Independence Day

We had a pretty good Fourth of July this year.  I always kind of like this holiday.  To me it is a lot about community and nostalgia and love of country, not in a "we are the greatest nation on Earth/World Champions of Nation-ing" way, but in the same way that you love your family--in a "this is where I come from, an inescapable part of who I am, and I love them even though I know as well as anyone that they aren't perfect" kind of a way.  And it's about actual family too--a day to spend together, eat casual food, and do fun, silly, relaxing stuff.  It's a really affectionate day for me.

Anyway, this year was very casual.  My mother is out of town and my dad was working, so it was just us this year.  We attended a fun pancake breakfast at the church with lovely musical performances and good friends and then I took the Big Kids out to a movie.  Gavin is recovering from a cold and a double ear infection, so spending most of the day at home was best for him.  And Jasper, really suddenly, seemed to develop Pink Eye in the afternoon.  So I hope we didn't get anyone sick at the breakfast!

See that Pink Eye Squint going on?

We have always in the past gone out to a professional fireworks display on the Fourth of July, with the exception of last year, which we spent at my sister's home in Las Vegas where we did our own fireworks, but this year we decided to do them at home.  Which turned out for the best given our sick littles.  And it turns out that we have crazy neighbors who set off TONS of super illegal up-in-the-sky fireworks and did about as good of a display as we would have had if we'd gone out.  Ordinarily I find the Northern Virginia Pyromania in the month of July somewhat alarming, but last night I just enjoyed it.

Gavin was in HEAVEN.  He had a practically bottomless supply of Sparklers and the whole block had turned into crazy sparkly revelers.  The world was perfect.

The big kids also had a great time, especially since they were allowed to do the lighting of our own fireworks, which made them feel terribly grown up.

Apparently this is his firework lighting face?

Jasper, predictably, had some reservations.  Actually, once fireworks started going he refused to come out of the house.  And then the power went out.

So he was standing, safely behind the screen door, with a little flashlight clutched in his hand thinking we were all completely insane.  Eventually the power did come back on and Rob and I took turns supervising the fireworks fun and sitting on a beanbag chair in the entryway with Jasper where he actually really enjoyed the show, safely behind glass.  So Jasper.

  

Hope you all had a safe and happy Fourth of July!