I felt just like a kid again . . .

and I had a smile on my face the whole time.

I'm talking about fireworks - good, old-fashioned (well, maybe not) Fourth of July fireworks.

We had a wonderful holiday. We spent most of the day with good friends - eating great food, soaking up the sun, watching the kids (both big ones and little ones) playing in the swimming pool - and then we all went down to watch the Mud Hens (Toledo's minor league baseball team who play in what "Newsweek" magazine has called "The best ball park in the minor leagues.")

My husband and I have season tickets and on many nights, there are fireworks after the game. But we never stay. 'The husband' never wants to - "It's always the same. If you've seen them once, etc., etc., etc. And we haven't gone Downtown for the city's firework display in at least 15 to 20 years because 'there are too many people. It takes forever to get out after the fireworks are over.'

But last night, he actually enjoyed them. He jokingly said, "Gosh, Sandy, I don't know why we don't stay for the fireworks every time." I smacked him.

When I told him that I thought I had a smile on my face the entire time (total of at least 25 minutes of the stadium's and the city's shows), he said, "So did I."

I don't consider myself very patriotic. But last night, I couldn't help but think about what the celebration is all about and I was proud to be an American.

So how did you spend the 4th?