Our Jones Family Experience: Part 2: Independence Day, Birthdays, and More

Our first destination on our trip was Gideon’s house. We planned to be there for 4^th of July and Gideon’s birthday. Every year Bruce, Gideon’s stepdad, always shoots off fireworks (shhh, it’s illegal in Illinois) and Sheila, Gideon’s mom, hosts a big party. Unfortunately, due to extremely high temperatures and no rain, there was a burn ban so fireworks were out of the question.

Swinging in their 4th of July dresses

Little Firecracker

Eating her hot dog at the "big kids" table

Instead, a smaller party was planned to celebrate the July birthdays. Gideon’s birthday is July 6^th, Eric, Gideon’s brother, has a birthday July 27^th, and our nephews Jordan and Lance have birthdays July 4^th and July 16^th. It was a great opportunity to see all of the family.

Cake Tracie got for the birthday boys

The birthday boys

Malia was fingerpainting with the frosting

Gideon's remote control helicopter from Eric and Melissa (Eric is also married to a Melissa)

Checking out the helicopter

Can you tell they are related?

Jordan and the girls watching the helicopter

The rest of our time was spent playing with Grandma and Grandpa, cousins, and Aunt Tracie. As the weather was so hot, the girls could only play outside early in the morning and late in the evening. Jordan was great and played a lot of Elefun and a few rounds of Candy Land with the girls. I’m so glad that the girls have such great older cousins that are never too busy to play with them.

Playing in the pool

Watching the dinosaur "pee"

Watching the girls play

And cooling off at the same time

Elefun with Jordan

Waking Daddy up from his nap

Candy Land with Grandma and Jordan

Her first Dilly Bar

Aunt Tracie reading her a bedtime story

The girls also enjoyed watching for the fish in the koi pond and helping to let the chickens out in the morning. The pugs were also loved on continually and fed many, many snacks.

Watching the fish in the koi pond

Loving on the pugs

Feeding the pugs peanut butter

Watching the chickens run out of the coop in the morning

We also got to visit Aunt Tracie at work where she is a 911 dispatcher. The girls loved hearing the voices over the radio and they even got to see the lights and hear the sirens on one of the police cars.

Watching Aunt Tracie answer a call

Staying with Grandma Sheila and Grandpa Bruce was a great start to our vacation. I’m so glad that the girls got to know them better and that we got to see so much of the family.