A fabulous 4th...

Starting last year, the tradition was started to head out to D.C. for the 4th of July weekend to join our fabulous friends and metropolis hosts, Molly and Lauren. This year, the trip became an extended weekend due to Clob's wedding (more widely known as the nuptials of Bob and Clara Lutz).

I flew out Thursday afternoon to Baltimore to be welcomed by the bright, shiny, happy faces of Paul and Molly. We then headed back to D.C. to pick up our friend, Lauren who flew in all the way from Oregon.

After a fabulous evening hanging in Shirlington and getting some fantastic Mexican food, we got to bed to prepare for the long day ahead of us. The team of us shipped out by 7am to drive to the Harrisburg, PA area. Although the wedding was not to start until 7pm, Clara had asked that we come and help set up some things. It turned into quite a long day where all of our decorative and event planning skills came into play, but it worked out because we are all pros and we had a blast laughing through it all.

The always stunning Molly Ann...

And check out Lew rockin' that headgear...

The wedding itself went off very well and although there was no dancing at the reception (boo…), the food was pretty fab. It was a fun little Cedar-reunion and a great first full day to kick off the stellar weekend.

(Thanks Lew for the pic!)

Oh yah, and Grant was there, too!

And this is him singing Lady Gaga ALLLLLL the way home :-)

(you're welcome, Grantly...)

During the weekend we also got to celebrate Paul's birthday, and we did so in wondrous D.C. summer fashion. After church, we went to a Nats game.

Aside from the borderline skin-melting heat, it was perfect. Well... ok... and the Nats are pretty horrible, BUT we had Ben's chili, dippin dots, and each other's company.

OH YAH- then there is what I learned was a tradition of Nats games (and potentially the most exciting part of the game)... THE PRESIDENT'S RACE! A bunch of presidental "mascots" if you will race across the outfield. This time they did so along side Mrs. T's perogies. Well, I didn't get it, but politics have never looked so good :-)

To keep things in Paul fashion, we went back home, got dressed up, and went to a fancy lil French spot for dinner. That was followed by Dangerously Delicious in Georgetown for pies. It was pretty great, and that's coming from a cake and ice cream girl.

The evening was topped off by heading to the W for a gorgeous look over the city and a few more laughs with friends.

Incredible, right?

Great evening all around :-)

Then it was THE day. And we were in THE place to be, Washington D.C. I can say that I have never enjoyed a 4th weekend like I have the past 2 years in D.C. Maybe it's the spirit, maybe it's the scenery, maybe it's the great friends. Whatever it is, it's unbelievable.

We started the day off by getting some food together, getting packed up, and getting into the city to get in line to get on the Mall for a great seat for the concert and fireworks.

Once inside, we met some new friends, pure hilarity, in the form of Luis and Jim.



So we sat around, ate, joked, and some of us burned (hehe) awaiting the concert that would star Josh Groban, Jordin Sparks, Ray Charles, and my personal favorites, Mark Ballas and Chelsey Hightower, just to name a few.


Sandra and I made a Starbucks run for Passion Ice Tea :-)

Oh, and this is our new friend, Kyler from Chicago who is pretty darn awesome.


Then the fireworks.... beautiful.


Being in DC for the 4th of July is where it's at. Just like NYC for NYE... I feel blessed to have been in so many amazing places with such incredible people.


As tradition, one visiting the casa of Molly and Lauren must sign the "guestbook." And as tradition, our trips entail such fabulous memory keepsakes with quotes, memories, and jokes.


And this is just the BEGINNING of what promised to be the most amazing July EVER :-)
Keep an eye out as July video highlights are in the making!


(photo credits to http://laurenandlincoln.blogspot.com/ for the great scenic shots!)