The 4th of July

I always love going home to Washington. It is a nice change of scenery from Idaho. I also haven't been home for the 4th in 5 or 6 years. I spent a couple 4ths in different countries and then in Idaho and Utah.  My family planned a nice little picnic at the waterfront in Kalama. I don't think we had ever really been to the waterfront there and it was pretty nice. It was a little windy. But we loved it. We ate, played with the kids, and walked on the sand. Ruby loved the water!

Mimi would kill me if she knew that a picture of her eating fried chicken is here for all to see! 

Ruby was afraid of Boppa....but then he gave her not 1 but 2 otter pops! (Yes I allowed it, but it took me a second to remember what she had that made her bounce of the walls that night!)

Mimi can I have some chicken

Asher was a little unsure about how he felt when Kj held Ruby

Kj loved Ruby

And Ruby loved Kj! 

Ignore my white legs....they really don't glow like that all the time! 

After our picnic, we went to Kj's and Aaron's house for some dessert and fireworks. The neighbor had some intense fireworks which of course scared me and not Ruby! Eric also lit off his first firework ever! 

Everyone looks thrilled in this picture

After a short night of fireworks (we were all tired by 10pm) we headed home only to have the most odd thing happen. Zach wanted to show Lizzy this one road that has hill after hill on the way home. We of course like to speed down them so our stomachs are in our throats. As we were heading over the last hill, I could see something up ahead in the road. I started yelling, "Zach deer... DEER!" Zach was able to slow down and as we got closer we realized it was NOT a deer....

We thought it was an Ostrich at first. But after calling my mom, she informed us it was an Emu. She said there was an Emu farm near by. It was actually rather large and probably taller then the car. We thought it was hilarious and assumed he was strolling along to view the fireworks :) I also did a little research and discovered (yes on wiki) that they have super strong legs and claws that can rip metal fences. I am assuming this is how he escaped! What an eventful 4th of July.