4th of July

Someone asked me recently, do you miss your cottage?  The answer is I miss that time in my life.  Similar to how you miss when your kids were little.  You don’t exactly want another baby, but you’d love to rewind and live a week of it again.  If we’re lucky this life is long and allows for all sorts of seasons.  The cottage was a wonderful season in my life, and being honest, most of my families best memories were made there.  I don’t wish I still had it however.  I’m enjoying not having to pack every weekend, saying yes to bonfires with neighbors and dinners out with friends.  Fourth of July was a poignant illustration of that.  It was nothing like our fourths of the past, where we hosted 20-30 people for an entire weekend of fun and food.  While that was all good, the quieter more relaxed weekends are what our life calls for right now.  We started the weekend with a bonfire in the backyard.  Mostly our regular crowd, with some neighborhood friends mixed in. 

  

These three were up way past their bedtimes!  Didn’t matter though, because we woke up with no agenda the next day.  Such a lovely feeling.  We spent a couple hours at the pool.

One of Emily and Steve’s neighbors were kind enough to include us in a celebration at their house. 

The kids started off with sparklers in the driveway. 

We had a little reminder in the distance not to play with fire.

Then the guys carefully set up the big guns.

The fireworks were practically professional! 

No 4th of July would be complete without a boat trip.  Luckily the weather cooperated and we had a glorious day!

Natalie and Sof both tubed.  I wouldn’t say they loved it,  but at least they liked it.  Compared to the other girls, they are way behind in water sports exposure.  By Sof’s age Kaitlyn was a seasoned knee boarder!  That’s okay though, they’re the babies!  At one point we had everyone out there but Adrienne!

So we added her!

Trouble one and trouble two.  They’re so lucky they’re cute!

After a long day on the lake we headed home for the last party of the weekend.  One of the teachers I work at had a pig roast(food was fabulous).

The weekend was the perfect mix of family and friends, quiet and loud, and busy and relaxed.  A satisfying mix indeed!