Crista Acosta Photography »

It’s been a few years since we’ve been able to see fireworks.  We usually spend the 4th of July on the Vineyard, and getting to the fireworks from where the house is involves traveling across the island, battling masses of traffic and then getting smooshed by the crowd in order to be able to see them.  In our younger years, we saw it as an adventure – but being pregnant one year, then with an eight month old the following year, and then a toddler plus a newborn the year after that, we’ve foregone the festivities.  It just so happened this year that we were leaving on the 4th, and as we drove home late that night, I dozed in the passenger seat.  C would wake me up here and there to point out the fireworks on the horizon of the highway and I’d smile and nod in sleepy bliss before quickly falling back asleep.

Imagine our excitement when we found out that the Hartford fireworks were scheduled for this past weekend, and we’d finally be able to see them.  We were excited and planned the night with our neighbors who have a hook up to possibly the best seat in the city.  We kept the kids up late, and got ice cream on the way.  I expected P2 to fall fast asleep in the car, but he had other plans.  It was L.A.’s first fireworks experience, and we were fairly certain it would go one of two ways – he would love it or be terrified.  Sweet Girl came with us and excitedly talked it up to L.A. on the ride there.

We started out with sparklers, and L.A. had an unfortunate run in with a just extinguished sparkler that has had him saying “the little firework bit me on my thumb” for the past few days.  Then we settled into our chairs to watch the display.

Sadly, the sparkler incident combined with it being two hours past his bed time put a damper on L.A.’s first fireworks show, and he spent the majority of the evening snuggled into C’s shoulder.

S.G. watched as the fireworks rained down from the sky, with the wide eyed awe only a child can have.

Then we packed everyone up and drove home in the darkness, eventually lugging three sleeping children upstairs to their cozy beds.  The next morning L.A. crawled into our bed, slung his smooth toddler arm over me and said “Mommy?” I opened my eyes to a very serious face and he looked solemnly at me and said “I don’t like fireworks”.

Maybe next year….

Oh sweet island that I adore.  Another year of fun, another set of memories.  I always forget exactly how the Vineyard makes me feel.  It’s a feeling of peace that I can’t explain, a sense of relaxation that I don’t feel anywhere else.  It’s letting the day slowly unfold – unscheduled and at leisure.  We needed this time away – to rejuvenate, to reconnect, and to relax.  Luckily P2 was finally on the upswing by the time we left, and we needed to see him happy again too.

I was so at leisure in fact, that the majority of these pictures were taken with my little point and shoot camera – the Canon S90.  I pulled out the big guy a few times, but I was really enjoying living in the moment.  So, here you go… a slew of hardly edited photos taken from a regular old camera.

I so enjoyed our hours on the beach, watching L.A. soak up every new experience.  Taking a non walking toddler to the beach though?  Not quite as much fun.  That child got sand in places sand should never be, and considering he needs to be carried back to the car – well I’ll let you figure that out.  Thank goodness for the outdoor shower.

Spending lazy afternoons on the deck and eating around the big table outside.

L.A. fell in love.  Sadly (for him), it was with my brother’s girlfriend who  he has now taken to calling “My Wauwa”.  Poor Laura, she was such a good sport as he mugged her day in and day out – not really understanding the concept of her sunburn.  L.A. even dragged her into the parked Jeep with promises of driving her to the park so they could play together.

We spent more time at the beach…

And we celebrated a belated Father’s Day for my dad – affectionately known as Grumpy instead of Grandpa.  Those pants you see were his request – Loud Pants to wear while he caddies for my mom on the golf course.

Later that night we celebrated with raspberry pie.  P2 was a BIG fan.

I snuck off to watch the sunset, alone with my thoughts and met a really great couple from Boston.

and finally, we said good bye (too soon).  Isn’t it always too soon?  I feel like when that ferry pushes out of Vineyard Haven it leaves a tiny piece of me on the island.  Until next year.