Independence Day!

We typically go to the Lansing Independence Day parade because it is a daytime parade. This year, because Mati can stay up a little later, we gave the Mason parade a try. It was wonderful. We packed a cooler with drinks and snacks of popcorn and gummy bears and enjoyed a great parade in beautiful weather.

Too busy enjoying her popcorn to pose for a picture.



Standing and waving her flag for the veterans who paraded by.

Twice during the parade some old US Army blue and yellow planes flew over. Mati sat chomping her gummy bears watching the fly-over.

One of our favorite parade entries, it was like a tractor tricycle.

One more cool entry, the draft horse!

When we got home we did our own fireworks show, a few small fountains and sparklers. Doug said "She can probably hold a sparkler, right?" I have to admit I was nervous. We lit 3 or 4 and demonstrated to Mati how to hold one before letting her give one a try. Thank God I married Doug because he is far more brave than I. I would have Mati bubble-wrapped and still carried around in a Bjorn if it weren't for his influence to let her explore.

This is her first glimpse of fireworks, a 2" fountain. It put out some pretty cool fireworks.


Here is her first sparkler! Notice the straight arm, away from her body, following her training.

Oh yes, we (mainly Doug) let her try two sparklers!

Putting on a show for us.