July 4th in Iowa!
As planned we made the drive from Seattle to Iowa in time to arrive on the afternoon of July 3rd so we could enjoy July 4th with Whitney’s family. And we did! Reliving the comforts and familiarity of a July 4th at home, in the true sense of how you did it as a kid can be fantastic and this was great to do it in Whitney’s hometown.
Perhaps excited not to spend 4 hours of the day in the car… Scarlett and Nora were up at 5:30am CT (yes, 3:30am Seattle time, or 4:30am Mountain time where we had been for the the last few days)! Nothing unusual for us, early mornings is the norm in our house. This one felt tough for Whitney and I, I think we were both hoping our first night in a week without the kids in our bed may have had an hour or two more sleep.
Anyway, we got them parked in front of the TV for a bit as we got organized for the day. Being up so early had added a section of the day unto itself, so the plan that happened was:
Hang out and prepare for the day 5:30am wake up until 9:30am
Pool time … pool opens at 10am, be in line waiting for it to open and enjoy it for as long as everyone lasts… perhaps 10am-2pm, getting lunch at the pool and eating under the trees!
Quiet time … perhaps 2pm-5pm, come back to our apartment, get the kids down for a nap, and take one ourselves or read or exercise (wish list items!)
Dinner, Fair & rides, and Fireworks (then bedtime!)… perhaps 5pm-10pm … walk over to Iowa Grandma and Grandpa’s for hot dogs and burgers, then head to the Des Moines Golf venue where they have ~6 rides for the kids to do followed by a fire works display when it was dark (approx. 9:30pm).
We had a great day. The plan was definitely just a framework. The reality was some difficult transitions with Scarlett and Nora not always in agreement with us on the timing and content of the transition :)
The pool time was a lot of fun, relaxing and the girls were fantastic. Whitney’s brother and his fiancée came across from Iowa City for the day too so they provided hugely appreciated playmate options for Scarlett and Nora.
The afternoon quiet time was a cluster. Tantrums, playtime, some school work (a surprising but good initiative of Scarlett), and ultimately some more screen time. Massive parenting fail. The screen time for the girls helped Whitney and I stay sane and also gave us a bit of a window to prepare for the evening session.
The evening was fun… dinner at Iowa Grandma and Grandpa’s, a short drive to the Des Moines Golf Country Club for the little fair and fireworks… will let the pictures tell the story. A July 4th to remember. I didn’t do more than a few minutes of work, and essentially was present all day with my family. Another moment of contrast to my corporate life. Cheers!