Carlie Jane's first Independence Day was rainy. We had a slow start to our day since John had been up in the night feeding Carlie and they both slept in late. There was a break in the rain just after we finished breakfast and John was able to finish mowing the back yard. He has done the rest of it last weekend but since the neighbors were having a party John didn't want to blow dust all over in their direction and had left the back yard to finish at a better time. I did a little bit of it while Carlie was resting this week but after destroying one garden hose I had left the other half undone, helping your guy out is some what diminished when you have to follow it up with an apology.
We headed out to Bear Lake where John's folks had been camping all week. We planned to have lunch with them and make ice cream. As we arrived they had just packed up camp and where just getting ready to leave. We decided to stay and have lunch together and make our ice cream at their campsite. John made up the fire with what dry sticks and pine needles he could find. We had hotdogs, corn on the cob, baked beans, and more. We finished our feast with making our own ice cream. My family made ice cream a lot when I was growing up but it was always in the winter and we would gather snow on our sleds and chop the ice from the brook in the woods behind our house. The thought of trying to make ice cream in the heat of Florida summer was very different to me but it worked just as well. The ice cream was delicious and we added canned cherry pie filling to the top to make it extra nice. Carlie Jane slept through the whole thing. She was probably thinking, "I know they won't give me any and I don't even want to watch them all eating ice cream if I can't have any."
We went for a short walk part way around the lake after dinner and then headed home. John and Carlie took a long afternoon nap and then we headed out to see the fireworks. We found John's brother Nathan and his family and were standing with them waiting for the sun to finish setting when it began to pour! Carlie and I ran under a tree and couldn't see the first few firework displays. Then John found a nice porch we could stand on. The rain shower past and we were able to see the last half of the fireworks. Carlie didn't mind the noise at all and was happy to sit there and watch the whole thing. Nathan even gave her a little sparkler but she wasn't that impressed. I was trying to get her attention with it but she would rather watch the people and the headlights of cars passing in front of us. We walked around for while after the fireworks were over since we didn't really want to sit in our car and wait while the traffic cleared out. By the time we got back to our car it was all clear for us to just head for home. We got home and were ready for sleep. At least John and I were but Carlie Jane was all excited and ready to play. After a little fun she was tired too and went right off to sleep. It was a nice day and the quietest Fourth of July I have ever had.
Carlie and John slept in awhile since John was up in the night feeding Carlie.
Waiting while I packed our lunch.
Out at Bear Lake with Dad and Mom Bryan.
Carlie was pretty happy just to sit there and watch John split wood and start the fire.
Making ice cream.
Poor Carlie Jane slept through the ice cream making and didn't get any.
Success!
Add a little cherry pie filling...
Yum!
Carlie took a long nap but when I would walk by
her car seet and kiss her cheek she would
smile in her sleep.
We all went for a short walk after lunch, part way around the lake.
I found a black eyed susan.
After an evening nap we headed out to the Milton fireworks.
Waiting for the sun to finish setting.
Carlie didn't mind the noise at all and just sat there watching it all.
John covered her ears at the grand finally since it was pretty loud.
A little walk down the board walk.
And then home to bed ....or not.
Carlie Jane was all excited and not ready to sleep.
