Independence Day Weekend

Ok, so I better post this before I forget what we actually did!

It was so fun to have a 3-day weekend with Mark because both of us had Friday the 3rd off of work. We had talked about certain plans with a few different friends, but I guess we never actually confirmed with anyone. So when Friday morning came around, we realized that we really didn't have plans. We called around to a few friends, and we were finally able to set-up a trip to downtown with Birgit Swain and her little boy Elliot.

Mark bought a Boston Red Sox hat (which was long over-due) and we saw a few fun things downtown like:

Copper People! Colonial Militia

And a street performer who liked to balance things on his face... yes, that's a baby stroller he's balancing on his chin!

After a little wandering, we decided to make our way to the Dress Rehearsal for the Boston Pops Concert guest starring Neil Diamond. When we got to the entrance of the Hatch Shell Oval, there were really long lines. I remember going to the Pops last year, but I didn't remember there being such a long line to the actual event, and this was the Dress Rehearsal. Mark was pretty certain that we should've gotten there earlier, but I was ok with when we got there. The line was only continuing to grow before it got shorter. We were still able to set up our chairs and blankets on the lawn. We had enough space for the 4 of us...even for Mark to get in a little rest before they started!

Even Elliot got a little shut-eye!

a few fun shots from our several hours of hanging out before and during the concert rehearsal

Elliot saw someone with these light wands, and he got pretty excited. They told Birgit she could keep it since it was really cheap and they didn't care. It made him happy!

By the time we got home it was pretty late, but it was a fun time spent with Birgit. It turned out that her husband Nathan wasn't able to make it to the rehearsal as planned, but we still got to see them again the next day at a BBQ hosted by the Flandros.

Some of the guys getting to know each other...note Mark's cheesy grin!

Doug Flandro (the gracious host) and his wife Sarah

Probably one of the best pictures taken of Mark and me in a really long time


After the BBQ we invited several people to come over and watch Independence Day with us, but only the Swains were able to make it, and they had to leave before it was over to get to their plans to watch the fireworks. We decided to finish the movie anyway and go to watch the fireworks on our own. We were going to go to the top of the BU Law Tower, but Mark said that he thought it was too far away, so we should cross over to the other side of the river and watch it from Memorial Drive. I suggested crossing at the BU Bridge and then walking up Memorial, but Mark figured that since the Mass Ave. Bridge is closer to where they set off the fireworks, it would be better place to cross over and not have to walk so far up Memorial.

So our plans changed mid-stride, and we thought that we were heading in the right direction for the best spot to watch the fireworks because there was a crowd in the streets heading the same way we were.

But when the crowd started looking like this, we got a little worried.

The two of us trying to look like we're having a good time!!

It turned out that the entire bridge was cram-packed with people, and we couldn't even cross it to get to Memorial Dr. So we watched what fireworks we could from the edge of the bridge...not the greatest view in the world, but oh well!

This was what our view looked like as short people in the middle of a huge crowd!

But it wasn't all bad!

On Sunday the 5th, we had dinner with some friends from the ward (a couple I been meaning to get together with, but it just never happened before now), and then we went to pick-up our friend Anny Li from the airport. Overall, it was a good weekend, and we were really glad to have a few days to relax together to celebrate Independence Day. Plans may not have all gone as planned, but we still had a great weekend!