Liv's Birthday and Fourth of July camping

So Taylor got here from Utah on the 24rth, (my little bff) an overnight in Seattle, Liv's birthday on the 30th and then camping for the Fourth of July...Yep, I am tired. The house is full of laundry and things to put away and as of yet I have done none of it. So the Birthday was a big camp out in the backyard. There were a total of six girls and all things considered, it went pretty well. One of the girls didn't come until a little later. It was fun decorating and making little snack bags. I also made all of the girls a stuffed owl. (you can see them a few posts down.) Once they are cut out they are done in ten minutes, no lie. Olivia decided on a cupcake tier so I made all kinds of cupcakes and buy the end of the night every cupcake was done. One little girl had six....Holy Cow. This is after devouring their snack bags and hamburgers bbq'd and chips. These 12 year old girls can eat. Once it got dark they all ran around the yard shrieking over every bug and playing volleyball with a net and a big rubber ball that flew over the fence at least five times. A ladder fixed that problem. We made fairy jars that I saw on Pinterest. Now they don't look like the one that is shown on Pinterest but they all loved making them. You cut into a glow stick, dump it in a mason jar and then put in glitter and shake it up. What it does'nt tell you is that too much glitter and it does'nt work. So at 11 pm I was in Walmart picking up glow sticks. The cool thing was the jars lasted a long time and the girls all took them home the next day minus the glow. They still had a pretty glittery look to them and a couple of the girls glued ribbons around the top. Taylor was so tired the next day that she was physically sick. I put her to bed and gave her 7up to calm her stomach. Probably all the food was a factor too. Fourth of July we went to Rockaway Beach Oregon where I grew up. The kids adored it. We have friends who have a huge piece of property right next to a river and they made it into a giant campground. Taylor had never been camping before and she just loved it. We used my dads motorhome so she may be spoiled now. I got to see my sister, my dad and my niece and nephews. Gosh I love the little ones....and the big ones too. Here is Ava in a dress I made her for her birthday. Rockaway has a parade and the house I grew up in is the first place they go by. It is so fun to scream and yell for everyone and the kids get candy thrown at them like crazy. They have a blast. The kids played at the beach before the big firework show. Taylor found out how cold the Pacific Ocean really is...She also tried Kettlecorn for the first time. Andrew was even reunited with his best friend and partner in crime, Cooper. It has been a whirlwind for sure, but a good one. I hope your 4rth of July was a happy Celebration too. xoxoxoxoxmelinda