Independence Day

 
This year's Independence Day came after a week or so of not-awesomeness. First Adam finally went to a doctor for a weird skin thing that had been plaguing him, and it turned out to be poison oak. Then Olivia fell ill with a fever and intense body aches for 4 days until I found the tell-tale bulls-eye rash on her back.

Apparently a tick bit her, and despite daily "tick checks", we never saw the tick. She was put on 25 days of anti-biotics. During this time, we decided to potty-train Sonoma. I found myself caring for a needy sick child and cleaning up after a diaper-less toddler for a week. It was all I could handle, and I got a head cold and joined the ranks of the sickly in the family. Ruby was a trooper. In any case, when the 4th finally rolled around, we were ready to celebrate independence from illness and diapers, if not the independence of our country!

We kept things low-key this year. We celebrated by having a picnic (corn on the cob and watermelon included) on our balcony. The previous tenants of this house had told us that they could see fireworks from the balcony, so we didn't go anywhere. We did our own sparklers with America music in the background, waited until dark, and then watched the show. Adam and I were grateful to be able to have the bedtime routine of pajamas, story, brushing teeth, etc.out of the way when the show ended (not to mention the fact that we didn't have to drive home afterwards) and could just say goodnight. It was a peaceful and beautiful day. God bless America... and everywhere else, too!

...also Viv wrote a poem and put it to music, and Ru made a pillowcase. Good times...