Fourth of July Fun

We had a tough time deciding what to do on the 4th of July.  Thomas and I wanted to go to the Nationals game and make that a new yearly tradition.  But, we were reluctant to take the kids.  They don't have the best attention span for baseball and it can be frustrating to try and entertain them.  We decided that we will start that tradition in a year or two.

This year, we decided to stick closer to home and go for a hike at Calvert Cliffs.  It was on my list of things to do this summer and it seemed like a good day for it.  We had a leisurely breakfast and left around 9:30.  We had fun during the hike.  There were lots of little bridges and every time we came to one, someone would pretend to be the Grumpy Old Troll Who Lives Under the Bridge from Dora.  One of Jack's questions was, "what is taller than a house"?  

I answered, "a skyscraper."  

Wrong!  He shouted.  

Jack as that Grumpy Old Troll

The girls and Thomas correctly answered, "a dinosaur," and were allowed to pass.  He gave me another arbitrary question that I also got wrong.  He took his role very seriously and finally allowed me to cross (the girls were much kinder trolls).  Thomas and I asked questions about the holiday and were proud the kids had an (very) elementary understanding of what Independence Day was commemorating.

The hike to the beach area was 1.8 miles.  We were not sure how the kids would manage, but they were surprisingly good.  Kara had incredible energy and led the way for most of the hike.  They kept us on track and enjoyed seeing the mile posts counting up and searching for the marks on the trees to confirm we were still on the correct trail.

Kara photobombed Anna!

We hadn't planned on going in the water, so we didn't bring bathing suits.  Jack and Kara got soaked looking for shells and building a "house for the sea animals."  Anna and I looked for interesting shells and shark teeth.  Everyone had a great time.  We stayed for about an hour and it was hard to pull the kids away. We promised that we would go again and stay even longer the next time.

Jack had insisted on carrying his camp backpack and while we were complaining about his wet, muddy state, he gleefully reminded us that he had brought a change of clothes.  Poor Kara was the only one left to suffer in wet clothes.  She seemed to dry pretty quickly and didn't complain.  Speaking of which, nobody complained.  We told them if they made it the whole walk back without whining or complaining, they could play on the playground. 

This fallen tree had an awesome bench carved into it.

Since we decided to stop playing the Grumpy Troll at every bridge, the return walk was much quicker.  Thomas alternated kids on his shoulder and we were back in about 40 minutes.  We made good on our promise and they played on the playground for a bit, then we went to Taco Bell/KFC for lunch.  It was a fun morning.

Thomas barbecued for dinner and it was the perfect culmination to a great day.

Friday, the 5th of July, we went to St. Mary's City for their orchestra and firework event.  We went last year with the Darrows and had a great time.  We got there around 5:45 and found ourselves a spot.  Unfortunately, the good shady areas were taken, but we were centered in front of the orchestra and thought we'd have a good view of the fireworks.

We walked around a bit and bought ice cream and snacks.  Then, we played a few rounds of Old Maid.  Time went by quickly and soon the orchestra started playing.  

Every time someone picked a card from Kara, she would ask, "who was it?"  Then, every time she picked a card, she would delightedly turn to Thomas and say, "I got Grandma" (or whoever it was).

As soon as the music started, Anna decided she had to go to the bathroom.  So, Kara, Anna and I weaved our way through the crowd and waited in the long line.  Shortly after the second half started, she did the same thing.  This time, the line was monstrous.  We were gone for more than 30 minutes!  During which time we missed several songs that the girls, and I, would have enjoyed (such as One Day my Prince will Come).  It was somewhat frustrating.

Jack relaxing and enjoying the show.

Finally, it was 9:30.  The orchestra started playing the 1812 Overture and we knew it was almost time.  Jack then announced he had to go to the bathroom.  Life with kids, I suppose.  Fortunately, the boys line was short and Thomas and Jack were back before the fireworks started.

When the fireworks did start...we couldn't see a thing!  They were off to the side and blocked completely by a large tree.  We couldn't believe it!  We watched for about 2 minutes and decided to move.  So, I took the kids and wound our way through the crowd, yet again and found a place where we could see.  We sat on the ground and watched.  Meanwhile, Thomas gathered up our gear.  I am sure we weren't crowd favorites, but there was no way we could sit with our 4 and 5 years old and not let them see the main event.

The loved the fireworks.  At one point, Kara stopped watching, threw her arms around Thomas and proclaimed, "this is the best night ever, thank you, thank you for bringing us here!"  Priceless.  Speaking of which, the girls were very excited to wear their 4th of July clothes (which were the same ones they wore when we picked up Thomas at the airport).  I lost track of the number of compliments Kara received on her sailor dress.  Every time we walked through the crowd (which as you'll recall, was a lot), multiple people would comment on how cute she was. 

We had family movie night, complete with popcorn and snacks on Saturday and stayed close to home and relaxed on Sunday.  A good time was had by all.