The 4th of July

We had a lovely 4th of July weekend, busy but not too busy. We hadn't planned anything for Saturday, but by Friday I knew that staying at home would result in grumpiness on the part of the children, or mom, or dad. So we planned a cheap day trip. Friday night John and I took the children to hear the Navy's Country Current group playing country and bluegrass at a local free venue. Saturday we spent the morning preparing for a performance with friends, then drove down to Lexington Park to play in the splash park. We loved it, although Lori didn't like it at all. We got spoiled with numerous splash grounds while living at FLW, Missouri, and the closest ones here are all 1 hour away. It was a lovely afternoon, with lots of splashing and some time at the adjacent playground. We went to Cici's for dinner- with coupons it was under $20 and the kids loved it! Because we had learned a community near that was having a 4th celebration that day we went to check it out. There was a festival sort of atmosphere- although more of an adult festival. There were local bands playing loud music, and lots of smoking, but there were also some wonderful things. The fire department was raising money and had a variety of very affordable carnival games with cheap prizes, and all of the children were able to walk away with a little something for just a couple of dollars. Since I think games are usually a ripoff and we never pay for them, it was nice to make a small splurge. There were also snow cones for just 50 cents! Yum! We staked out a spot on the grass early and enjoyed watching the kids go make their instant friends. Isn't it lovely how kids make friends so quickly and easily? They spent a few hours playing as we waited for the dark, and then we enjoyed a SUPER fireworks show. The show was great- even if it was a bit much for Lori and Anna who both didn't make it quite to the end before freaking out. What a night! We were so happy when we finally made it home after dealing with all of the traffic and tired kids.

On the 4th of July we had the opportunity to see the Thomas Stone historic site. He was a signer of The Declaration of Independence, and we were pleasantly surprised to find a copy of it in his homestead- so neat! It was a nice outing- complete with carriage rides, and then a quick jaunt to a local town's watermelon bash for a lot of free fun. John and I love to attend the festivities on Independence Day there because it is so family friendly. They have a number of free activities, free food, and of course lots of watermelon! Later that afternoon we joined some friends for a BBQ, with super food and good conversation. We closed the night with the Independence Day concert on PBS. It may be lame, but it is our preferred way to watch the fireworks. We can get comfortable, hear all of the music, and not have to deal with crowds and traffic. Maybe when the kids are older we'll watch them live. What a weekend!