July 4th

We hosted the 2nd Annual July 4th Barbecue, and it was bigger and better than ever! The hot temperatures did not stop us from eating yummy food and having fun with our friends. Jackson even talked Derek and Meg into braving the crowds to head downtown for the fireworks. However, I think next year will skip the DC fireworks, because it took forever to get home.


While waiting for the fireworks, we were able to get a rare Johnson family picture. Our outfits are even coordinated!


Jackson and Daddy checking out the crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial with the Washington Monument and Capitol in the background.


The whole gang waiting for the fireworks to begin. We had a blast despite the getting home mess! Thanks Meg, Derek, Kate, and Gabe for being such troopers! It will be a night you at least remember . . . good or bad!

July 4th

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July! We had a good ole American Fourth of July - minus the homemade ice cream. (In our four moves it seems like the ice cream maker didn't make the cut. I knew I would miss it one day.) Anyway we started the day with a parade in Fairfax. I thought it was just going to be a small little thing, but it was complete with the Redskins Marching Band,


a Thomas the Train balloon,


and of course the Fairfax County Nursing home. Seriously though, how cute is this??


We all had a great time watching the parade, but things went sour quickly when little boy got hungry and did not catch any candy. (Note to self: Bring candy to the next parade and throw it to my son.) So we headed to Potbelly for lunch.

Here is Jackson and daddy watching all the parade fun before he decided he had had enough. (Another note to self: Get to the parade early, so we can sit down in front. Then maybe Jackson and daddy will last longer.)


We had some friends over to grill out before we headed downtown for the fireworks. We love our new deck and have been using it a lot lately since the weather has been so nice!!

Kelly, Meg, and Baby Caden hanging out while Mark cooks the burgers which were yuuuummy!


Then it was finally off to see the fireworks. Jackson was so excited all day that he kept asking, "Is it time?? Is it firework time yet?" Oh my if I only had a quarter for every time I heard that . . . .

Jackson kept waving his flag all night waiting for the fireworks.


This is the best spot we have found to watch the firework show. We ride the metro to Arlington Cemetery, cross the Memorial Bridge, and sit to the left of Lincoln. It is never too crowded and you actually have room to spread out.

Here was our view to the right:


And FINALLY the fireworks!!


I will leave you to look at the following fireworks. Please keep in mind that they were not taking by a professional!

July 4th

Well, there is nothing like July 4th in the nation's capital. And this year we got to share it with my brother Ryan and his wife Becca ( I still can't get used to saying my brother's wife). It was great hanging out with the newlyweds, but now we wish we just lived closer to do it more often. Hopefully, July 4th in DC can become a tradition alongside a nice game of Clue on the front porch. What do you think Mrs. Scarlet and Professor Plum? Ok, back to the July 4th in DC part. We first started our day with a "quick" tour of Iwo Jima and Arlington Cemetery for the Changing of the Guard. What a way to start a day! It is still humbling to watch this ceremony even after seeing it time and time again. Then it was home for burgers with all the trimmins! I wish I could make some good ole homemade ice cream. That was the only thing missing. We then headed downtown to watch the fireworks around 7:00 which is normally the time we start having "wind down" time with Jackson. Yes, this definitely had potential to be a very bad decision on the parents' part also considering that Jackson had only a 30 minute nap. However, Jackson had a fabulous time right along with the rest of us! We strolled right up next to Lincoln and could not have asked for better seats. They shot the fireworks right in between the WWII Monument and Lincoln, so it literally looked like they were falling right on top of us. Jackson just stared up in awe the entire 20 minutes. Like I said before, there is nothing like watching fireworks with Lincoln to your right and the Washington Monument in the background! What a day! Here is our 4th in pictures:

The newlyweds, Jackson, and me at Iwo Jima.


After Jackson went up and down the stairs fifty times, Uncle Ryan gave him a high five!


Stopping for a little McDonald's lunch at Iwo Jima. Is it wrong to let your child eat cheeseburgers and fries two days in a row? If so, I promise he didn't do it.

The Changing of the Guard.


And of course I forgot my camera when we went to view the fireworks, but here is what it would have looked like. Yea right, like I would have ever taken that good of a picture!


Oh and by the way, just in case you are interested Jackson did pass out on the way home while riding the metro. So, that does mean we are off the bad parent list for now, right?