party in the USA.

We have had quite the getaway over the past week plus.

We topped it off with a food-fun-family filled 4th of July weekend in Chicago with Chris's extended family.

~

You see, before I entered the C family, they had a long standing tradition of having a New Orleans style shrimp boil for the 4th. Chris has an aunt from New Orleans, and she and her husband would fly the shrimp up from the gulf and boil it all Cajun-style and dump it on the tables and everyone would feast.

Chris's grandfather, Papa, passed away a year before I met him, and after that the Shrimp Boil ceased to exist for a time.

This year was the resurrection of the Shrimp Boil.

And I, being the shrimp lover I am, was rather excited.

Chris, much like when he was ten, decided to fore go the shrimp and stick to hot dogs.

~

Here we have extensive photographic evidence of our celebration:

[Uncle Tom the Blackhawks fan mocking my Pens]

[Chris and two of his lovely cousins, Alyssa and Caroline]

[Chatting it up with cousin Cody and Jenny]

[Bocce tournament. We lost. Our plan is to practice extensively and be crowned champions next year.]

[All the C cousins.]

~

Ahh . . . yes. The Shrimp.

Here they are fresh from the Gulf.

Uncle Tom informed us they were a bit more expensive this year thanks to the oil spill.

But they were there, in all their glory.

Massive pot of corn on the cob, lemons, onions, garlic, potatoes, and spices.

Waiting for its honored guests.

Carly eyeing a shrimp.

FIL Pat and Uncle Tom: chief boilers.

The mountain of shrimp waiting for me.

Unfortunately, the tradition also includes extensive side dishes, including authentic New Orleans jambalaya, so I didn't have room for nearly as many little guys as I would have preferred.

Chris and his hotdog.

Me and my shrimp.

And what did Carly do all day, you ask?

Oh, she was just smothered by Chris's young cousins,

snuggled by her grandparents and great aunts and uncles,

played in a pool,

tasted shrimp (ew!) and apple-snickers salad (um!),

stood a lot,

clapped a lot,

gave high fives to semi-intoxicated people,

and played with bubbles.

And looked good while doing it.

~

And my favorite picture of the day?

Chris's father converted to the LDS Church (a decision I am eternally grateful for) as a teenager, meaning Chris's aunts, uncles, cousins are members of other faiths. Carly's great-aunt let her feel the "cold" beer since it was so hot outside and her aunt Becky snapped a picture. I think its a little bit hilarious, and the sunglasses make it even better. (Though we'll make sure beer-touching does not become a habit of hers).

~

All in all, it was a fabulous day.

I sure love this fabulous family I married in to.

I am blessed.

~

Did you know the 4th of July is my second favorite holiday?

{After Christmas. Everyone's favorite is Christmas.}

I have endless childhood memories of BBQs with my grandparents and cousins, lighting fireworks in the street, and walking down to the fairgrounds with blankets in arms with my dad and brothers to watch "The Biggest Show in Idaho." I love fireworks.

~

My last two 4ths, I have been away from my family. Last year, I was the size of a whale, and was not about to journey to the local fireworks show (here in Indiana). I was pretty bummed that I wouldn't be seeing my beloved fireworks. Then we heard booming outside. We went out to see Chris's parent's neighbors lighting off what must having been hundreds of dollars of amazing fireworks. The local show would not have been any better, and this was right in the backyard. It was a true tender mercy for an oversized, homesick, prego.

This year, the shrimp boil was held on Saturday, and we spent Sunday the 4th at the same house, but with a smaller crowd. That night Carly was exhausted, and again I felt a bit melancholy that I wouldn't be catching any fireworks. We got to our hotel room, on the fourth floor, and could hear booming in the distance. We left the lights off and opened the drapes to see fireworks as far as the eye could see. All the little communities south of Chicago were having celebrations, and we could see all of them.

I got my fireworks.

Again.

Carly put one hand on my shoulder, and her other hand on Chris's shoulder, and watched the bright lights with wide eyes.

Her wide, fascinated eyes made it my most favorite 4th of July to date.

~

I love my country.

I love my family, both born into and married into.

I love the Gospel.

I love my husband.

I love my baby girl.

~

Happy {belated} Independence Day.