For those not privy to Nashville’s summertime temperatures, it gets hot, very hot and very humid. In the heat of the summer, Rachel went and got a pool and it was the most exciting thing I heard.

We spent the fourth at their house. It was a kid summer extravaganza, even down to the food, new kid table and chairs, and the pool, of course. The kids (and dads) were prunes when they came out of the water, eventually.

When dark fell, we headed to the front lawn to watch the dads shoot off fireworks. Jay stayed back, certain that Thane would have a repeat performance of last year and not like the noise. He was right. He seemed to do slightly better, but in the end, Mara was the last brave one sitting in Mommy’s lap and watching the show.