The 4th at the Lafittes

To start this year's party out on the right foot, I thought I would put a little effort into it by decorating for the occasion.  I had a blast dressing up my Barbie Dream House.....

It's too bad this picture isn't a better one----then you could see how cute the front porch is---and how I have taped the flag to the light pole with silver duct tape in the most absolute redneck fashion possible.  But hey--I had limited tools to work with so don't mock me.  At least it got hung up.

 I went a little overboard with my bandanna sewing.......

 And right on cue, this thing just exploded with flowers.

 KAPOW

 It's so heavy with flowers, it is just hanging off of the arch way.  I thought it was a nice touch that it was so bloomy for my party.  :)

 At our house we even decorate the dogs.

 After we got the house, the dogs, ect all decorated, we slipped up to Commercial Street to watch the parade. 

 The first Morgan fire truck.  It was out of sequence from the others so I was shook up and therefore the photo is blurry.

 Our friends from Morgan City

 This is Chaston's WBBA float

 That's him sitting in the bottom corner with the flag.

 One last Chaston shot!

 Lydon in a fire truck

 When the parade was over we (and the rest of what I will presume was the entire state of Utah---too many people) went over to the park to watch the all star base ball games and enjoy the  festivities that they had to offer.

Here's Shirl and her gang in the patch of shade that they claimed.  James Wilkerson, that better be more than your middle finger on your face!

 Even Shirlee decorates her dog for the 4th of July.

 We had to watch the all-star games because Chaston Netz was pitching!!

 And his team WON!!!  I'm not sure which one of those things that he is holding is the trophy.....the grinning guy on the left or the gold statue on the right.

 When the game was over, we headed over to the other side of the park where Lydon kinda helped the fire department hose down the kids.

 Here comes Uncle Boyd to save the day (is it just me or does the pedestrian sign look like it is pointing at Boyd?  Just asking)

 There was one minor hick-up when Buster was parked RIGHT IN THE WAY of the fire truck but that problem was quickly solved and the hose down was back up and running.

 Jr. Bacon Waller even ran the hose for a minute.  (Dear Tyler--I think that is what you should name him)

 I saw the two cutest hosed down kiddos EVER!!

 Once I had had all the fun I was going to have at the park, we moved on to the big party at the Lafitte Family Farm.

We started out making t-shirts................this year we bleached.

 Brennan, are you texting?  Cuz you know how  Aunt Stacy feels about texting during arts and crafts time!

 Timmy's finished project.  Check it out....he made my camera sparkle with  beautifullness.

 Lydon's shirt.  I think they all turned out cute.  I wished I would have got a pic of all of them.  DANG IT!

 On to BBQ time.

 Shhh....don't tell him....he gets mad when I take his picture.

 And then we Minute to Win-ned It!

Boyd vs. Shawn

Ka-Broom

Smack the plate with  broom to catapult the marshmallow into the air.  Catch three marshmallows  to win.

 Action shot.

Look at Boyd catch that marshmallow.

 Brenn vs. Chaston

Tortilla  Head

Flip a tortilla from a swim flipper onto the plate on your head.

 Action shot

Look at Chaston catch that tortilla!

 Tiff vs. Aaron Jean

Volcano

Drop a Mento from elbow height into a bottle of diet soda

 Action Shot

Aaron's aftermath

 Action Shot

Tiff wasnt' gonna let Aaron get away with it.

 Lydon vs. Nate

That's nuts

Stack six metal nuts using a wooden dowel with your mouth

 Action shot

Lydon---you are not supposed to be kissing that wooden dowel

 Action Shot

Concentrate Nate.  At least that's what I think he's doing behind those glasses.

 What the Heck!  Were did this picture come from?!!?  Who has been playing with my camera?

 Uncle Jill vs. My little Babooshka

Separation Anxiety

Separate the colored water balloons into color coded piles using one hand

Extra added bonus---Little Yo may or my not help.

 Action Shot

My Little Babooshka working it

 Action Shot

Uncle Jill looking pretty--Jill, this is a competition on a beauty contest!!

 Extra Action Shot

Despite the fact that Uncle Jill got some help from Little Yo, she lost.

 Carol vs. The egg

Roll the egg around the back side of a pizza pan trying to pick up the stickers without the egg rolling off the pan

 After I wore everyone out with my extremely exciting Minute to Win It games, I tried to cool them off with their food craft:  Red-White-Blue drinks.

 Lydon was the only one that was able to make it actually work.  So I guess that means if this firefighter/EMT thing doesn't pan out he always has a back up career as a bartender.

 Since all fireworks were banned this year INCLUDING THE BIG ONES!! I had no other choice but to try to light up the sky with glow in the dark bubbles.  So pretend like these bubble that Little Yo is blowing are glowing and that it is a night time shot.

 Pretend really hard  cuz the glow in the dark bubble thing really didn't work out all that great.  Hey at least Little Yo is super cute to look at blowing non-glow-in-the-dark bubbles in the non-dark.

 And just when you would think that everyone would drop over tired from all the fun and excitement that the long hot day had to offer, Chaston INSISTED (and I mean he INSISTED) that we go across the street and play a round of baseball in the field. This blurry parting action shot brought to you by Timmy.