This was our third Fourth of July with the parents in Seattle. The first was boiling hot, the second freezing cold, and this time? Well, as for Goldilocks, the third time was the charm: This one was just right. Beautiful weather — sunny and warm but not hot — and lovely company.

We scrapped the original programming and took it easy in the morning: More bagels, some Sunday School lesson-planning, a nap, and a run to the grocery store for provisions. In the early afternoon the Keyes padres joined us and things started rolling. Justin kicked off a batch of banana-bread making, which transitioned seamlessly into prep for a barbecue dinner on the roof. By then Bryce and his girlfriend Beth had arrived, and the dinner party went swimmingly

By around 8:30pm the sun was low in the sky and some additional friends arrived for dessert and fireworks. We grilled fresh organic peaches, which we served with a touch of honey and vanilla ice cream — arguably the best summer-time dessert ever — and settled in for the show.

With family, friends, good food, and an unbeatable view, it’s hard to imagine doing the Fourth of July any other way!