Neighborhood 4th of July Celebration

After taking last year off, due to several families traveling, our neighborhood resumed their annual July 4th celebration. We started the day decorating wagons and bikes for the parade in the afternoon.
A couple of dads rigged up an enormous slip 'n' slide for the kids (and a few parents who couldn't help themselves!).

There was face painting...after initial resistance, Ava totally got into the idea, and the neighborhood kids decorated her pretty throughly!

After lunch and naps, we had a driveway decorating contest and a parade through the neighborhood.

We ended the day with grilling out for dinner and a fireworks display put on by a couple of the neighborhod dads. Ava got to do her first sparkler (with help from Dad) and stayed up til 10:00! She had so much fun...we are definitely looking forward to making this party a 4th of July tradition for our family.