Happy 4th of July

So perfect!

Look at all those people and that doesn't show number of people to the right, left, or behind it.

The concert screens. Montgomery Gentry!

Ella and Eva playin in the toddler zone after the game.

An added bonus to the perfect baseball experience at the Cardinals stadium.
Eva chillin and Ella clapping during the game.
Ella posing!
GO REDS!
Ella posing again.
What a great picture! One we will cherish forever.
The air show from our hotel window! A/C plus a better seat made it all that more enjoyable.
The view from the arch, our hotel is the 1st building on the right. We were on the 12th floor!
The airplane spiraling down..scary! He shut is engine off and let gravity take over and then recovered.
How we got around!
Daddy and his girls by the arch.
Mommy and the girls.

What a perfect pic Ev took, I think we will blow this one up and use it as art.
The girls got body art; Eva had Elmo and Ella had balloons. They loved them! Eva's was almost gone by the end of the day from her touchin it so much. Ella preserved hers until bath time when I scrubbed it off against her will.
The girls watching the dog show.
The girls and the arch.
They look tired already but that was in the morning before we went to breakfast. Daddy knows how to make them relax or in other words not be running around like crazies.
The girls and I posing in front of our hotel window the 1st day we arrived.
the girls on the way home, obviously tired from the trip.
Ella playing with a sparkler, we bought only snaps and sparklers. Ella liked both! Eva was sleeping.
Ella ready and waiting for firworks.
Ella and Eva at the Reynoldsburg parade on Saturday; The best part....CANDY!
Obviously daddy likes the candy too.
Watching the parade.
We fixed the camera...daddy was testing it out.

Well we had a relaxing week trying to get the girls back into their normal schedule and rested from the busy vacation bible school week so we could leave and get them all out of whack again. We left for St. Lious on Sunday morning to enjoy the 4th there and Fair St. Lious. It's an annual fair that includes many kids activities, air shows, concerts, and other events, all which are free. We also got a great deal on the 4-star Hyatt hotel downtown which is right across the street from the arch which was where everything took place, plus the Reds played there on the 4th so we couldn't pass it up. We have been there before on the way back from ND when Ella was 1. We went up in the arch and looked around down there in the park but that was all we had time for. We arrived on Sunday around 4pm and just in time for a massive storm, it was pretty crazy and scary considering I hate storms. It was like we crossed some imaginary line, one side was 90 and sunny and the other 75 and pouring and crazy windy. We drove the last 10 miles very slowly and came into St. Lious without a view of the city, all of a sudden the arch was right in front of us. Unfortuntely the nights events of the fair was called of and that included the Maroon 5 concert. That was one thing I was the most excited for, I was bummed. They were in our hotel on the 4th floor but one had to win tickets to see them. Oh well the next day was sunny, hot and very humid. We first went to the dog show, which the girls loved and then did little activities for them, they both got their arms colored (not their face because then they couldn't see it), colored a little, watched some live entertainment (dancers, magician) and played some games. We then watched a bit of the air show which was the craziest stuff I'd ever seen. The girls were exhausted so we walked across the street to the hotel and layed them down while we finished watching the air show from our hotel window. Perfect! The girls both slept for almost 2 hours when we had to get ready to go to the baseball game. We had the perfect seats (1st row behind the Reds bullpen, in the shade, on aisle seats) The girls got to run freely within a few feet anyways. We sat through the entire game, it was a great game and we were all hoping to get a ball from the pitchers down below but no luck! The Reds lost 0-1. We then made out way back down to the arch through the crowds of people to get a good view of the concert, which was Montgomery Gentry. We listened for awhile, took a few pics, and headed back to the hotel for a bath and a good seat for the fireworks. There was literally no where to sit more less stand down there. I could not believe all the people-crazy! The fireworks were amazing and not to mention a great way to spend the 4th of July. The arch was a monumental american symbol (gateway to the west) so seeing the fireworks through them was amazing. The girls had no problem going to bed either night so Evan and I relaxed a little before going to bed. I was so proud of how well they both did. They must be getting used to traveling. :o) We came home today the 5th to start the week on a Wednesday, not bad! Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend.

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