It was a unanimous decision to skip the July 4th parade this year, purely based on evidence that the girls don’t exactly love it at this stage in their lives. That evidence includes, among cheerful flag waving and candy catching, past years’ less favorable memories of sweaty foreheads, crying, hours of hands cupped over ears, pleas of “When will this be over?” and the clincher, Lainey’s straightforward request Tuesday night of “Please, can we not go to the parade tomorrow?” Which is just funny, I guess.
So we traded out some festive traditions and landed at my dad’s house where we spent the afternoon in the pool and later back at home. As the sun slowly descended, the neighborhood fireworks commenced, beginning slowly like the first kernels to burst in a bag of popcorn, but soon exploding to a steady staccato rhthym. Silhouettes of boys on bikes could be seen pedaling quickly past our street as throngs of young teenagers scouted out the best show. Somewhere in the middle, we scored with a collection of driveway fountains and sparklers for the girls.
The pinnacle of summer, our fourth was spent well. Paradeless yet redeemed by summer staples–fresh tomatoes, ripe watermelon, baked beans, glass bottle Cokes, pool jumps, new bubbles, sparklers and finally slipping into bed where we fell asleep to the distant rumble of firework encores.
Our Fourth in Photos:
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We are welcoming back Tea Collection as an Enjoying the Small Things sponsor this month. Whether you’re looking for summer basics or comfortable styles to stock up for back-to-school, Tea Collection offers quality clothing inspired by a fusion of worldwide cultures. I love that all our Tea pieces wash well and come out of the dryer wrinkle free. While they are stylish, Lainey still insists on storing her Tea clothes in her “comfy drawer.” It’s win/win.
Nella’s Dyed Dots Knot Dress–super soft and currently on sale
Check out their summer sale and new pieces from their Nordic-inspired fall preview.
Some of my favorite Tea pieces:
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A photography/inspiration interview over at I Heart Faces, if you’re interested. I’m excited to meet several of you at their conference in Dallas this October!
That last photo of Nella is one of my favorites ever! LOVE her eyes there…
Oh and Ellie fell asleep folded in half in the foot-well area of her wagon today. Her 18 month old friend kept looking at her and asking “E? E?” like “What’s up with narc Ellie?”
Looks like everyone had a blast!
Lovely photos, Kelle!
Love reading your posts! Thanks for your sharing your world with the rest of us. You are an inspiration! Happy Independence Day!!
That picture of the girls with the watermelon is hilarious. Those two have a lot of personality! I love low-key holidays, they’re the best.
This image of you drawing the heart with the sparkler. Un. real. Happy Summer to you and the family, Kelle
I always look at your pics first, then go back and read your post. Looks like you had a relaxing fun 4th =)
Great photos!!
Awesome photos Kelle, I think that skipping the parade was actually a pretty good idea, this looks so fun though regardless.
Such great photos…feels like I was there! The bubbles are my favorites…so fun! Who needs a parade?!
Parade or not, it looks to me like you had the perfect day. 🙂
Looks like your 4th of July was amazing, even without the parade! My sister and I always loved skipping the parade and swimming at our grandparents house too! 🙂 Something about pools, grandparents, and the 4th of July.
Happy 4th!
Gorgeous photos….especially the last one of Nella, she is so beautiful.
And good for you for not making your girls go the parade 🙂
Sounds like a great 4th to me. In our part of the country the temperatures made a parade unbearable! So worth skipping!
I can see how parades are overwhelming for little kids! Parades and heat are overwhelming for ME sometimes!
When did Nella’s smile become so infectious?! Seeing her smile in those pool photos makes me smile!
Ooh the tea collection looks right up my alley! Beautiful pictures as always, love the last one of nella.
Sweet! Now I want a hot dog and watermelon. We did your sparkler trick last night, my husband was all excited that it worked. The kids thought it was awesome (age 6 and 8). We did a super fast parade but had to walk in the heat to get there and it was still a few hours before we recovered@ My Logan would shut down at parades, he hated the noise.
I’ve been following your blog since just after Nella was born, and I devoured your book in a single day just last week. You inspire me in so many ways. I am registered for the I Heart Faces conference, and I can’t wait to meet you (or at least hear you speak) in Dallas!
