Happy 4th of July (a week late!). While we didn't get to celebrate at Red Sunset Park or at Fort Vancouver, we did get to celebrate our nation's birthday on the 3rd, 4th, and the 6th. The 3rd was my favorite because it involved fireworks. It was the day of the big celebration at the Ambassador's residence which only Darren attended. But since the Residence is on the cliffs overlooking the beach and the water, Maggie, the kids, and I decided to go sit on the beach and wait for the fireworks that would be shot off later that evening. We gathered our towels and beach bag and headed off, joined by our friends from Scotland, the McQuiers. As we sat on the beach waiting for the sun to set, the kids played in the water and in the sand and we watched the helicopter, boat, and jeep patrol the air, water, and ground around the Ambassador's house. "Remind me again why I'm here celebrating Britain's one defeat," Gus McQuier asked.

We didn't have long to wait before the sky was dark enough to start filling it with colorful explosions. Short but sweet, we sat and enjoyed them before heading home to enjoy late night icecream before bed.