Happy 4th of July!!

I realized half way through today just how much I've come to love the 4th of July and so much of that comes from my parents.  We never had just one tradition, but over the years, they created many traditions and many memories.  I have a lot of anxiety about going to overly crowded places and waiting hours to see fireworks and having a tired kiddo who can't withstand the wait.  So... long story short, unless the "big" fireworks seem easy-ish, I will find a way out of it.  Though year after year, my parents made the 4th of July special.  I have memories at the family friends' cabin we would spend many years at, I have memories of watching fireworks, not only on the 4th of July at Arrowwood Resort with my Mom's oohs and ahhs (she is REALLY good at the oohs and ahhs), and of picking out fireworks with my Dad from the box as he lit them all up.  And years later, taking boat rides down crowded rivers to watch fireworks displays and from the beach at the riverhouse when we could see them from across the river.

It had to all have been an element of work, but sure never seemed that way. They seemed to love it and now I do, too.  This year we were lucky enough for Gregg to have the day off with us AND it was on a Friday! We tossed around ideas of the beach, but Kaylen was really wanting to go on a carousel, but rather than drive to the coast just for that, we spent a few hours at Oaks Park Amusement Park (with the thousand people claiming picnicking spots for the fireworks later) and went on all the rides her little heart desired.  It was such a gorgeous day and a wonderful way to spend it outside.  She and I went to a friend's birthday dinner and Gregg got some studying done and we gave a miss to the "big" fireworks along the water front that we could've watched from my work because Kaylen was really looking forward to the package of small ones Daddy bought to do at home.  So, we made a bonfire and smores ;-) and then lit off all of ours.  She really loved getting to pick out the next one and watch them go off.  We had sparklers as we all did growing up and she really loved them... until one of those sparks landed on her wrist :-(. And the sweet girl has quite the incredible memory, so I sure hope she will someday want to do sparklers again. 

Overall it was such a great day.  She had the best smile, won herself a couple new stuffed animals, had some time with little friends at the dinner and got to do fireworks.  As we were doing the bonfire and she started the sparklers, she kept singing, this is the best day ever.  I love when she says that because it makes me feel like we're doing something right and she says it quite a bit.  She changed her mind about that after the little burn, but overall, she had a really great day.

But it also made me so grateful to have married the kind of man who loves to watch her face light up as my Dad loved to watch ours. There were moments as I got older that my Mom's oohing and ahhing became a little much,  but the best part of growing up is that I have a new found love and respect for my parents, especially as I raise kids of my own.  They are two incredible people who made incredible memories for us.  I remember a few mishaps when a firework or two would land on a dock or fall over and everyone would scatter to avoid it, but those times make memories and nobody got hurt.  Maybe minus today with our sweet girl.  But they were definitely special times.  I hope to make special memories for our kids as well.  I'm grateful for my beautiful family for which I got to enjoy the entire day from start to finish and the best two parents a kid can ask for of my own who were on my mind all day in all the ways they helped make this day and many others so special.  Granted, I was mostly grateful for the wonderful day with my family, but the 4th is about so much more and I love that we are a family who will always appreciate the freedoms and the history of living in this country. We have a lot to be thankful for.