We enjoyed a ballgame on the 3rd and sparklers on the 4th, so I am with you on skipping some of the festivities at this stage in their lives. I absolutely love that photo of Nella in the red dress and moccasins!
LOVE the bubble and watermelon pictures! I looks like it was a great 4th for you and your family.
Ahhhh…I remember when we tossed the big deal fireworks/parade stuff for a homely celebration and neighborhood fireworks — it felt great! And then when they got older we took them to the big shows and that seemed right too. Lovely fourth 🙂
Looks like the perfect Fourth celebration. We had to miss our annual family Fourth retreat to the Minnesota cabin because WE HAD A BABY GIRL! I guess if there is ever a reason to forgo family reunions at a perfect midwestern lake, having a little daughter is a good reason.
Thanks for the great blog – we love watching your ladies grow up.
Great pictures folks and it looks like you had some great family fun on July 4, I love that you had those classic bottles of coke in some ice. Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon,pa
Our 2 littlest hate parades too, so we skipped. Although, the fireworks show had to be done :), so I sat in the back of the van with them and watched while our oldest watched outside with Dad. All about making them all happy! Happy 4th!
Bubbles, Buns, Bangs and Booms…children certainly infuse a holiday with energy! It was so much fun being with you and sharing these past days. I already miss those girls. I continue to be amazed at our Nella…bright, bold, beautiful…and she knows and feels secure with her Poppa and that just melts my heart to buttah! Make them giggle tonight.
Sounds like a great day. And thank you for the link to the I Heart Faces page. I had never heard about this and it looks like it might be something I would like!
I love love love your pictures and am inspired by your creativity, outlook and fresh take on the everyday. I wondered if you would ever plan another photography post and let us in on your brilliant night photos,especially those like your firework ones! I’d love some tips and stats on them!
Just finished your book! My friend sent it to me just when I needed it most ( you know how friends can be that way) you have a very beautiful family
I’m selfishly bummed that you guys skipped the parade. I always love seeing the pictures! In fact, I was doing my best to channel my inner-Kelle to capture some magic at our little town parade. 🙂 Glad you guys had a happy 4th!
This is funny because as I was taking pictures of my sweaty kids (who actually did enjoy the parade, but still, it was hotter than you know where) I thought of your past years’ pics and your kids look fresh as daisies! Haha!! Thanks for keeping it real. Love that you had a chill day.
Yeah we didn’t do parades/fireworks either this year. With temp feeling like 105 outside it was too hot and dangerous. Everyone would have been miserable! Especially this pregnant mommy! But it looks like you had a great 4th without the parade so it’s all good!! Once again love all the pics!!
Beautiful fun photos of the paradeless 4th. Lovely commentary as well. Nicely done. Thanks for sharing.
Oh, my. That picture of your girls with the watermelon, LOVE. They are so precious and your swimsuit is CUTE!
Your girls are so adorable! I love to look through your photos and your words inspire me to be more magical for my own family.
The photo of you making a heart with a sparkler….LOVE! I want one : )
How do you capture such truly remarkable photos? It must help that you have two beautiful daughters as your subjects! 🙂
Great pics! Although the crab statuette thingy on the coffee table made me jump (i hate crabs, they give me the heeby jeebies)
Also, I’ll take that yellow Tea Collction kids tshirt in size “rubinesque woman” thanks ;o)
I love the crab sculpture on your dad’s coffee table. I’m a Cancer, so crabs are one of my “things” lol.
We also skipped the parade, opting instead to stay in our pajamas all day. The highlight was baking the pre-made sugar cookies that my 3 year old is convinced she did “all by myself”. Far be it for me to tell her otherwise. And my wish came true – she slept through the fireworks in the neighborhood. Fresh fruit made it the perfect day.
Love the bubbles in the pool pics. Cute.
A perfect day for certain.
How do you do the light painting?
Beautiful, gorgeous pictures! It looks like you had a wonderful day! 🙂
I love your dad’s giant crab!! And Lainey clearly got her father’s expressions 😀 Looks like it was a blast!!
