Our 4th of July

I have to begin by saying that I have two INCREDIBLE parents! Every year they host a big 4th of July BBQ, complete with homemade ice cream, ping pong, water basketball, swimming, and, of course, fireworks. They open their home to family and friends and we all walk away from the day, exhausted, but feeling incredibly blessed. A few years ago, my mom started "hosting" a food competition at our annual 4th of July BBQ. There is a category assigned, anyone who wants to can participate, everyone votes for their favorites, and she always has little prizes for the winning dishes. It's always in good fun, but there's always a little competition - especially between my siblings. Here's a little peek at what the spread looked like this year:

The category this year was appetizers, so I entered these pretzel bites from Sally's Baking Addiction. And I must say, they were wonderful - especially with the yummy cheese sauce to dip them in - YUM!

It was a wonderful 4th of July, and I am so thankful for the blessings of family, friends, and freedom! I'd love to hear about your 4th of July as well!