It doesn't get dark here until around 8:30-9ish - consequently any fireworks in the area don't start until that same time. Soo...we dug up some sparklers - those three stage kind (that almost ruined our wedding). Soph LOVED using them, of course, I had to hold her hand to make sure that she didn't spray me or Piper with the second stage sparkles or the third stage blow torch. Piper slept through the whole thing in her carrier and so Em snapped some shots of her afterward. She really is a happy baby.

Btw - as a side note - our water heater died today. I think this one was original to the house which means it is around 17 years old - I thought that was pretty good until Dad told me theirs is 30+ while this is pretty amazing, I still feel like 17 years is pretty dang good. How do I know it died? Water started coming haphazardly out the bottom. Em was out in the garage getting something and I heard her say those fateful words, "Chad, um, I think there's a problem." We were able to get another one ordered and it will be installed for us by the lovely people at Home Depot...on MONDAY! Holiday weekend really slows everything down. Until then the Williams family has given us free reign of their showering and bathing facilities. That ought to be quite the outing - or perhaps we should just use the pool...hmmm that sounds legit.