3rd/4th of July

I can't not post about the 4th of July.  It's my very favorite holiday.  Okay, almost, since we all know that my birthday is my very favoritist holiday.  As such, I tend to be stubborn pretty determined about not travelling anywhere for my birthday weekend.  I don't like that I don't get to see family for the 4th and my birthday.  But I travel for most every holiday, and I really like to be at home.  So I get pretty stubborn, selfish, persistent when it comes to staying home for my birthday.  For years I have been trying to convince some of my family to come celebrate the 4th with me because Peoria puts on THE BEST fireworks display!  This year, I almost succeeded in getting Michele and Sergio to come for the 4th.  Except apparently some people have to work on the 5th.  Who knew?!  So they came for the 3rd instead.  Lucky for them, Peoria puts on a pretty good fireworks display on the 3rd too.

And, yes, we are in sweatshirts.  The high on Sunday was only 68 degrees!  Crazy Illinois weather!  We also went to lunch at Avantis and dinner at Sugar (nutella smores pizza...YUM!).  And since it was raining earlier in the day, we went to the Riverfront Museum.

I was so glad to have family in town with me!  Maybe they can bring a few more people along next year.  And take the 5th off so they can see the riverfront fireworks!  Because they are AWESOME!

 This year, several from our group went down really early to stake out a great seat. We were on the second floor near Joe's Crab Shack.  Then the rest of us joined them for dinner around 5.  It was another beautiful evening.  I still wore jeans, even though it was closer to 80 degrees.  Above is Holly and I with the bridge and some crowds in the background.

 The Spirit of Peoria.

 And the crowds are starting to gather!

 What is this, you may ask?  Why such an odd picture, you may ask?  Memories.  Even the grossest, weirdest things make for the best memories.  We will forever be able to say, "Remember the year the mayflies started dive bombing us and dropping like flies just minutes before the fireworks.  This, folks, is a whole heap of dead mayflies.  Right where we had been sitting for most of the afternoon while they innocently watched and waited for just the right moment.  We were able to mostly ignore them during the fireworks, even though I may have had one fall down my shirt.  And I may have had a few dead in my hair.  And I may have jumped every few seconds as more fell from the sky.  But, honestly, even a few million mayflies couldn't stop the spectacular from happening!  Have I mentioned that Peoria had THE MOST MAGNIFICENT fireworks display.  Where every song (they are shot off timed to music) seems like it is the finale, but then you realize that another song is starting.  And it goes on for 30 minutes of amazingness.  My pictures didn't even begin to do it justice!

Oh, yeah, back to those mayflies, this was during the fireworks.  I didn't take time to take a picture after the fireworks, but their were even more!  Weirdest experience ever!

PS.  Don't let this sway you from coming next year to see them with me...In 10 years, this is the first time I have ever seen the mayfly epidemic.  You'll be safe, I promise!