Happy 4th!

 

Since moving back to Virginia, we have been attending an awesome fireworks show not far from our house at the Great Meadows, in The Plains, Va.  Two years ago, we were new to the event and didn't know what to expect, so we only got there shortly before dusk to watch the fireworks.  We learned later that we should have gone early to check out the kids activities.  Last year the weather was not so cooperative, so again we headed out rather late.  Both years we faced HOURS of sitting amongst parked cars, while waiting to get out of the parking lot.

This year though, we decided to pack a picnic dinner and go early to check out all of the fun.  WOW...were we SO glad to have done that!!  We were parked in one of the first three rows of the HUGE field and were out of the parking lot and back at our home less than 30 minutes after the show was over (it's a nearly 20 minute drive from our home, and we had to change a diaper prior to packing up the car!!)  Yes...we will definitely be planning it that way for the years to come!

Not only did an early arrival assist in an early departure, be we had a lot of fun, too! The weather was as perfect as it could be.  Warm, and slightly overcast (but not one drop of rain).  The clouds protected us from the normally very hot mid-summer sun.  It was nearly perfect weather!

 

Tyler played in a HUGE moon bounce and slid down this BIG slide.  He was a little scared to do it by himself though, so Mommy went with him.

  

 

Both boys really loved the animals. 

  

  

Years ago, before we had any babies of our own, Les and I were planning a visit to the Ivey family 4th of July reunion.  This was the first year in a long time that Les and both of his sisters would be attending with their entire families.  Their mother had always loved the family to wear patriotic t-shirts for the day, so I thought it would be cute to get the Old Navy matching T-shirts in matching colors for each family.  I drove around to five (I think) Old Navy stores in the Dallas area looking for shirts in the correct sizes and colors for each family.  Yeah, I know...kinda crazy, but it made a really cute photo.  And so now, it's kind of tradition for us to have matching shirts each year.  

  

 

  

And our 2009 4th of July Family Photo:

 

The Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.  From those hot summer days, long ago when we would sit on my Aunt Shirley's hill eating homemade ice cream, watching our small town fireworks...to now being able to make new memories and traditions with our own little ones, it's such a fun family day!!

Hope everyone had as great a day as we did!