Happy Fourth of July....

 OK, let's get serious here, it is time for a Fourth of July Parade, so let's put on our game faces. Or in this case, our tired and contrary face.....but it got better.

 We are loving our neighborhood with all of the active families and community events. Today we got to participate in the annual 4th of July Parade.It is a fun time with all sorts of costumes and floats making up the field.

 It was a hot and humid July morning, very different weather than Colleen and I experienced 10 years ago in Oregon. I am certain of this as today also marked the 10th anniversary of the day that Colleen and I met. It was a typically chilly and breezy evening in Newport where I was the only person around wearing shorts. Colleen was wearing jeans, a heavy sweater and sitting under a blanket with her dog Chessie. Granted she had to remind me this morning that it was 10 years ago today, but I will never forget any of the details.

 Anyway, back to the present. I got to pull sequoia's pretty wagon along the 4 block parade route.

 Colleen and Sequoia did a great job of decorating the wagon and Kelli did a great job making Sequoia her custom t-shirt that fittingly says "I'm a Firecracker".

 Sequoia did a fabulous job waving to all of the spectators and wishing them a "Happy Fourth of July".

 There were patriotic pups.

 There were crazy cars.

 And there were monumental floats.

 After the parade everyone got free snow balls, lemonade and pop-corn. The snow balls were very refreshing on such a hot and humid Chesapeake morning.

 Luckily there was a light breeze blowing along the river that helped dissipate the humidity while we relaxed after the parade.

Sequoia looked quite satisfied as she sat in her wagon back at the house and finished off one of her free lollipops. It was a wonderful morning and the start of a fun tradition.