Yesterday we decided to make a drive to Bristol, RI, to see their fireworks. Bristol has the longest running 4th of July celebration of any place in the country--226 consecutive years. This town takes their Independence Day celebration seriously. They start on Flag Day in June and continue through the 4th. We arrived into town around 5:00PM and scouted out a place to watch the fireworks (with a little help from the locals who knew where to sit!). I prayed we would find a great spot and wow...God delivered with a perfect section of beach. The kids had a blast playing in the rocks, finding beach glass, shells, crab skeletons and digging up mussels.
This town is serious about the 4th. Even the lines down the middle of the streets are painted red, white and blue.
Exploring on the rocks. Lifeguards at our favorite beach do not allow this, so it was fun to have the freedom to jump around and dig stuff up between the rocks.
Digging....digging....Digging mussels (blech). Midwest amateur that I am, I thought they were clams at first.
The mussels were alive in there so I only let the kids break open a few shells.
Crab skeleton
Our beautiful view all evening
As the tide came in, the kids had to go to higher ground
Suddenly, Jordan spotted a hermit crab walking on the bottom of the ocean
Jillian got a stick and started dragging it toward shallow water
SaraGrace makes the grab
And suddenly realizes that its....ALIVE and squirming. But manages to resist the urge to throw it.
Say hello to our leetle friend
Since Jordan was the 'finder' and SaraGrace was the 'rescuer' they are sharing ownership of said crab.
Checking to be sure it's still moving around after being housed in a slightly leaky ziploc bag
Moving on....SaraGrace and Kate pose on a canon while Zoey apparently missed the memo
Not necessarily entertained by the little kids, father and son scan the horizon for signs of firework activity (and discuss the long lines at the bathroom).
Our heart babies entertain the rest of us while the sun drops lower in the sky
Beautiful sunset picture taken by Molly while Mom herded several little ones to the bathroom
The show finally starts....WOOHOO!
I must say...fireworks over water are VERY COOL!!!
There are special ways to photograph fireworks. Obviously, I have not mastered a single one of them. Sigh...
We didn't get home until almost 1:00AM, but it was totally worth it! SaraGrace thinks the 4th should be every day and said it was her favorite holiday.
Thankfully, the kids slept until 10:00AM so hopefully, they won't be too grumpy today.
Jillian made a little house for the crab. Not sure how we will keep it alive but it came home in a Gatorade bottle with lots of ocean water which they plan to save. According to Google, they eat grapes and raisins, so he has been fed this morning.
Hopefully we didn't break any laws by bringing it home or crossing state lines with a live crustacean. Bahahahaha
Jillian assures me it cannot climb up the plastic sides of this enclosure and escape to places unknown in the kitchen.
Yeah.
That's what Taylor said about the frog a few years ago that we later found hopping around in the family room.
Happy Fourth of July everyone!!!
