4th of July - summer's bittersweet midpoint

It's sad to say it, but summer is pretty much halfway over. Pretty soon, there will be back-to-school sales, crispness in the air and orange leaves. Before you know it, it's Christmas.

Geeez.

But as much as I bemoan the 4th of July as the peak of summer season (all downhill from here, people), I can't really hate on it too much, because there ain't too much cuter than little kids in Americana-themed clothing. And I do love me some cookout food!

This particular 4th was perfection: hot but not too humid; a parade and fireworks in Annapolis; three cookouts and one crab-feast; two sets of red-white-and-blue outfits; baby pools, water tables, cousins, cupcakes - and lots and lots of sparklers.

Waiting for the 4th of July parade in historic downtown Annapolis. My kids now are obsessed with parades, because they got handfuls of candy thrown at them during this one.

Cheeeeeeeese.

Coincidentally, Tahira and I both brought our families to Annapolis this Fourth! It was really fun to hang out with family unexpectedly.

That's Russy on Reggie's shoulders. Guess whose kids didn't cry about the fireworks this year? That's right. My big kids!

At a cookout at my friend David's house, he handed out sparklers and the kids loved them! Clair called hers a "wand."

Our friends Kelly and Mark had a crab feast and pulled out the baby pool. Lots of splashing with Naomi and baby Jason and then, of course: "I'm cooooooold!!" When cold, must eat popsicles. You didn't know?

We finally got to taste the tomatoes the kids grew in their own little pots at Jason and Kelly's house. "They taste GOOD!" the kids exclaimed. Pay Dean's tart-face no attention. He loved them. Thanks, Farmer Jason!

At a cookout at my Mom and Dad's house, I got to chat with this guy, Tyren, who I used to play with when I was like 9 years old. I haven't seen him in a thousand years! He came from Texas with his parents (my Dad's good friends), his wife and three gorgeous daughters, who are 14, 11 and 9. I felt so old! LOL.

After four nights out of the house until at least 11 p.m., so much running around in the sun, lots of walking, and fireworks, sweet treats, splashing, friends, cousins and hot dogs, my kids did what they almost NEVER do: They conked OUT in the car. It was blissful. (P.S. Dean is wearing my sunglasses. Isn't he the most adorable?)

Lester and I did a lot of talking this holiday about what it means to be both an American and a black person in America. It's an interesting dual perspective to carry around, living in a country that is so awesomely wonderful in so many ways, and also still so intolerant of -- and sometimes downright hateful to -- people who look like us.

We know people who find it hard to embrace the Fourth because of that dichotomy. Some were posting photos on Facebook of slaves picking cotton, with text that said, "This is what my ancestors were doing in 1776." And it's true. American freedom means different things depending on who you are in this country. That was true in 1776, and though things are exponentially better now, it is still true today.

But I am still really proud to be an American. And I am still certain that there are few places on this planet where so many people of all different stars and stripes could have so much opportunity. I look at my beautiful children -- the descendants of people who toiled and bled and died so that they could wave sparklers and eat hot dogs like everyone else -- and I am truly optimistic that our country will one day get to where it needs to be. If any country can do it, we can. 

 "And crown thy good with brotherhood...from sea to shining sea."

Date night!

Saturday night, Lester and I went out to dinner with friends of ours, Kelly and Jason - a couple who were jointly celebrating birthdays. We went to The Chesapeake and had delicious seafood and potent drinks and laughed and talked for four and a half hours! The time just flew by, we were having so much fun.

Afterwards, we drove to the Maryland Live Casino (my first time there) to meet up with another group of friends for our friend Brent Jones' birthday celebration.

Me, Laurie (!!), Andrea and the birthday boy, Brent!

I'm not a gambler and neither is Lester, but we brought $25 to waste. I decided to play $20 on the Big Money Wheel - $10 on 10 to 1 and $10 on 5 to 1. Can you believe that 5 to 1 came up?? I won $50! On my first time ever playing a casino game!

