Warner has literally grown up before my eyes. From his newborn photos, Easter egg hunts, Christmas photos, his first sparkler experience, birthday's and even being the most adorable ring bearer at my wedding, this little man knows my camera so well, he now decides when it's ok to take a photo...with his eye behind the viewfinder! Captain Warner turned 4 in September and p-arggghh!-tied h-aarrggghh!-died in his huge pirate ship as him and his friends set off to find the treasure chest full of gold, jewels, and doubloons! They let the skull-n-bones sail fly high over the crow's nest and hung their pirate allegiance proudly over the stern, as their treasure chest piñata flew in the wind on the bow. This was by far one of the most charming pirate shindig I've ever witnessed. As this little pirated directed his shipmates around, they hunted for treasure, ate the tastiest cupcakes off all time, and worked hard in the rain to keep their ship afloat! This little pirate has the biggest personality around! Happy birthday, Warner!

I hope your birthday p-arrrrggghh-ty was pirate-tastic!

'Merica! What's better to celebrate America than with family, fire, and food? Nothing. Nothing is better than family, fire, and food, and if you can't celebrate with family, fire, and food on the fourth, celebrate with family, fire, and food on the fifth! Jerry and I drove to Goldsboro after oohing and aahing at Chapel Hill's fireworks, apparently a top 10 in the nation firework show according to Travel & Leisure Magazine, to have a small little celebration with family and friends. Of course, none of this would be complete without mini American flags, American Flag themed desserts, tasty cheese trays + fruit salsa, and of course, fire on a stick. This was Warner's first time with sparklers and poppers. The wonderment a child, and even adults, have with sparkly fire is just mesmerizing. However, a note to the wise: if you hand a three-year-old a sparkler, you better know how to run fast!

I hope you had a fabulous Fourth of July celebration full of family, food, and fire, too!