my second favorite holiday

I love the 4th of July.

It might not actually be my 2nd favorite holiday (Easter being my favorite), but it's close.  Christmas is grand, and it's all the more fun now that we have kiddos.  But I guess I'm just a warm weather girl, and the warm weather holidays win out.  

I digress.

I was a bit bummed about not being with Dada in our historical little area of Virginia.  Last year, there was something ever so magical about watching fireworks along the James River, then meandering back along the wooded roads.

But perhaps that's why I love the 4th... some sort of magic and fun generally comes along.  We spent our morning/afternoon swinging and swinging and swinging and trying to take a decent sister photo (the latter didn't quite happen.  But I do love the sweet smiles I captured from those very proud big sisters.)

We had cousins to share our (mostly) annual peppermint ice cream cake.  And boy did they lick those bowls clean!  (Can you tell how much I liked the little girl/red white and blue outfits/blue bowl combo?)  Oh how these girls love each other.

Aunt Julie came through with kid friendly firework awesomeness - snap pop thingys (or whatever they're called), champagne poppers, sparklers.  It was fabulous... especially because once upon a time, Maria screamed and ran from sparklers.  This year, she screamed and ran with the sparklers.  And since that's what the big girls did, the little girls followed along.  

Later that night, we hung back from the crowds but still managed some views of the fireworks from downtown.  The big girls even got to climb out of the sunroof for a fun view.  Sitting on the roof of the car is still talked about.

Good cousins, good fun.