Risk-averse girl that I am, I took my chips and cashed out. We spent the other $5 at a slot machine and lost it all in a matter of five button-clicks. That was all the gambling my little heart could stand.  We were done gambling for the night, but not done hanging with our friends. We hammed it up for another couple hours and didn't get home until 1:30 a.m.

We had a great night out with friends, eating good food and laughing and talking and just being adults. But - ugh!! I can't do that too often. I was so tired on Sunday, it took me until almost 3 p.m. to feel "awake." I'd wanted to go to church, but HA! I barely got out of my pajamas.

Remember the days when you didn't leave the house to go out until 10 p.m.?? And when the club let out at 2 a.m., you left and went somewhere else?? How on Earth did we do that? As my grandmother used to say, "youth is wasted on the young."

Anyway, the real kudos of the night goes to my sister Tahira who came out to watch the baby Davises while the elder statesman stayed out way too late. She brought her own two with her and handled all five like a dream. Dinner, pajamas, bed and no drama whatsoever. Even Clair warmed up to her, calling her "Nanamommy" by the end of the night.  I'm pretty proud of my baby sister - and grateful!

Here they are all lined up on the bed, watching the Lorax, freshly scrubbed and sleepy:

Russy, Clair, Matty, Superman and Batman.

Tahira did such a good job with the kids, I might consider going out more often if I could convince her to babysit.

And if I could stay up past 10 p.m.

Music, church and wedding weekend!

We had a full (as usual) and good weekend!

We took the boys to a free music class in our area, run by the woman who sings and plays guitar at the sing-along they love so much but haven't been able to go to since I came off of maternity leave.

The boys were sorta lukewarm about the class at first, but warmed up toward the end. Cary even cried when it was over, and said, "I want to go to music class again!"

So we signed them up for a 9-week course. Every Sunday we'll go, and Clair can come too (for free!) if we feel up to bringing her. It starts this weekend and I'm excited. The boys love music so I hope they'll get a lot out of the class.

So cross that off of my list of things I want the boys to do before they turn 3!

Also, Lester and I finally, finally got our butts in gear and made it to visit a church we'd been wanting to check out. The boys were having none of sitting still, so I had to take them to the nursery, where they were having none of being left alone. That meant I heard none of the sermon!

Here they are in the nursery, playing with one of those old-school musical television sets. You know the one that plays "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "Hey Diddle Diddle?" This toy took me back!

But Lester stayed in the sanctuary with Clair and reported back to me. He liked the sermon and seemed to like the Pastor too. We'll go back again next week -- right after music class -- and this time I'll listen to the sermon and Lester will go to the nursery. This way, we'll both get to assess whether we like the church or not.

The civil rights historian Taylor Branch attends this church and he was there on Sunday. I've interviewed him before, but only by phone, so I wanted to go up and introduce myself, but it was too hectic.  Maybe next week.

Saturday night, Lester and I went to the wedding of my brothers' friend Jason. Jason grew up with my brothers since he was in the 2nd grade. I can't remember a weekend that he wasn't sleeping over at our house.  I love him just like he's my own brother and I'm so, so, so, so happy he's found an awesome woman to spend his life with. She is really good for him, and he seems so in love! It's really cute.

The (new) happy couple. The old happy couple. My parents (the even OLDER happy couple). And Lester, posing with the cigars the groom handed out to all the men at the reception. Ain't he suave, y'all? I married well! :-)

We had a GREAT time at the wedding and reception, which were both beautiful and elegant and a lot of fun. There was an open bar and we didn't get home until midnight, and now -- knowing those two things -- aren't you even more impressed that we got up, got ourselves and three kids ready, and went to church on Sunday?

God? See how we're trying? :-)

Lastly, I should mention that my meeting with Miss Toni went tolerably well. Not badly, but not swimmingly either. I think I am just going to resign myself to the fact that she is a really kind, warm and genuine person, who loves kids but is not ever going to be the organized, perky, informative pre-school teacher I'd envisioned in my head.  But as long as my boys seem happy (which is, finally seeming to be the case) it'll all be fine.

And next year, they'll have one of the 3s-class teachers, who are all the way I envisioned! I just have to be patient. Guess I'll work on that virtue in church!