The 4th of July is a big deal in the Ray home! Each year we read the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, the Preamble of the Constitution; we sing the Star Spangled Banner, God Bless the USA, This Land is Your Land, (& every other Patriotic song you know), we make homemade ice cream, Blueberry cobbler, and we talk about how grateful we are for this nation; we watch the Patriot, we watch the fireworks, and of course we run around with sparklers (still leftover from my wedding, thank you very much). I began reading John Adams the week of July 4th, and it gave me a new appreciation for what our Founding Fathers went through. While it's usually a holiday when my mom's side of the family gathers, this year, it was different. Since the 4th fell on a Wednesday, Will and I enjoyed a relaxed week away - just me, Will, Mom, (& Winston, of course) - at the Lake house. It was perfect.

Enjoy these images of our July 4th, 2012 memories...