After our trip to Palm Desert for the 4th of July last year, Annabel asked if we could, “make this our new tradition.” Fine by us! This year, my parents also joined us at my Aunt Terry and Uncle John’s house. It was great to have most of the fam there.

Unsurprisingly, we all fought over snuggling and playing with this little nugget:

cousins

He is so deliciously chubby and he babbles and smiles and I seriously just can’t handle how much I love him.

Plus Leah lets me do stuff like this to him:

firecracker

The kids had fun playing with window clings,

window clings

drawing,

'merica

and, because it was 108 degrees, SWIMMING:

jumping in

james jumps

Swimming also makes you very, very tired:

nappers

I’m very proud I passed on my love for ridiculous light-up accessories to my daughter:

celebrating

We checked off a few more boxes on Annabel’s “Must Do” list, like driving around in golf carts:

underage driver

And of course, fireworks! We could see them from my aunt and uncle’s driveway.

fireworks!

liam's first fireworks

The trip was way too short (we have a lot going on right now), but it was so great to have two solid days of family time. We celebrated a big birthday, and I managed to get some desperately needed rest. Plus, it means so much that we get to be around to enjoy some of Liam’s “firsts.” Time is going so fast, I can barely handle it.