It's What The Founding Fathers Would Have Wanted

Wow, Fourth of July was awesome this year!  I hope you enjoyed yours just as much.  It started early at our ward pancake breakfast, which, truth-be-told, I would be tempted to skip most years- but since Jacob and I count this as an "anniversary" of sorts, we always seem to pry ourselves out of bed in time to enjoy the fastest ward activity of the year.  After that we headed to a friend's house for burgers, swimming and relaxing.  Cindy swam for a solid three and a half hours and loved every second of having other kids to play with. And so did I!  It was great company and great food :)  We only had to drag Cindy out of the pool because we were heading up to the Lakeland Flying Tigers baseball game with my parents.  Now, most times us Binghams like to do our own fireworks.  It's kind of a tradition.  But this year I just didn't want the hassle.  I wanted to take the kids to a big display, but really didn't want to fight any crowds just to find a seat on the uncomfortable ground somewhere in a mosquito-infested park.  So the ballpark was the perfect solution because we could take in America's pastime, eat some ballpark food, and then watch a very good display all from an actual seat.  And it was fabulous! (For less than the price of buying our own fireworks too).  I think we found our new 4th of July tradition.  If only the Tigers could have pulled out a win and made the game a little more exciting.  Although we did get to see a home run :)

Luke loved the mascots.  He said he wanted to be one when he grows up.  Sweeneys think big.

Jacob just recently taught the kids how to play the "slaps" game, which the kids love to challenge him on whenever we have any time to kill.

 Luke still takes a mean picture of Mom and Dad.

I want to beat my daughter.

While Cindy and Dad went to another section for the chance at possibly getting a foul ball, we all had ice cream.  Luke's always comes with bonus mustache and goatee.

Peanuts all over the floor and my rockin' patriotic toenails.  It's how I do my part.

The kids had a great time and I definitely want to do this again next year.  The fireworks display itself was wonderful.  Almost a full 15 minutes long and set to some great patriotic music.  And the absolute best part was when they put on the song America The Beautiful by Ray Charles.  Have you ever seen the movie "The Sandlot"?  The kids in that movie only play one "night game" of baseball over the summer and it is always on July 4th under the fireworks of their neighborhood.  That scene in the movie is one of the best, home-town patriotic salutes I have ever seen in a movie.  It gets me every time.  It is set to America the Beautiful by Ray Charles and so last night I finally got to have my own "Sandlot" moment.  It's definitely a night I will remember......