{Stars, Stripes & Lakehouse Vibes // 4th of July Weekend Recap}

Another 4th of July weekend is in the books... and this one just might be one of my favorites yet. We spent the holiday at the lakehouse, surrounded by family, sunshine, fireworks, and all the red, white, and blue. It was the slow, memory-making kind of weekend my heart loves most. I already shared a bit about our festive photo plans in this post, but now it’s time to give you the full rundown of how the week actually played out. 

Spoiler alert: it was GOOD.

Wednesday // Settling In

We rolled up to the lakehouse around 7pm, just in time to take in the views before unloading the truck. Of course, I had to snap a few photos first...because this place was adorable. After getting settled, we headed into town with Nate, Mason, Anders, and Nate’s parents for dinner at our favorite hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant, Don Juan’s. We grew up going to the Grand Prairie location, so it feels a little nostalgic...and the fact that they now have a Cedar Creek Lake location is a total win. It never disappoints.

We ended the evening back at the lakehouse, hanging out on the porch, soaking in that peaceful lake air.

Thursday // Family Rolls In

We slept in a bit (which was much-needed), then got up and headed outside to enjoy the morning. Nate snuck in a little fishing before we got the “on our way” text from my sister-in-law. Once Nate’s brother and their crew arrived, the guys made a bait run, and then all the boys were off to fish. Meanwhile, we were treated to a surprise: jets from the Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake airshow were doing practice flights right over us! So cool.

Later that afternoon, my sister and nephew came by, and the boys took the kayaks out for their first lake paddle of the weekend. Later, we made our way over to my parents' and two aunts’ lakehouses...just across the cove. We caught up with everyone (probably 20–25 family members total!), then headed back to our place to prep dinner. On the menu: grilled chicken skewers, sausage, corn on the cob, a fresh cucumber and tomato salad, and a festive cheesecake dessert. Cooper and I played a few games of air hockey!  We saw a few fireworks pop over the lake before heading in for the night.

Friday // Sweet Summer Moments

Another 9am sleep-in... and not a single complaint. I started the morning by giving Carson and Cooper a little gift I thrifted a few weeks ago...the Minecraft Bible. They lit up! Carson said he couldn’t wait to bring it to church. My heart just melted.

After that, I set up a scavenger hunt around the house for them. With three stories and clues everywhere, it was a fun way to burn off some energy (and get in a workout with all those stairs).

Then we played Candy Land and Trouble before heading outside for some four square. Later, we whipped up a flag cake for dinner, complete with extra whipped cream (which Cooper thoroughly enjoyed).

The boys took the kayaks out again, this time with Mason's younger cousins in tow, and later played on the lily pad. The giggles and joy were nonstop. Unfortunately, lightning rolled in and cut our water time short, but we made up for it with a delicious supper of burgers and hot dogs with all the fixings. After dinner, the boys played a round of Mario Party before we all headed outside to watch the sunset and fireworks. Fireworks were going off in every direction...it was absolutely magical. We fell asleep around 12:30am, and they were still going strong outside.

Saturday // Slow & Steady

Saturday started slow, just how I like it. We spent most of the day playing games...everything from Uno to board games, to axe throwing and basketball. The boys kayaked (again!) and soaked up every last minute on the water. For dinner, we had a buffet of leftovers from the week (because no food goes to waste on lake weekends). That evening we watched the 20th Annual Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake Airshow. It started a little slow due to weather, but it picked up and was so fun to watch from the back porch. Another stunning sunset closed out the evening as we began packing up for the trip home.

Sunday // Homebound

We packed up, grabbed one last group photo, and hit the road with full hearts. We all had birthday parties we had to get to back home, so it was an early morning for all of us. 

This weekend was everything I hoped it would be and more...filled with laughter, fireworks, family, and a deep appreciation for the freedom we get to celebrate. The older I get, the more I treasure holidays like this. The ones spent tucked away with the people who matter most. This is what summer is all about...lake days and sunset nights. This 4th of July will forever be one of my favorites...and I’m already dreaming of doing it all again next year. 

But even in the midst of all the fun, there was something pressing heavily on my heart throughout the weekend. While we were making sweet memories by the lake, I couldn’t stop thinking about those in the Hill Country facing unimaginable heartbreak and devastation. It felt hard to balance joy and sorrow...celebrating so freely while knowing others were enduring so much pain. I carried that weight with me all weekend, quietly praying for comfort, peace, and restoration for every family affected.

It was a reminder that even in our joy, there’s room to hold space for others.