Fireworks and FUN!

I have to tell you that I love the Fourth of July. Christmas remains my favorite holiday in terms of all the atmosphere that surrounds it, but when it comes to the day itself, you can't beat the Fourth.

It's warm...you can swim...have a cookout...and best of all...end the day with fireworks. Yes, please!

This year I spent the holiday with the lovely Jamie Bennett! Since I started my job on the fifth, Jamie said I could just head her way the night before, and that would give us time to hang out and see fireworks, and then we could just go to work together the next day.

Don't have to tell me twice!

So that evening, I headed to Fort Wayne, and Jamie made some pretty impressive homemade pizza. While we ate, she gave me very helpful information about work. That helped the first day be less overwhelming.
Then her roommate joined us and we headed into town for some fireworks. Her roommate is hysterical. She was elected to drive us so we could get in and out quickly. (Apparently she's not a shy driver.)

We sat close to some very vocal kids, so after every burst, we heard "Ooooooooooooooooh." "Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh." "Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh." It was cute (at least at first).

We actually watched from a hotel parking lot. They charged $5 to get in, which we obviously paid, but across the street was an empty lot. Several cars opted for that free route, but they had to jump a curb to get in. Trucks and SUV's were fine, but all the cars bottomed out on their way over the curb. That was our pre-show entertainment. (Don't judge us.) The show lasted about 25 minutes - and it was good!

It was a pretty perfect evening. Minimal bugs, no rain, not too hot, not too cold - and some pretty fun friends to hang out with!

See? I wasn't kidding.