So, for the 4th of July, we had family over to our place. I LOVE having people over! It's so easy here because we have room for it! Back in the apartments, I get a bit claustrophobic because so many people are squeezing into tiny apartments. Yes, we go back and forth between two apartments, but that too is a bit of a downer because I like for EVERYONE to be together. Also, there isn't really a nice, safe place for the kids to play outside there. In Tooele, I get weird because I don't want Keith to break any of the stuff in Denise's cute little parlor area. Her kids know their rules and play with their toys appropriately. However, Keith is a little slower on that stuff (not to say that he's "Slow" because the boy is reading a bit already at 3 years old, he's smart, but more "book smart" than anything...) and is likely to find a crayon and let the walls have it! So, I get really uptight and cranky. I've learned to be more calm when visiting St. George, though I get a little nervous when the crayons are brought out. So, for me, having a get toether at OUR place is like HEAVEN! We've got things that the kids aren't allowed to touch put away. We've got a toy room that's safe for playing. We've got a fully fenced backyard that's been sprayed for spiders, so I'm cool with them playing outside. And, we're really good at making sure that everyone understands that food stays ONLY in the UNcarpeted areas. So, my sanity is still in tact at the end of the day!
When everyone left, it was so easy to clean up! I still need to vacuum and do a second load of dishes and mop, but other than that, it took about 30 minutes to get the place cleaned up again. Ben is afraid that if I always invite people out here, they'll start to say "no" and then will be so used to saying "no" that no one will ever come out anymore. That's possible, but I am hoping that if I just show enough friendly hospitality while people are here, then it won't be a big deal and people will actually ENJOY coming out.
At any rate, we thoroughly enjoyed the few hours alone with Matthew and Bree. They are such wonderful people! Just as they left, Alex & Denise's family showed up, and then Kathryn, and then Bruce & Jordan's family. We grilled out for both lunch and then again for dinner. We played games. We just had FUN! As it got dark, we even did some little fireworks in the street! I don't think I could have asked for a better 4th of July!
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