Things I want to remember:

• Simon got off work early on Friday. Yay!
• Perusing the wares at the dollar store to decorate the stroller with for the 4th of July parade in our neighborhood
• Dinner on Friday night at Jo’s Pizza in Edmond with the Lopers.
• Subsequent snowcones at Shivers with the Lopers.

• Laughing with Ben & Matthew about silly kids’ songs in the car.
• Sadness over our AV cable not working in the car to hook up the iPod to the DVD player to watch silly kids’ songs podcasts.
• Jude, eating a naked snowcone in the car (aka, no sugar syrup! just ice!)

• Getting ready for the parade in our neighborhood.
• Enjoying the sights and 500+people who turned out for the parade.
• Taking first place in the stroller category! We win a blue ribbon and a plastic gold medal.
• Being one of only two entries in the stroller category! haha

• Meeting nice people in our neighborhood.
• Seeing all the fun kids, people, pets, horses, and rigged-up floats (Hillbilly hot tub anyone? It is Oklahoma).

• Making the mile-long trek to the park, where ice cold water and watermelon awaited us.

• Feeling great pride in our community and once again feeling blessed in how much we love our home.
• Marvelous lunch with Kim, Mike, and Forrest! Yippee! Bagel Cafe for all!
• Heading to mom and dad’s for the rest of the weekend. We took tons of food!
• Loving on my dear mom.
• Grilling corn on the cob.
• Preparing my blue velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting and blueberry center.

• Realizing that they really looked more like Smurf cakes than anything.
• Sleepover at Mom & Dad’s with Ben & Luke Loper.
• Driving with Simon, Jude, Dad, Ben, and Luke to watch fireworks in the rain at 9:30pm. Yes. IN THE RAIN.
• Parking and watching the fireworks — Simon’s mom found us with her cute little doxie, Lily Belle (who was dubbed Liberty Belle for the day).
• On the way back home, we watched a bunch of wackos set off fireworks around a giant striped tent out in the sticks. I asked Dad if he wanted to set off a firecracker for fun. He replied nonchalantly, “Nope. I love my thumbs.” And so he wants to keep ’em!  Hahaha!

• Laughing that maybe Mom was setting off firecrackers at their house in our absence.
• Surprising the Loper boys with a trip to Tulsa on Sunday morning.
• Surprising Simon with a broken window in the car. Well, not broken, exactly. It refuses to roll down. This presents a problem later in the day. Dad laughs.
• Driving through the countryside to get to the turnpike. Enjoying the view of barns and cows. (“MOOOOOOO!” says Jude when he sees a cow.”)
• Sleeping boys in the car. Ben talks nonsense in his sleep.
• Arrive in Jenks. Hungry boys, so we drive through Sonic. But then we realize that we can’t roll down the window.
• We make Ben get out of the car and place our order into the speaker for us. He says it’s the first time he’s ever ordered in a drive-thru. Eric thinks this is pitiful. Simon gives Ben a script to read. Carhop gives us a dirty look when we make him come around to the other side of the car to deliver our food. Dad says later he’s sure that the carhop thought we were trying to be smart.
• Oklahoma Aquarium! Smells like fish. Isn’t that a bad sign? Jude goes berserk for turtles and sting rays.

• Oh, did I mention we decided that it was Talk Like a Pirate day? ARrrrrgghhh, matey! The Lopers’ white SUV is dubbed the White Whale.
• A trip to the Whole Foods market for all. Delicious French cheese and special snacks are purchased. There will be more corn on the cob consumed this week.
• The Shingletons and Lopers diverge paths. And we head to Carrabba’s, where we had a near-religious experience with pasta and garlic.
• Finally, the long ride home. ::Sigh::  Does the weekend have to end? Let deep summer ensue.