Summer 2011 - July 4th

Last week we packed the car and headed west to spend the holiday weekend with my parents at their beautiful island home. An anonymous donor on the island funded a spectacular fireworks show over the marina, which just happens to be located in front of their house. So we all had "front row" comfortable seats on their deck for the show!

You couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather on Independence Day in the Pacific Northwest. I remember MANY Fourths growing up as a kid that were rainy and/or cold and cloudy... But with sunshine and temps in the 70s, we really had a perfect weekend this year.

Sunset on the marina

View of Mt. Rainier from the island

We had wondered how Lia would react to the fireworks...and whether our sensitive and sometimes over-stimulated little girl might get scared and I had been prepared to take her in the house, turn up some music and wait it out. But we needn't have worried. She was completely enthralled by all the "pretties" and "boom booms" lighting up the night sky. Of course Lia always enjoys spending time with grandparents who dote on her:

Her first picnic in the park with Grandma

Waiting for the fireworks to begin with Grandpa

We also had the chance to visit with Lia's great grandma, great aunt & uncle, and "aunt" KC (my cousin):

The car trip went better this time than in the past. We rigged up a DVD player in the backseat with all of Lia's favorite cartoons, and also provided some "surprise" snacks and toys (such as a "travel" magna doodle sketch board - which was a HUGE hit!) So she kept busy or slept the entire trip. 

Really fun this time around, was that Lia was awake for the ferry ride to my parents' house. When we traveled in December, it was dark both times we rode the ferry and she slept through it. This time she was wide awake and loving every minute of it. We parked the car and walked up to the deck where she could watch the seagulls following the boat and feel the wind whip through her hair. We had a blast!