4th of July Weekend 2016

The Fourth of July was one of my most favorite holidays growing up. My sister and I would typically spend the holiday with our dad in central Michigan (I don't really have memories of how we celebrated prior to my parents' divorce). We would go to his friend's house, which was on a beautiful lake, and we'd go on boat rides/water tubing, swim in the lake, play with sparklers, and enjoy a homemade fireworks display on their lawn. I always looked forward to the celebration.

Those particular friends of my dad's still do it up big for the Fourth; their son (who is my sister's age) and his friends don Uncle Sam outfits, form a human pyramid on water skis and ride around the lake!

We are inexplicably grateful for our freedom and for those who fight for it everyday. That reason behind the holiday is the most important; the way we celebrate is irrelevant as long as we give thanks for the freedom to celebrate anything and everything however we choose. This year's 4th of July weekend was jam packed but also low-key in terms of celebrating Independence Day.

On Saturday, Louisa and I headed down to wine country in Virginia to celebrate her future Tia/my future sister-in-law's bachelorette party at a couple of wineries. We had a lovely time, and I think it was the perfect celebration for Amanda.

On Saturday night, Victor went to the Washington Nationals game (they were playing the Reds and the Reds WON!) with some friends, so it was just me and the kiddos for the evening. Max had been asking for "go-chee" all week (that's "guacamole and chips" in Max-speak), so we went to Chipotle to get our fix. 

He ate that whole container of guacamole himself.

Then we went to Baskin Robbins for some ice cream (Mama was craving mint-chocolate-chip in a sugar cone). Max had his first experience eating from a cone, and he was a pro!

Max played in the fountains for a bit before we headed home. And by played, I mean he only went near them when the water wasn't coming out of the one closest to him. He ran away once the water shot out. And if you're wondering where Louisa was, she was asleep in the stroller the whole time. It was nice to do something fun with Max and not have to worry about doing laundry or washing dishes or getting something else done around the house while the baby slept.

On Sunday, we went to Victor's parents' house for a wedding shower for Victor's brother, Miguel, and his fiancee Amanda (the bachelorette from Saturday). Max loved playing with his cousins (the squirt guns were a hit!). Louisa loved being passed around by all the ladies at the party. 

On Monday, the 4th, it was cool, gloomy, and eventually rainy. We went to our friends' house for a cookout but the rain really put a damper on the day's plans. I manged to get photos of the kids in their festive outfits, but they're not the best!

I haven't seen Max in jeans in months. For some reason he looked a foot taller in them.

We headed home around 3 for a family nap; Max fell asleep in the car on the 7 minute drive home, but once he was in bed he wasn't interested in sleeping anymore (we missed the nap window!), so we piled on the couch to watch Charlotte's Web; it was the version my mom recorded from TV when I was a kid so it was pretty nostalgic for me.

We went to Victor's parents' house to eat some party leftovers for dinner and were home by 9. We heard the fireworks but didn't see any as we were concentrating on getting kiddos to bed. Maybe we'll see the fireworks next year.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend celebrating this great nation we have the privilege of calling "home."