From Baby Leggings to Gold Bodysuits - Happy 4th!

Prepare yourselves, this post is going to start with a toddler in a wagon and end with a sequined jumpsuit in Baltimore. You'll have to bear with me, that's just how my holiday weekend played out. It began celebrating our independence from one Queen and ended with my friends and I pledging allegiance to another Queen...Queen Beyonce, that is.


Farewell, British Rule

Oh, the irony that I am starting this post after I just spent the last 10 minutes looking at a slide show of Prince William, Princess Kate, and--most importantly--Prince George. I love the royal family. Give me a YouTube video of Prince George meeting a bilby and I'm happy. But, of course, like any warm-blooded American, I proudly donned my red, white, and blue last Friday to celebrate our country's independence from the royal family's reign. And, to celebrate all the wonderful people and opportunities (and food) of which this great land is comprised, of course.

Parade-ready.

In keeping with the tradition we established last year, my parents visited from NC for the holiday and we all participated in the July 4th parade in Melissa, Pete and Charlie's neighborhood. This year, Charlie had a brand new wagon, stars-and-stripes leggings (perhaps much to Pete's dismay), star-shaped sunglasses, and we all had more American flags than we knew what to do with. The parade is a special one in that it includes ~200 participants and a total of 7 spectators. Now, the parade is not a competition but I would like to think we won. If there had been a Grand Marshal, it would've been me Charlie. After the parade, Charlie and I got to walk through a real, live fire truck, y'all! Charlie even got to sit in the front seat with the steering wheel. I didn't get to but, whatever, it's cool, I don't care. Who wants to pretend-drive some stupid, giant, flashy firetruck.

While others battled the crowds to see fire works, we opted to go to The Front Porch for some fine outside dining and even finer bourbon slush. We concluded the evening with ice cream at home and viewing of the classic cinematic masterpiece Tropic Thunder, because this is America and we can do what we want. Happy birthday, USA.

Move Over, Wills and Kate...

...there's another sophisticated, chic, and beloved couple making news--my mom and dad! On July 6, my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary. So, the day before, Melissa, Pete, Charlie and I helped them commemorate the event the best way we know how--with friends, food, and beer! Unfortunately, I have no photos from this event, because I was too busy eating carrot cake, pouring wine, and watching Charlie hand-deliver beers to his Boppa (my dad). Boppa had to graciously thank his pint-sized bartender before sneaking off to return them to the cooler, lest his grandson turn him into an alcoholic. 

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad! You two are truly made for each other, which is evident every time my mom starts laughing with tears at my dad's jokes. Or maybe she's just crying. Nonetheless, you are a lovely couple (with a beautiful family, might I add) and I wish you many more adventures and dumb jokes together. 

July 6, 1974 - Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

All Hail Queen Bey

After a typical Sunday of church, brunch, volunteering (where I lost a game of Madden in an embarrassingly horrible fashion to an elementary-aged kid with no love for the Panthers), and then sitting around doing anything but laundry and dishes, I was recovered from the family-filled festivities and ready to begin my two-day staycation; or, more aptly named, my Beyoncecation.

That's right. Beyonce. Jay-Z. Me. 

It was a dream come true. The On the Run Tour. 

With (newly-engaged!!!) Sarah, awaiting Jay and Bey. 

After many failed prior attempts to see Beyonce in concert, I miraculously got tickets this time around. A friend of Maggie's accidentally bought tickets for the"On the Run" show in Baltimore instead of a different location and her geographical dilemma turned into our good fortune, so Maggie, Imke, Sarah and I road-tripped to Baltimore. My lovely sister was supposed to go but is unfortunately very good at her job or something and had to go attend a super fancy conference for important teacher people in Boston instead. It was heartbreaking that she couldn't attend, but I did FaceTime her during one of Beyonce's songs (Sorry, Dad, that's why I ran out of data this month...). I'm sure the people behind me were wondering why there was some white girl in a hotel room staring and smiling at them when I held the phone up over my head. 

The show was everything I imagined it would be - dramatic, flashy, and oh-so-stylish. No one works a sequined couture jumpsuit like Beyonce. Not to mention a nostalgia-inducing set list featuring a whopping 43 songs. In case you haven't seen Beyonce in concert and you think maybe she's not as beautiful and can't really sing that well in real life, then you should know that--first of all, BITE YOUR TONGUE DON'T SPEAK ILL OF QUEEN BEY--you're wrong. And Jay-Z is an incredible performer as well. He's so cool it's not even fair. I say that as someone who has never been accused of being cool, but knows cool when she's sees it. The most solid conclusion I was able to draw from the night was that that Blue Ivy must be one rad baby. 

With Imke and Maggie as I smile so big that my face may break while J + B sing Holy Grail

So that was my July 4th holiday weekend. We started with a baby-in-leggings and ended with Beyonce-in-a-jumpsuit. God Bless America. 

Happy 4th of July. And, don't worry, Be Yonce.