Celebrating the Fourth

Damon is in heaven.
Absolute heaven.
I don't think it gets any better than Famous Dave's and a full rack of ribs for him!
We spent most of the day being lazy and recovering from our late night watching the Twins game. This was our kick-off for the 4th of July celebration and I don't think anyone was as happy as Uncle Damon!

Our Fourth of July celebration looked a lot different than most years. There was no camping or boating, no Leech Lake or Winnie, no big affair with family members and friends. This year we decided to stay home, avoid the insane traffic up north and back and have a little fun in central Minnesota. We were absolutely delighted when Damon and Manda decided they wanted to join us for a weekend getaway! Anthony was really excited to have his auntie and uncle come to his house and we were all looking forward to just spending some time together. So even though this 4th didn't require a camper/tent, coolers with ice, and hobo dinners on the grill it really was great. It was a good reminder that sometimes low-key and simple can be just as fun and rewarding.

The sparklers were a big hit. Overall, the guys spent $25 on fireworks, but we oohed and aahed, clapped and cheered like it was a huge fanfare!
The extra bonus was that Mark also purchased a fire pit for our backyard. I'm looking forward to many more nights enjoying the up north life right here in town!

Anthony was hesitant at first with the sparklers, but then really got into holding and watching them. Damon, who is a "Fun Guy", couldn't light them fast enough for A. He kept wanting more as soon as one would go out.

So serious. He really was enchanted.

Thankfully, Manda was there with her trusty camera to get all of the cute shots. I tried capturing a sparkler moment, but none of them turned out. Once again, I think it might be time for a camera upgrade. Thanks for sharing your photos, Manda!

Got to love his new "CHEESE!" smile.