Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th Everyone!! We celebrated as a family last weekend at the Embassy picnic. It was a lot of fun; a BBQ at a local park, games for the kids, good turnout. The kids loved running around. The pictures are from that fun day.

To celebrate the actual 4th I (for the first time in our time with the Foreign Service) attended the official 4th of July party at the Embassy. For those unfamiliar with State Department culture the party on the 4th is not for the Americans, but rather is a chance to have a big celebration and invite the top of the local government, NGOs, etc. It is always a big deal with extensive decorating and catering, and is always work for Tyler who spends the time schmoozing and helping things go well. This year was unique because it was also the dedication of the new Embassy building, so everything was even more decorated, etc. The Ambassador planned a fun party themed around Texas, complete with cowboy hats, killer beef, cupcakes and brownies. I decided to go this year because with the kids being older it was just a great chance! It ended up being so crowded, but a lot of fun. No pictures of this, I wasn't sure if I could take any, and then when I found out I could, I didn't want to go all the way back to the car. Maybe next year!