"Firework"

By Katy Perry

'Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth

We had a lot of fun over the 4th of July weekend with Mike's sisters Anne and Heather and their families here.  

Melia was excited to meet her baby cousin Kyle (one of the 3 born so far this year--baby Evera will make the 4th grandchild in 2011).  She was so cute holding him and really had fun doing it.  She just kept asking to hold him.  I think she'll make a great big sister. 

She also had a lot of fun with her cousin Evelyn who is about 14 months older than her.  They played so well together I was really impressed.  Evelyn is a sweetheart.  I love how they're posing for this picture with Evy's arm around Melia and Melia's super cheesy smile!

Everyone enjoyed taking a nap with Kyle.  Mike had just woken up when I took this picture.

And here's Rhodri taking a nap with Kyle too.

After a great day playing outside a beautiful rainbow was the perfect ending to the day.

The kids found a butterfly whose wing had been damaged in the playhouse door.  They caught the butterfly and played with it for hours.  They also made their own makeshift butterfly nets and tried to catch others.  They may have actually caught one or two for a minute--but they got away.  The fact that the yellow one couldn't fly made it a little easier to keep around.  :)

One of Melia's favorite things has always been butterflies, but she'd never seen a real one until the 4th.  I thought she would be so excited but was more terrified than anything!  :)

We enjoyed doing fireworks together out in the street.  It was a little frightening because the neighbor kids were shooting bottle rockets AT eachother and AT houses.  It was scaring me to death, but we still had fun.  Melia had a blast with her cousins!