Brian was especially a fan, but not so much with the "nothing above 6 feet" rule. So he asks around and finds out that on the reservation they sell more of a variety (let's just say they don't follow the rules). Brian left before the pool party and was gone for quite some time. I was starting to get a little worried, I mean, Brian alone, buying fireworks without a voice of reason next to him, is not a good idea! Sure enough he came home with an arsenal of fireworks and spent way more than any one person should! and he talks about my poor spending habits!

He was pretty proud of himself!

So, after the required city-funded-fireworks display, we were treated to a fireworks display of our own! Now, Brian was not the only person on our street who visited the reservation before hand. I think ALL of our neighbors did! It was actually quite fun and the lighting continued until well past mid-night. (don't worry... Jaxon was sound asleep before 9:00 pm and never even whimpered at the loud sounds around him!)

Kellen, Sloan & Brian putting the fireworks in order.

Brian teaching Kellen how to light the fireworks.

Jimmy & Brian watching Kellen light a firework

The beginning of one of Brian's many fireworks

I wish I would have gotten this on video! Brian & Jimmy were hysterical! They were like kids in a candy shop. I don't know how many times I heard them say, "This is so much fun!" "I love fireworks!" I don't know what it is about boys and fire... After having witnessed how excited Brian was, I am a bit nervous about Jaxon being around him on the 4th! I can only imagine the trouble those 2 are going to get into!

I know what you're thinking... "They aren't wearing 4th of July shirts." Never fear my friends! All 3 of us wore the celebratory shirts!

How cute are we wearing matching shirts at the parade?