The Kalal Family: The 4th of July 2017

We have a new camper, but... finding a place to camp is not that easy over the 4th of July! We normally would camp in Lanesboro, but it was actually pretty wonderful to hang out around home for the weekend.

The kids practiced their casting in the driveway... Jeremy chalked out a few points circles and the kids were very, very excited to practice. Cooper is getting really good!!

Saturday night, we headed to Elko Speedway for their Night of Destruction. The kids LOVED it. Carson was a little clingy and didn't really like the noise, but he was still very good considering we were sitting in the bleachers for five hours.

We scored great seats, so we were nice and close to the action AND we had backrests! It was so cute to watch their faces when the first group of cars came out!! Once they got used to wearing the ear protection, they were awestruck. I wasn't so sure if I'd like it myself--having spent half my life at the racetrack, I just wasn't ever very excited to go back... But it made me pretty excited to take them back. Just seeing how excited they were made me remember it's not about me :)

Cooper and Izzy loved the Elevator of Death, Captain Crash, and the Schoolbus Races. In the Elevator of Death, a stuntman was in a car which was lifted by crane and dropped from 75 feet onto a pile of cars. Jeremy and I thought it was pretty dumb, but the kids LOVED it. Captain Crash was a stuntman who crashed into a pile of cars. Again, we thought it was dumb, but the kids loved it.

The schoolbus races were pretty funny, and all you have to do is ask Cooper--he'll give you the WHOLE rundown :)

Carson had his own personal ear coverer while he enjoyed his Cheetos. He had his shoes off, and he was just lounging on my lap for a good, long time.

The schoobus races were so fun. The kids, and the crowd, were going wild for them. And, as soon as the first one rolled onto its side, the lights went down and the fireworks went off within five minutes. The kids also love the fireworks. Well, except Carson. He had his eyes covered almost the whole time :)

We found time to go cuisin in the Chrysler... Carson smiles the ENTIRE time with those big shiny teeth.

We opted for fireworks, and were treated to our own personal dance party, courtesy of Izzy and Carson.

What a difference a year makes--gosh I loooove them little, but we can really do some fun things all together now that they are all getting a little bigger. It's the first time our whole family has gone to the fireworks together on the 4th of July!

On the 4th, Jeremy was golfing in a tournament with the Adameks, and we headed to St. Peter with Amanda and the girls for their parade. It was HOT but fun, and we found a spot that was near shade so they could take a break when they got too sweaty.

My bucketheads.