Fourth of July

For years we've been heading to Chincoteague for 4th of July. But this year, we decided to stick around town and enjoy the fireworks, delaying our trip to the beach until Labor Day when friends will be able to join us.

This, as it turns out, was a great choice.

We kicked off our festivities at a friend's annual 4th of July neighborhood parade and picnic. We haven't attended that event since Connor was 1, so this was Helen's first visit. I'm pretty sure we'll be back again next year!

The parade was complete with politicians, moms against guns, moms asking for GMOs to be labeled, people throwing candy, a dog that pooped right in front of us, a bomb squad, and an old-time firetruck. Good times, good times. As it turns out, the guy who had the honor of cleaning the dog poop was the florist for another friend of mine getting married in September! Her shouted greetings to him really made it feel like a small town. Next came the potluck which had enough treats that Connor would find himself with a sore stomach later that night.

From the parade, we headed home and then went to a park in Virginia to watch the downtown fireworks. Prior to the fireworks, Helen and Connor bounced in a couple of moonbounces and we all played a bit of bocce ball. We felt so refined. Then, we knocked "Find an ice cream truck" off the summer list, and tried to get more ice cream in us than on us, as our treats melted in the heat.

The next day, Friday, we knocked "go to a waterpark" off the summer list, followed by spending two hours on floats at our pool the next night, where we were lucky enough to see a friend during the first hour. We were feeling a bit waterlogged by this point, but didn't let that keep us from our first family tubing trip on Sunday. We shot off fireworks in front of our house on Saturday night (that we had gotten at the post 4th of July sale), and saved plenty of fireworks for random days when we find ourselves awake when it's dark and feel the need for a little sparkle. Legal fireworks are one of the things I love about Virginia.

I do believe we've found a few new 4th of July traditions, although we were in the water so much, there are few photos!

Elaine