Fourth of July on Lake Sawyer

We are so lucky every year on the Fourth of July to get to go to my Aunt and Uncles House on Lake Sawyer, which is about 2o minutes S.E. of Seattle (I think). Most of the Kelley side of the family made it this year! My mom has 5 sisters and one brother, they all have kids (my cousins) and now the third generation is getting bigger with the addition of two more babies within the past 2 months! We always have so much fun with plenty of cousins aunts and uncles to play volleyball, go fishing, play soccer, go out on the boat, sit by the fire pit, laugh, eat and tell stories with. It is always such a fun weekend! Every year there is a Boat Parade. We decorate my Dad's boat with whatever the theme is that year and the kids ride around the Lake waving at all of the people watching from their docks and houses. The day always ends with as many of us as possible, piling into all of the boats and heading out to the middle of the Lake to watch the HUGE fireworks show set off from a floating barge. Watching these fireworks, surrounded by 3 generations of my family, wrapped up in a blanket, usually holding one or two of my kids, is one of my favorite moments of the whole year! Thank you Uncle Jack and Aunt Michelle for opening up your beautiful home and hosting this Big Family Reunion every year. You have given us so many wonderful memories!

Me, Marrene and Tawnya
(. . . my cousins-in-law! I Love them!)

Darci, Kelly, Kevin, Allison (holding Gabriella), Francine, Annie & Sean

Joe, Heather, Gabriella (8 weeks), Finn (2 weeks) Kevin and Kate

My cousin Heather and My brother Kevin with their new 3 person families!

Pancho, Marrene, Brian and Tawnya

kickin back with a cold one!

The view of our party from the canal. . .

Sam caught a fish (and some seaweed)!

Lexie and Lucy
They are only one month apart in age and they tell us they are
". . .best friends, almost like sisters"

I am such a proud Aunt of my new nephew Finn!
He is so cute!

What a cute family!

Max (10), holding Finn (2 weeks), Lucy (5), Annie (almost 3),

Sam (8), and Will (5)

The first picture with all six Murray Cousins!

Johnny, Denise, Pat, Colleen (my mom), Michelle & Karren

My mom with her Brother and Sisters

The Kelley Family

Gabriella and Finn

Our two newest members

They are both really good babies!

(taking a much needed break from every member of our crazy family wanting to hold them!)

Casey, Annie, Max, Lucy & Lexie

Our floats theme this year was "The Little Mermaid"

All of the girls wanted to be Ariel, so we had 5 of them!

Max was King Triton. . .

King Triton and Ariel

I love Lucy's pose, she has gotten really into "posing" ever since she saw the Princesses pose in Disneyland

Two beautiful Ariels



Sammy (the fish man)!




Pancho got the "Lucky" job of driving the boat in the parade!


He's a very good sport!



Here they are, out on the Lake, so proud of our Boat Float!

Kyla (the fish) and Skylar, Lexie and Lucy (the Ariels)