missing camera and Independence Day

We've had a busy week, with appointments, trips to the Children's hospital (fungal follow up) and spending time with friends and family.  I met some girlfriends the other night for dinner and had a great time.  Since then my camera has been missing, meaning I couldn't take pictures of E's first 4th of July.  Bummer.  I know it is somewhere around here, since my hubby, J., was looking at the pictures I recently took, but it hasn't turned up yet.  

Yesterday J. worked and we spent the afternoon/evening at a friend's house.  They had a lot of people over and it was good to catch up with old friends.  The kids had fun.  L. went to a soccer game with his buddies, and didn't get home until late.  I was glad that J. could pick him up on his way home from work, which was around midnight.   The little boys and the girls got their jammies on around 9:30.  I was ready to call it a night.  Then the whining about missing fireworks started.  Someone said, "This is E.'s first fourth of July and he has to miss seeing fireworks!"  Oh the guilt.  

So I loaded them in the minivan, and we drove to the bay.  We couldn't find a place to park, since we got there so late, but we drove on the main street through the heart of the action.  People were lighting off their own fireworks, at the same time as a professional show.  It was amazing and I felt like we were driving through a battlefield!  The little boys were mesmerized and started making their own sound effects after a while.  E. kept yelling "Bang, bang, boom, boom!" This morning on the way to church S. was telling Papa all about it and said "boom boom boom!"  It left quite the impression.  After we got home those kids were asleep in record time.  They are napping now, after a busy morning at church.