The 4th of July has always been fun for me.  Growing up, my brothers and I were always surrounded by fireworks, be it the ones bought from the roadside stands or the big ones shot off by the county town.   My dad, for as long as I can remember, has always been involved in setting up and shooting the fireworks shows in Boerne or another small town in Texas each year.

After a fairly stressful year so far, I was excited to reconnect with friends over the typical barbecue, beer, games, fresh cut grass, swimming holes, parades and the countless other activities that one might enjoy over a 4th of July holiday.

A trip to Fredericksburg with an amazing group of friends from Austin provided the quintessential picture of what a Texas hometown 4th of July is all about.  Although not back home with my parents, a trip out of Austin was just want I needed.  Not only to reconnect with friends, but a true chance to get away from work and the hustle of countless tasks.

This trip was filled with fireworks, food, watermelon football, laughs, sleepovers, parades, games, dancing, food vendors, veterans, candy, koozies, dogs, and even the smell of fresh-cut grass and small town Texas hospitality.