Happy Birthday America!

We have just returned from a spectacular July 4th celebration in Wisconsin (whenever we go to WI, Mommy likes to refer to it as going "behind the Cheddar Curtain").  So like we were saying, we just returned from behind the Cheddar Curtain and had a marvelous time hanging out with lots of family. We got to meet our cousins and hang out with our aunts and uncles and attempt to learn the ways of the farm (which means knowing how to get cool when it is HOTTER than Hades and the house has no AC...oh the trials of us city girls in the country!)

Here we are with our Great Grandma and Grandpa Butcher on the farm.  The Butcher family is the only family to ever have lived on their land.  What a heritage we are a part of!

Felicity: Daddy and I are just chillin' before we make the grand entrance at the 4th of July picnic.  Mom, is that you trying to snap a pic of my stylish outfit?

Elyse: Mom and I were quite pleased with our wardrobe selection for the picnic.  Everything was very patriotic: the sandals, the glasses, the outfit...oh I just love being coordinated!

Felicity: Saturday was beautiful so we spent most of the day outside in the shade taking in all that the Wisconsin countryside has to offer.

This is Daddy's cousin Travis and his family (wife Brenna and baby Jovie).  Jovie was just born about 5 weeks ago and we had lots of fun with her.  We can't wait to play in the pool with her at next year's picnic!

These were the comfortable, yet also patriotic, outfits we wore on the plane.  Our bibs said "Baby's first 4th" and our outfits appropriately said "American Sweetheart."  

Here we have our Aunt Amy and Aunt Kimberly.  You may remember them from their earlier visit to Colorado when we were little (okay, so we're still little, but not that little...we can now pack a powerful punch!).

During the picnic we had a nice dip in the pool:

 

Here he is, the big, the powerful, the great, Uncle Steve!  He may look big, he may look tough, but he's like putty in our hands:

Elyse: Grandpa Beck, you're looking so very GQ in those shades!  

Why, Grandpa, is that a flag on your shirt?  What a coincidence!  I have a flag on my shirt!  Stuff like that just doesn't happen every day!

We just loved seeing our Great Grandma and Grandpa Butcher!  They are so much fun!

Grandma and Grandpa Beck came to the picnic too and had a blast!  We were so lucky to be able to see all of our grandparents in one place!  

Great Grandma and Grandpa are sitting here with our other cousins (second cousins, we think).  From left to right we have: Brooklyn, Felicity, Jovie, Elyse, Riley

In our billionth red/white/blue ensemble of the weekend, we realized we had the same outfit as Jovie!  So here we are, pretending to be triplets!  (Good thing for Mom and Dad there are only two of us).

And for our last picture of the big weekend, but certainly not least, here we are with Grandpa and Grandma Butcher.  On Friday night when Mom and Dad went to fireworks, we got to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa and it was so much fun!  

Well folks, that was our big adventure!  As we've reflected on our time this past weekend, we'd like to end with an "Ode to the Cheddar Curtain":

It was a long flight and drive to the farm,

But once we arrived, we were taken by its charm. 

There are lots of crazies who live out that way,

But we're related to most of them, what can we say?

Oh, Wisconsin, your curds are the best!

We can't wait to eat them, we do not jest!

So even though we love the city lights,

We promise to return to your stars that shine bright.

Oh, Wisconsin, our Daddy's homeland,

We'll visit again as soon as we can,

But sorry to say, you must know this now,

 We will not be Packer fans (said with a very stern brow)!

DISCLAIMER: Mommy may have coerced us into writing the final line...or at least Daddy would like to think so.