Independence Day

2011
A return to the scene of Independence Day 2007. Deana and Martin hosted a party featuring great food, fireworks and a game of wiffle ball at their house in Kibler Valley. The kids played at the river following a rain storm and we made a swing in a tree using the rope from the Seth's pinata. (The evening also doubled as a birthday party for Seth.) I didn't take a single photo, so I'll post a few that I stole from my sister.

2010
We spent the morning working on Fort Brother, the afternoon at the movies, dinner across the street with the Venables, then the evening watching fireworks with the Lindsleys and the Eads on Orchard Street.

2008
Deana and Martin again hosted this year's celebration, this time at their house. Most of the afternoon was spent at the dock, with a cookout following. After a great meal, we waited for dark to arrive and for the rains to stop before watching a fireworks display over the pond.

2007
July 4th was spent this year at Deana and Martin's river house. We had a cookout, a popcorn machine, tubing, canoeing, volleyball, horseshoes and, of course, fireworks.

2006
It was too hot to do anything but swim, so that's what we did. And then followed that with a cookout with the Eads. The sidewalk in front of their house is a perfect place to watch the fireworks display at Veterans Park.

2005
Man do we pack a lot into our Independence Days. Jeff and I were on the river kayaking this morning by eight am. Amy worked all afternoon. We then went to a cookout at Deana and Martin's house in Stuart, Virginia. And from there we went to Hama's house in Claudville for fireworks. Jackson loved the fireworks, as usual. Ben however preferred to watch from inside the house, maybe next year.

2004
We had a huge Independence Day. It started with a backyard cookout at the Eads' house, then Jackson and I spent the afternoon hiking all the way around Pilot Mountain, and finally we spent the evening on the farm in Virginia watching fireworks with about 30-40 friends and family. Mike, Gabe, and Parker continue to top themselves with their fireworks show at Hama's house.