Days Like These...

...ya want to make them last.

via

Happy {belated} Fourth!

July 4th is by far my favorite holiday, second only to Christmas.  A close third in that race is the opening day of college football.

This Fourth was by far one of the more chill and relaxing, but no more short of celebration.  I spent half the weekend in Charleston and the other half at home with my family and close friends.  I got a call from my mom late Saturday night saying that they would definitely be going out on the boat with my aunt and uncle.  I loaded my stuff up Sunday morning and headed home.

I can't think of a better place to spend my day than on a boat in the Chechessee River.  I spent countless days from middle school on up through high school and college on this little river.  It is never really crowded and everyone knows each other.  Our parents grew up doing the same things on the same river. It is my own little heaven.  We had a perfect tide on Sunday which provided optimal time at the sandbar.

Is that my Bubba with a man-size beard?

Small digression...When I think about how old I am, I don't think of myself as old, well, because I am not.  Yet, when I got home and saw that...that...man-size beard on "cousin" Will...I about fell out.  This makes me feel old.  I remember when both he and Ainsley were born {they are nine months apart}.  They are going to be starting their Senior and Junior years of high school.  They grow up so fast!

P.S. Can you tell that they are both taller than me!? GEEZZ!

See lookathere...she has a good inch on me...

Horseshoes on the sandbar

Colby and I

Jake and I

Please check out those chops! Love it!

These two gentleman are like little brothers to me.  It was great celebrating the 4th with them.

I had back to Charleston on Monday afternoon.  I whipped up some homemade peach ice cream and got ready to watch the fireworks from the battery.  There are so many different firework shows to catch in Charleston, so Elizabeth and I decided to just to go to the battery and watch them all, if even from a distance.  My camera battery died before the fireworks started. Fail!

This is the best shot from my phone.

I had a wonderful 4th and enjoyed every bit of freedom I had to do what I did.

Side Note:

I didn't follow the Casey Anthony trial at all and don't know all the facts or circumstances.  Everyone is shocked that she was found not guilty or making comments that the justice system failed.  In in no way think that she is completely innocent or did not in fact kill her daughter, but I would like to point out a few things that everyone should keep in mind when they are questioning the jury's decision.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.  Would we want a justice system that presumes the defendant is guilty until proven innocent?  Think about the difficulty that would present to the defendant.  The State has the burden of proving the defendant guilty.  Defendants do not even have to rebut or present a defense during a trial.  The State has the resources to prove such guilt.  Furthermore, it must prove this guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.  That is the standard by which the jury must make its decision.  Hence, if the jurors had any doubt that she did not kill her child, then they must find her not guilty.  Personally, I find it hard to believe that any mother would not report her child missing after a mere hour and it not be a cover-up.  I, though, was not in that jury room.

Soulfully,

Ashton

Title: Jason Aldean, "Days Like These"