The 4th of July

We hit the road on the Fourth of July midday (after some packing delays) and were on our way.

The kids weren't the greatest on the way up, whining and fighting at times, but I reckon it's like taking them out to eat - you have to put up with some bumps in the road in order for them to learn what's expected of them in the future.

 

Lisa in particular made a valiant but futile effort to get them engaged in the two $5 road trip games we bought to entertain them. No way it was happening, you could see that as plain as day, but she kept plugging away, and a tip of the hat to her for that.

The day before I'd had new tires put on the van, and let me tell you that Ford drove like buttah!

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Midway to our destination we stopped for fireworks

I spent $60 at the store (not including the $4 state permit I had to buy) and that was about $60 more then I'd ever spent on fireworks, since I have a nifty love for all my fingers. In fact that was the first time I'd ever set foot in such a place. But the fireworks up where we were going had taken place on the 3rd, and there was no way we were going an Independence Day without fireworks. Especially not Lump's first Fourth of July.

[Odd sidenote: This is a picture of a dead rat on the side of the highway. We'd stopped . . what was it for?? Oh, I think to regulate one of the kids' tantrums and this is what greeted me. First (and last?) time I've ever seen a rat.

End of creepy sidenote.]

After two hours or so we reached our destination.

Lisa's friend lives in a nice sized house with a backyard that leads to a private stretch of waterfront on a man-made lake.  It's fifteen minutes to the nearest store, and more than 40 minutes to the closest movie theater.

Predictably, everyone was in the water within minutes of arrival.

And then the kids took off to explore the neighborhood on their bikes. The neighbors have a farm with horses and a bull, and YaYa in particular would spend much of the weekend there with the 11 year old daughter of Lisa's friend. Weird, but even with a five year age difference they seemed inseparable. When I asked how that could be Lis shrugged off the age difference and said "They're the same, that's all"

Later, we had a barbeque of hot dogs and hamburgers topped off with cake.

Near nightfall we roasted marshmallows and made smores over the firepit

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 then began our fireworks display. The kids themselves got nowhere near anything heftier than a sparkler, which even my paranoid Mom allowed back in the day.

The $60 proved well-spent, as it provided a decent and relatively long show. LuLu was especially happy that her "Unicorn" brand fountain was impressive.

Again, a very nice display.

Then the kids were off to bed and the four adults sat in the enclosed patio and drank, talked, and played dominoes as we were seranaded by bullfrogs(!) and the echo of fireworks across the lake.

Around midnight we all headed into the water for a starlight swim. I may or may not have have kept my swimsuit on (but I think you can hazard a guess). Alas I can assure you that either way no hanky-panky took place, despite a strident but polite attempt on my part. Something about cold water and shrinkage, I think Lisa told me . . I kid I kid.  

Lisa btw, labels this weekend one of the Top 10 experiences of her life. I don't rate it that high, but it was a blast.

More to come . .