Happy 4th of July

"It will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It out to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more" -John Adams, after the Independence resolution passed on July 2nd. 

Well shoot. 

My favorite holiday has come and gone already!

The 4th of July is my favorite time of year and I'm having mixed feelings about it this year. Mostly because I certainly had fun bbq-ing and hanging out with the whole fam-dam-ly...BUT this marks the first year since 2005 that we haven't also spent it with our dear friends the Haro's.

Check out Tyah's blog here

and check out all our pics over the years here

A Townsend-Haro 4th of July is tradition and I'm really kinda mad that this whole growing-up-and-having-responsibilities is getting in the way of our fun!...Right Tyah?! =)

Additionally...since these little pesky things called summer classes keep getting in my way this summer, I totally didn't have time to make any festive decorations or recipes this year. I couldn't even hang my banner up from last year (see above link) cause it rained on the 4th. ...That's right folks, I said rain in Arizona. They say it was the coolest 4th of July Arizona has seen in 100 years.

Holy crap on a cracker.

But lastly and most importantly...the 4th of July this year, is the day that I will refer to now and forevermore, as... the day the music died.

Steve Nash was traded.

To the Lakers.

TO. THE. LAKERS.

How very, and so totally UN-American.

...then again he is Canadian sooo...

Regardless. I'm so mad. ANY team Steve, but the Lakers?? I feel so betrayed.

Utterly betrayed.

 I'm still grieving and I can't decide Steve, weather I still love you or hate your stinkin' guts.

I start my therapy on Monday.

ANYWAY...happy thoughts...

happy thoughts...

happy thoughts...

My 4th of July got started a day early this year thanks to my friend and former co-worker, the lovely and talented Tanya O'Malley. We went (accompanied by our ever-enthusiastic husbands) to the Miranda Lambert concert...and it was fab!

If ever I were to have a "girl crush" on someone, it would totally be Ms. Lambert. 

She's gorgeous, fierce, sassy, tough, has an amazing voice, and totally rocks her live shows!

Did I mention she's totally gorgeous?!

Darius Rucker and Eden's Edge were along for the ride and weren't too shabby either!

Ms. Tanya

Always rockin' that pink guitar and pink microphone in true Miranda fashion

If it looks like she's pointing at us...she totally is. She's like, "You girls way back there in the bleachers, meet me after the show and we'll be friends and hang out and have sleepovers and be BFF's and stuff!"

...true story.

After the show was the fireworks spectacular.

It was pretty spectacular.

Fireworks and country music is indeed, pretty spectacular.

  

For the actual 4th, we spent the day at my parents house swimming and bbq-ing...even though it was raining. Cause that's what you do on the 4th of July. You swim and you bbq.

The day before, I texted my mom and asked if she and my dad had plans yet (for the 4th). When she replied with "no" I invited us all over to party it up.

Sorry mom and dad, but that's the price you pay when you own the home with the pool.

Muahahaha!

We put together a few matches of pool volleyball. ...until Nate went all Freshman year on me and smacked the ball right into my face. ...but that's neither here nor there...

My dad, myself, and our good friend Kenny won all the matches. Which means Nate didn't win any.

Serves him right.

Muahaha!

The boys got a little inventive and came up with some alternative methods of volleyballing...

So with the exception of the Haro's being MIA and Steve Nash high-tailin' it to...ahem...I can't even say it...the 4th of July this year was a definite success!! 

"America has surmounted a greater variety and combination of difficulties than, I believe, ever fell to the share of any one people, in the same space of time, and has replenished the world with more useful knowledge and sounder maxims of civil government than were ever produced in any age before. Had it not been for America there had been no such thing as freedom left throughout the whole universe" -Thomas Paine 1778