Finally we made it to Fireworks. They begin around 10 p.m.....but you have to leave at 8 p.m. to try to find a parking spot and then you STILL have to walk to get a good viewing spot. Really the city should relocate this event to somewhere with open spaces and parking! Go figure. Anyway - that left us with about 1.5 hours of down time....trying to keep awake/entertain an almost-2-yr-old and keep track of a very social middle schooler.....in the completely stagnant HUMID and HOT summer heat while breathing in the leftover toxins from sparkler fumes. FUN TIMES!

Mark & I decided of all the holidays - this one sucks the most. =-) But fun for the kids...so that makes it almost worth it all.

Lauren was one tuckered-out little girl by the end of the fireworks shows though. She was so tired by the time the show began, that she wasn't even really paying attention. She was in a constant state of motion...I THINK to stay awake! But she wasn't afraid at all....not one bit. (That's Lauren for ya). Here are a few pics from last night.