Fireworks and the 4th of July

Mason likes fireworks. I mean, duh. What kid doesn't like fireworks, right? Anyway, Mason was really pumped about the fireworks show we saw on the 3rd of July, and was eager to see more as soon as possible. Since we had two very full days on the 2nd and 3rd of July, I wasn't particularly interested in doing anything on the 4th proper, but I thought the time was right to have some fireworks at home with The Dude. So, after a very lazy day, Mason finally got me off my butt in the late afternoon of the 4th to purchase some fireworks. We bought an assortment suggested by the fireworks stand employees, got a pretty awesome deal (NOTE: purchasing fireworks at 6pm on the 4th of July = good idea if you want to negotiate prices), and took them home. I promised Mason we would set them off when it got dark, but The Dude was certain I was going to do it without him. While I was making dinner, which involved grilling outside, he kept checking to make sure that I wasn't secretly setting off the fireworks by myself.

Anyhow, I spent a good ten minutes that evening explaining to Mason that the fireworks we had purchased weren't like the ones at the professional show we had seen the night before. He wanted to know why we couldn't have the kind of fireworks that explode high in the sky, and I explained that they were both illegal and incredibly expensive. After explaining what "illegal" and "expensive" meant, he seemed satisfied. I wanted him to be excited and satisfied with the fireworks I had procured even though they weren't like what he has come to expect.

It finally got dark enough for us to set off the fireworks, and so Landon, Mason and I went outside to enjoy our stash. After we had finished with ours, our neighbors started lighting the big fireworks I had told Mason people like us couldn't buy. The two of us watched and cheered as the fireworks shot up into the sky and exploded loudly. After a couple of minutes, Mason declared, "It looks like someone has some money!"

So true, Mason. So true.