Happy 4th of July!

I know I'm a few days late, but hey, I still have the spirit.

First of all, Ethan's been a little bugger. Such a big attitude for a little guy. Last year, Gary stayed home with Ethan and I took Ty to the fireworks. This year, we were very wishy-washy on whether or not to take E until Gary decided at the last minute that, yes, he too, would like to see the fireworks this year. So about 8:30, off we went to the school. Mind you, both boys go to bed promptly at 8:00 every night. Ty is just fine to stay up late. Ethan has melt downs. Overall, the experience ended up enjoyable. Both boys liked watching it and E didn't cry until the whistlers were shot off. Gary ended up walking around with him and he fell asleep about 1/2 way through them.

Thanks to Illinois laws, the 4th of July is no longer what it once was. There are no more random, loud fireworks throughout the night, the weekend before and after the 4th. As annoying as I found it then, I really miss it now that it's gone.

We enjoyed a nice show on Friday night. It seems to keep getting better every year. Of course it would have been nicer if the air wasn't so heavy and the smoke just hung in the air. The company that shot them off did a good job of placing the fireworks so that didn't hinder watching them much. There were too many really bright ones with loud bangs. Okay, that sounds really silly, but they truly were way too loud and bright. Ty and I both had to cover our eyes for part of it.

Last night we had a bit of a staycation. We had friends over for a cookout and once they all went home, we built a campfire, roasted marshmallows and pitched a tent for Ty and Gary. Tyler really loved it. We all had a great time (and I enjoyed having the bed to myself for a night)!