Aaron is not Harry Potter

I am afraid of fireworks.
I get jumpy and anxious when they are being lit.
I corral the children and let them watch from a "safe" distance.
I am basically no fun on the 4th of July.
Especially since every freaking firework imaginable is legal here.
I swear, some of the stuff you can get here looks like it came straight out of a cartoon.

Exhibit A:

The boys bought a good loot.

They claimed that the show was "for the kids".
You can see how much the children were enjoying the show.
Notice Tia standing inside with Quincy, watching behind the safety of the doors, while Jared prefers to stand 10 inches away from the show.
They eventually took the show to the street out front to "duel" with Roman Candles.
Because Aaron is Harry Potter now.

Expelliarmus!

So what happens when you give 5 guys lighters and a stack of Roman Candles?

Video 1: It's short. Let's just call it "A Shot in the Dark". If you're wondering about the ridiculously loud buzzing that sounds like a car engine, it is coming from bugs. Yes. Billions and Trillions of bugs. The cicadas buzz once the sun sets and it sounds like an alarm clock outside from mid June until late August. Crazy, but you get used to it, and I'll take chirping and buzzing bugs over the sound of traffic/city noises any day. Check it out.



Harmless, right?
Not really.
Video 2: Kasey took this one. HERE we have the boys (Taylor, Aaron, Brad) getting fired at (by Jimmie and Jared) while trying to light theirs. Uh...take note of the mild screaming of women and children in the background.


What?
You didn't hear the screaming?
Neither did the guys.

We think that during Brad's little "dance" to avoid Jimmies Imperius Curse, he misfired and sent a zillion sparks over Kasey (holding the camera) and into the direction where Darcie and I were holding the babies. One made it over to Addison and sent her running into the fence. A few snapped around me and I put my arms over Corbin and turned around to make a run for it, only to see Darcie frantically patting out flames

in her hair.

Darcie was such a good sport and laughed about the black, melted spot in her hair. I think she is lucky. If it had been me, my whole head would have combusted with all the product (lacquer) I had on there to keep my curls from getting outta control.

A hair fire.
Traumatized children.
A severed toenail (result of Kasey trying to retaliate against Jimmie, who blocked her foot with his kung fu reflexes).

And they had laughed at me for being such a Nervous Nelly. Folks, I spent a lot of time watching cartoons as a kid. I understand the consequences of playing with things that blow up. Is no one familiar with Wile E Coyote's fate at the end of each episode?

Exhibit B:

Case in point.