This year the Fourth of July was on a Wednesday, which limited our activities a bit. With both Joel and I back at work on Thursday, we decided not to make the drive up to Lynden to celebrate with my family. I was disappointed to miss out on time with the extended family, being able to light some fireworks myself, and the famous Maberry firework show next door, but I think we did a good job celebrating the Fourth on our own.
We started the day by sleeping in. My weeks get so busy that even on the weekends, I wake up by 8:00am or 9:00am so I can hit the gym for a workout, get back home in time to get some chores done around the house before starting in our planned weekend activities. Sleeping in until 10:00am is such a luxury these days! Then I drank my coffee on the back patio while talking on the phone with my mom and watching Jack-Rabbit run around the back yard in the sunshine. He is so funny whenever we take him outside, as he will stay right by our side for about ten minutes before he decides he is safe and then he won't come near us. He is just too busy exploring and being a brave rabbit to come over for an ear scratch.
Then Julie, Joel and I headed into downtown Bothell for the Freedom Festival Grand Parade. I haven't been to a parade in years! It was a lot of fun to watch all the different floats go by and the kids waving and jumping up and down when their favorites would roll by. My favorite float was the gymnastic float which was a giant trampoline being pulled behind a truck, on top of which girls were doing tricks and jumps non-stop. I have never seen anything like it!
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| Gymnastic flips on a moving trampoline! |
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| The Peace Arch and Princesses. |
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| It just isn't a parade without a marching band! |
After the parade, Joel was so hungry we decided to eat lunch at our favorite cafe,
Alexa's Cafe & Catering. Located on Main Street in Bothell, this cafe has a home-like feel with mix-matched kitchen tables and chairs, mason jar cups, and simply good food. Specializing in breakfast and lunch, there is something on the menu for everyone. My favorite item, hands down, is the tomato basil soup. I have ordered three cups of this soup once because it is just that good good. Joel is love with the bacon at Alexa's. It is thick cut and cooked perfectly every time we come. I was so famished and excited to eat, that I forgot to get pictures for the blog! This place is just that good!
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| Joel and I after lunch at Alexa's Cafe and Catering. |
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| Julie and her "Boyfriend" after lunch at Alexa's Cafe and Catering. |
After lunch, we headed home, took a sun-nap in the backyard and then headed to the gym for a quick workout before the main event of the evening. The City of Kenmore hosts a Fourth of July Fireworks show at Log Boom Park each year. We decided to head down early and get good seats for watching the fireworks over Lake Washington. After a quick stop at Safeway for picnic items, we were setting up our chairs in the prime location Joel settled on after scouting out the entire park. We played rounds of Uno and Crazy Eights waiting for the show to begin while watching kids run around and play with excitement and anticipation for the show to come. I became so cold from sitting in the evening dusk for an hour and a half, that I talked Julie into playing a game of tag with me. I just needed to get my blood moving and what better way than chasing down your sister through a large crowd. Julie was a sport and let me tag her it until I was warm and tired. Back in our chairs, we counted down until the big show. It was a great show! There is nothing like a free, professional fireworks show over the water! The fireworks were big and bright, so many colors and patterns, I couldn't help but ooohhhh and aaaahhhh over them.
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| Enjoying our picnic dinner with our patriotic hairstyles. |
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| Waiting for the show to start. |
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| Even the ducks came early to get good seats for the show! I had fun watching them swiming in the water along the shoreline. |
For not having much planned in advance, I think the three of us did a pretty good of celebrating the Fourth of July!
Nice work, that sounds like an awesome 4th of July! And well done on the fireworks photos... I tried to get some shots but there was too much of a delay on my camera.
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