A Fun Fourth

Gavin and Arwen always love the chance to spend a day with both Mom and Dad. Yesterday was one of those – what a great Fourth of July! We started with red, white, and blue waffles before making our way to the Groton town parade. Though rather lengthy, it came complete with mild weather, candy (one piece each – just right!), American flags for the kids, and free bottled water. All these were thrilling to say the least for Gavin and Arwen.

After the parade we enjoyed a rare family shopping spree at Goodwill where everything was 50% off. (We LOVE the Groton Goodwill.) Great finds included for the boys a 25-cent helicopter, a board game about the 50 states, and a baseball bat, and for the girls all kinds of brand-name fashions.

We spent the afternoon with friends Brad and Tricia Haggard and their family. What a treat to sit around with nothing to do but visit! After watching the kids run around the yard and swing each other in the hammock for a couple of hours we enjoyed some amazingly tasty barbecue fare with neighbors Susie and Josie joining us. The home festivities came to a climax with an array of fireworks compliments of the Haggards which the kids found thrilling though momentarily frightening. (Amazingly, it was Arwen who warmed up to the sparklers first.)

On the way to the Norwich fireworks display (erroneously publicized for last night – for some reason everyone does fireworks here on July fifth) Chad read the Declaration of Independence aloud and we marveled at the great values and freedoms of our country. Arriving home everyone toppled quickly into bed and slept long and late thanks to a friendly rain which silenced the birds’ usual early-morning concert.