Let's Hear It For the Home Town Fireworks

That's my mom on the left...darn it, I forgot her friend's name already

One of my mother's (many)friends lives right across the street from the closest municipal fireworks display. She graciously let our clan invade and camp out in her driveway and on her lawn to watch the fireworks. It was great. She didn't even seem to mind the parade of grandchildren who had to go to the bathroom. It definitely pays to have a mom who is well-connected.
Lucy, Millie & James display their fashionable glow-in-the-dark jewelry

Because she raised ten children and endured years of public firework displays and parenting in the dark (not to mention more than one lost kid and the resulting frantic searches), my mom went out and bought glow-in-the-dark necklaces and bracelets for every single one of her grandchildren who were going to be there. She's the best. The kids loved it. And it made it really easy to spot Alex (age three) each time he took off down the street.
Mark and Yvette

Mark is such a good sport. After working all day on the gazebo, all he wanted to do was go to bed. But the kids really wanted him to come, so he went along to the fireworks show. What a great dad!
Liz and Anthony

Anthony won't be 1 until the end of next month, but he still thinks he's a big boy and can stand up and walk. Except you can't tell that's what he's doing in this picture, because his blankie is in the way.
Cousins and Cohorts Jake & Hyrum

Hyrum and Jacob are great friends. They both speak "computer games" and "big brother", not to mention all the other boy stuff. They don't get to play together very often, so this was a good weekend for them. But what's with the gang signs, Jacob?
More glowing fashion with Millie, Lucy and Gabriella...too bad the flash washes out the glow, huh?

My sister-in-law, Susannah, and James
Ruth (in the stroller), Karen, Jake, Hyrum and Dave & Jeff (behind Jake) get ready for the show
I didn't take this picture. My pitiful little point-and-shoot would never do something this great. But I love fireworks, so I had to end the post with some. :D