I think I really like having Independence Day on a Saturday. Brian let me know last week that he had off last Friday for the holiday and I immediately texted back something along the lines of:
Can we PLEASE plan something fun? PLEASE???
With a newborn and lots of rain and feeling isolated and lonely yet a bit over saturated with social media, the need to get away has been growing. So we planned a quick overnight getaway for all of us. Trips, even short ones, with little kids are never easy or what you would ever call relaxing but still, they are so needed for us and it's so good to just get away and do something different for a little bit.
After going to Mass at our friend Father Mark's parish, we made a beeline for the beach. We spent the day there picnicking for both lunch and dinner. The sky was blue, the sand was sandy, the water frigid, and the boys had a ball. We then drove to the hotel which always feels slightly magical whether you're eight or thirty four. Especially when you get to make your own gigantic (free!) waffles in the morning.
The next morning we headed out to the Independence Day celebrations in Mumford. We witnessed the naturalization ceremony for 30 immigrants from 16 different countries. It was all moving and emotional and all the feels for such as me. There was a little parade, the reading of the Declaration, little games and contests for the kids, and suspenders and straw hats. All equally charming.
We came home for dinner and put the kiddos to bed and I felt zero guilt about not going to fireworks. I learned years ago that bringing little ones to fireworks is NOT worth it for us. Getting toddlers and little kids to bed around 11:30 or midnight? No thank you. We all pay dearly for it the next few days. We didn't even bring the older two since they both slept poorly at the hotel and were tired. They've seen them before and will see them again. We made different memories this year.
Now, onslaught of slideshow photos in 3…2…1…
There was much beach work to be done.
I bought one of these fancy beach canopies and looked totally suburbanite ($20 at Christmas Tree Shops!). SO worth it. This thing made the beach with little ones so much better.
This even happened for a little bit.
This picture of Michael doing some sort of primal roar thing makes me smile.
On to the hotel
We be fancy with our fireplace that HAD to be used. You know, eighty degree weather gets a little nippy ;)
Closet sleeping
Livin' the big time fancy gigantic waffle login' life
Bonus coincidental patriotic breakfast? Thank you!
The naturalization ceremony. I cried.
Is it weird that I took pictures of other people's naturalization?
Onto some games...
stilts...
graces...
hoops...
sack races...
and pea shooting. Sorry, random torso lady.
Treats with saved up quarters
And evidence that men from every era will always be little boys at heart, they shot an anvil into the air twice. Just for fun. (SO loud.)
John Paul is now devising how to set up his own blacksmith shop.
The reading of The Declaration of Independence
Not impressed.
The cutest of snack breaks
I love all the buildings but this one wins my heart.
Hope you had a wonderful weekend!
That looks like a dream! I would have cried at the naturalization ceremony too.
ReplyDeleteLooks lovely!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the fireworks! It gets dark way too late in July so we usually watch them on Labor Day instead.
ReplyDeleteWe don't really do fireworks either...and what's really sad is that several are set off in our neighborhood so it would be as easy as walking across the street. But we get out there and 5 minutes later are bothered enough by the bugs that we go home and go to bed. And then the fireworks really get started and I feel like a lame parent for not staying out there.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel guilty! I don't know why we've made that the quintessential Fourth experience! I remember going to fireworks but it certainly wasn't a monumental memory…and most of the memories I have are from when I was much older and it was fun because I was with friends. I just tell myself they'll be plenty of years later when they can see them! Our neighbors were setting them off, too, and I was trying not to be annoyed because they were practically in our backyard and every time I drifted off to sleep, there'd be another round to wake me up :/
DeleteLooks like it was a wonderful holiday weekend! So glad you did it. The boys all look so cute!
ReplyDelete