fourth of july

 

 

my favorite holiday.  we pretty much celebrated all week long.

 

and it started with a beach day. 

 

 

it was thrilling for all of us.

 

 

these pictures really tug at my heartstrings.  she may be my aunt, my "dinha". but when she hugs me and talks to me with her kind head tilt, she feels like my grandma. the one i never got to meet.

 

 

 we ate lots of watermelon.

 

 

***

 

we visited a neighborhood parade.  americana at it's best.

 

 

oh these boys.

 

thank goodness for dads.

 

 

***

the family all spontaneously gathered at grandmas for hot dogs.  everyone free on a holiday? what?!  it was delightful.  especially considering that it was still 105 degrees in the 'ville. 

 

 

 

 

 

our favorite part of grandma's house: her blueberry bushes.  and she lets us pick as many as we want, even though she probably had grand plans of pies and jam. that's love.

 

 

 

downtown for fireworks!  and baby jacob's first fourth of july.

 

 

 

 

 

i don't know that i have ever seen finn happier than when the firemen let him climb in the driver's seat.

 

he may look unsure, but he is still talking about how "pretty" the fireworks were that night.