4th of July: Running races (medal winners!), bike parade, limbo, friends, and fireworks

Mile is proud of the crackers he won!

 This morning started out with some races in our neighborhood, and everyone in our family (minus me -- hey someone had to be the photographer!) did a great job!

Pete and Strider ran the 5K, and Pete ended up coming in 2nd for his age group!  Strider did a great job, getting a much better time than any of us expected, and said his favorite part was the "legal littering" when he was allowed to throw his cups on the ground after the water stations.

S on far right, headed to finish line

 Colsen, meanwhile, ran the 1K, and he ended up coming in 2nd overall!  Soon thereafter he proclaimed, "Now I'm officially a runner!"

C on the far right at the start of the race

C coming in to the final stretch - -2nd place

Our friend Rachel also ran in the 5K and she ended up first in her age group, so we had a lot to cheer for during the awards!

All 4 of the kids ran in the last race - a "Dash," and they loved that!

C in blue shirt

M on far left

R having a great time!

Then we all hustled over a block so the kids could ride in the bike parade.  They had a lot of fun decorating their bikes and helmets yesterday, so we were glad the rain held off today!

8 cousins ready to ride

Mom and Dad and the Dreschers joined us for the parade, so afterwards we walked over to the park for the old fashioned-y picnic our neighborhood does each year.  This year's highlights included watching Rayna join in the various dances (Gangham style, macarena, etc), and all the kids doing the limbo for about 20 minutes straight.

M had no trouble getting under each time

This evening we had some friends over for dinner -- and of course, the patriotic flag dessert.  (We sang "Happy Birthday" to America... much to Strider's chagrin.)  Then it was time to head out to the driveway for the awesome fireworks shows that our neighbors put on.  What a treat to have it right in front of (and next to, and behind) our house.

 Last July 4th we were in Austria, so the last time Miles experienced any of these festivities he was only 2.  This year was especially exciting for him since it was the first fireworks he's ever seen  (and he kept calling them fire-bombs).

It was a lovely day celebrating America!