Check out little Nella girls sweet face!!! She is always so happy & smiling!! Lainey & her love the watermelon!! Super happy you have had a great holiday!
Looks like the perfect fourth of July! 🙂
looks like you had a fabulous 4th!!! have a lovely weekend!
Kelle,
Thanks for posting this! For years others seemed to think I was crazy for not packing up my kids (all 11 of them) and heading off to the July 4th parade (or Memorial Day parade, etc). For them it was hot, it was not fun, and they’d much rather stay home and ride bikes, play outside, then jump in the pool, and have a picnic with family and friends. (It was so much more pleasant for me, too!)
I’m glad you’re proud to say you’re a customary tradition breaker. It helps others to feel like they can do it, too!(Why in the world do we put so much pressure on ourselves sometimes?!?!?!?!?!)
I’m so glad you all had a great day! 🙂
Clara
Gorgeous! I often react to parades in the same way.
I liked the whole post, but the picture of Nella at the end tugged on my heart strings…she is absolutely beautiful!!!
Hi Kelle! I just finished reading your book, and wanted to let you know that I just could not put it down.
I didn’t know anything about you before reading the book (just discovered your blog today) and I have to say that the internet can be such a beautiful and ugly place all at the same time. It seems that the digital age is full of crabs in a bucket, so to speak. I wanted to let you know that I am proud of you for holding your head up high and forging on.
I look forward to seeing more of your wonderful photography (I dabble a little also) and reading your fun adventures of your beautiful family.
All the best from Winnipeg, Canada!
Hello,
I must tell you that you have a beautiful gift … Your daughters are the gift.
Nella is a beautiful and happy 🙂 Just like my brother.
I wish you all the best
Monika from Polish
We know you love Poppa, but can we please be spared his bare 60-ish chest? And those ‘wife-beater” shirts he wears? Please?
Big smiles here! 🙂
Nella’s pure joy is a beautiful thing to behold. Looks like a perfect day to me.
My favourite photo is the one of the girls eating watermelon – Lainey’s expression is a classic.
I love your sparkler heart picture. My little one was so afraid of the sparklers I didn’t get a chance to get any good pictures 🙁 Or play with them myself 🙁 All your pictures are so much fun. Bubbles in the pool and watermelon looks like my way of spending fourth of july.
Kelle, I was the one who asked on your Instagram if you were going to the parade. While it was a fun parade, there was a TON of political candidates and their followers walking in the parade. There were no bands, no horses, only a few floats…however, it wasn’t too awful loud because of all the political stuff (my 11 year old has sensory issues and would also have hated the loud noises). Wish you would have been there so I could have said hello…but your Fourth of July still sounded like tons of fun! Glad you all had a nice, relaxing day! Who knows? Maybe next year we’ll see you at the parade!
OH my goodness…does it get any better than that Kelle? What a gorgeous array of photos. I just love to see Nella smile! I love her hair in one of the photos – looks like retro 80’s crimp!! SO cute!
Glad you guys had a good 4th – and it looks as though it was spent just the way it was meant to be – fun, family, love, home. xo
I have to ask…where is the adorable polka dot outfit on Nella from? I’ve seen it a lot on blogs and love it!
I just found your blog today. Your photos are very fun and interesting. I love the heart with the sparklers. Great capture and your children…so cute!
Laurie @ Pride in Photos
I Heart Faces workshop is SOLD OUT! Would love to hear you present and am looking for other good workshops out there…. Any suggestions? I am not a beginner, have my own little photo biz…. Would love something educational AND inspirational! Too much to ask?
Hi Kelle,
Where is the hair clip from that Nella is wearing in the last photo of this post?
Thank you,
Marci
I just have to tell you that Nella is the sweetest little girl ever! Every time I see her I feel so happy. She is just gloriously, perfectly herself. So beautiful. I loved the little video of her with her baby. So sweet! Thank you for her sharing her with us x x
Darling photos!! But oh my goodness…I need to get my hands on a crab like the one on the coffee table!! Crab season just started here in the PNW, but my husband is a man obsessed and his birthday is coming up. Do you remember where that crab is from?
=)