Awesome Fourth!!!!

 Call me insane, but Tuesday night (10 days after we moved in to our new house) we had 24 people over for dinner. I couldn't have been happier!

David and I got as much done to the house as we could, but weren't too concerned - we were just so pumped to have our friends and family here! 

Most of the painting has been completed, but the kitchen floors weren't - no big though. They'll be done next week, but that didn't stop us from having a ball! I'm keeping everyone posted on the new house progress over at Bellissimo and Bella!

Our Gainesville friends, Atlanta friends, and my family was here to celebrate on the eve of our country's 236th birthday. We had grilled tenderloins, grilled pineapple, blackberry crumble for dessert, Colby's green salad, Natasha's fruit, apps from Lauren and Laura, a red velvet cake from Callie, and bread from Meredith. Everyone so sweetly brought something!

The boys manned the grill while we girls chatted inside getting dinner ready.

Ashley S. and Sydney 

Abbye and Ashley G.

Lauren, Meredith, Meghan

Laura Lyn and Brince

The boys hanging on the deck before dinner!

David and Brian

Lauren's awesome charcuterie platter!

Natasha's amazing fruit! Seriously, how awesome is this?
**Laura made a fabulous spinach dip, but it was eaten so quickly that I didn't have an opportunity to snap a pic!

Ready to eat!

 And later, after dinner....

After dinner, we played such a fun game of musical flip cup!

Me and Colby!

Sydney, Laura Lyn, Me, Laura, Callie, Ashley, Abbye, Ashley, Natasha, and Colby! 

David, Jamie, Brett, Brian, Trey, Gray, Ryals, Justin, and Brince

 We woke up on Wednesday morning, excited for the day! Lauren and Ryals, Meghan and Brian, Brince and Laura Lyn, and Abbye and Ashley G. all stayed at Casa Griffin. We spent the morning leisurely having breakfast and drinking coffee before it was dock time. 

Lauren's delish yogurt parfaits!

Meghan's tasty blueberry muffins!

I love the Fourth!

Patriotic girls!

 After a lunch of burgers and hot dogs and grilled corn on the cob, it was time for a cruise around the lake!

 A few friends had to head back to Atlanta, but Abbye and Ash, Brince and LL and David and I got dressed and packed a picnic for the fireworks show!

Our new house is right across the lake from where the fireworks display is done, so we had primo seats! You can see the boats coming in to watch it from the water.

Laura Lyn and Cooper!

A toast to America!

Callie and Brian came over with their friends Heidi, Tyler, Emily and Raleigh to watch the fireworks with us too! After the fireworks show, we all lit sparklers and sang the Star Spangled Banner....so fun!!! 

The show was amazing!!!

And as if on cue, after the fireworks were done, the most beautiful yellow full moon rose over the mountains! 

Hope you all had a beautiful, lovely 4th as well - spent with family and friends!
God Bless America