Hey friends, I just wanted to pop in to say "Hi!" on this hot & happy 5th of July. And I also really wanted to share these fab pics with you all.
Last night we went to our little town's fireworks and as incongruous as it may sound...it was a nice "quiet" evening. "Quiet" in the sense that we kept it low key. Just me, Aaron, my little bro Walt, and his girlfriend Val. We actually deliberately drove a few blocks east so that we'd be farther away from the fireworks...thus avoiding all the crowds, traffic, etc...
We sat in the sand with about a dozen other families who had the same idea. And when I said "quiet" I also meant it literally. Because of the distance, the fireworks were relatively quiet. We could sit and chat while watching the beautifully bright explosions in the sky. Our town is right on the bay that separates New Jersey and New York. Across the water we see miles and miles of NJ and NY coastline...on the 4th of July there isn't a prettier sight to be seen. Imagine seeing dozens and dozens of fireworks displays...the big ones...the town and city ones...all along the horizon...including the spectacular Macy's Fireworks in NYC.
One thing we noticed is the improvement in quality of amateur fireworks...the kinds that people light off in their backyards. A little ways down the beach from us a family was lighting off their own display...and these "civilians" were giving the pro's a run for their money. Our favorite moment was at the very end of the night when this family launched a couple sky lanterns. Instantly there were oooohs and ahhhhs all around. Seeing them drift up into the night sky was so magical. We are definitely getting some and making some...just to launch on any ol' night we please!
Now, I have to apologize for not having photos to go with the above tale. The evening was so low key that I failed to even bring out the camera. But as you can see, I do have some pics to share.
Aaron's Grandmother, (Mom Mom), passed back in April and for the past couple of months Aar's parents have been consolidating her house and it's contents to put up for sale. The process can be emotional...every object having a memory attached to it. This weekend Mom Mom's condo complex is holding a community wide flea market. Aaron went down and helped his parents sort out and put price tags on a ton of stuff. Of course he came home with a handful of things that he just needed to hold onto.
We love this photo from their wedding day. Aaron looks a whole lot like his Pop Pop...you just have to look past the shaved head, glasses, and beard. And that's a little hand-me-down harmonica from Pop Pop...Aaron wishes he knew how to play it.
As they were pricing kitchen stuff, Aaron grabbed the sugar bowl right away and said "we're gonna use this for our glitter!"...and sure enough, we've already put it to use.
We've always loved old framed certificates and we sometimes purchase them at junk shops...it's so cool to have one that belonged to Pop Pop. (there was a stack of them...Aar selected the smallest)
And lastly, the wedding cake topper. We have a nice collection of these...and again, to get our hands on another one with a personal attachment makes it all the more special. At one time, it must've been stored in close proximity to something vanilla scented...but when you hold it up to your nose it's nice to pretend that it still holds the essence of the wedding cake it once sat upon.
Ok, thanks for letting me share this bit of nostalgia with you. The week is flying by...that's what happens when you have a holiday on a Wednesday. I'll be back with Friday Favorites before you know it!
xo, Jenny
p.s.
The WINNER of the JUNE group giveaway is
Congrats Natalie!!!