the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July was nice enough to come on a Saturday this year making for a very nice long weekend. Maddy and I pulled out our telescope and searched the stars. We really couldn't see much of the stars thanks to the lights of the city but The moon was full and luscious and bright. I found myself sitting there looking at it for long periods of time. Lovely.

Yay, Mary and her family also come for the weekend so we brought our fireworks to mom and dad's to share.

Then on Sunday, we gathered again with Sarah's and Katie's families joining us for dinner at mom and dad's house. It is always bittersweet when we get together because I LOVE having these sisters there and we love having the cousins play together, but I am also so sad that Rachel and Spencer and James are so far away and can't always come too. 

Maddy is terribly enamored with having younger cousins. When James has come to visit, Maddy takes to mothering him and making sure he is happy. Even better is Ashlyn because she is still small and Maddy had decided that she can carry her! I am so nervous whenever I see that and always try to lightly suggest "Maddy, why don't you come in on the carpet. Maybe, take a seat on the couch so you can see her and play with her"!! But Maddy is smart and knows what I'm getting at and mostly tells me "Mom, I can hold her. I'm big enough". I think it stems from her thinking that she and Abby are contemporaries and so if Abby is big enough to hold Ashlyn then so is Madelyn.

But, in the end, I understand because Ashlyn sure is a dear-heart and I love snuggling with her too.

We had sparklers galore. Also, why are these not banned? With so many other things out there regulated because they are too dangerous for kids, it's a bit amazing to me that we allow our kids to run around in a mass of arms and legs, with bodies darting every which-way all holding sticks that not only are on fire but give off sparks that are slowly working their way closer and closer to the hand that holds them. Amazing. But, I'm glad they aren't banned. Let us be a little dangerous on a holiday right? Happy Birthday America.