Saturday, July 04, 2009

Happy Fourth of July!

My dear friend Tif has a great talent for the pretty. This is a picture I took of the centerpiece at a party she has for here new daughter a few weeks ago. It was so pretty and patriotic I had to use it today. Hope you are all out doing something to celebrate our great country's birthday. Despite whatever problems we might have I am so grateful I am blessed to live here.

The Fourth of July is one of those special holidays that lives in my childhood memories perfectly intact. For so many years it meant going to my hometown parade a block away from my Gram's house and then the unbelievable treat of staying up late to go to the fireworks at the high school. It was so much fun my cousins used to come visit that week from Minnesota so they wouldn't miss out on our small town festivities. Then it turned into a social event, watching to see what friends would be in the parade, scoping out the crowd to see friends I hadn't seen since school got out, hoping to maybe see whatever cute boy I had a crush on at the time. Eventually it became a memory that I will have forever. William and I had our first date on the Fourth, and of course we went to the fireworks at the high school. That first date was twenty years ago today. I cannot believe it! I am sure it is a time warp of some kind, we can't possibly that old!

The other amazing thing to me is that my kids have never had that same experience that I had as a kid. I am a serious stickler about bedtime and they were always too young or we had a new baby, there was the year we moved to CA on the fourth. Now that was not my favorite memory. But this year I am hoping is the year the memories start for them. We are off to the parade this morning, going to barbecue with my parents tonight and rumor has it the little people are going to get to stay up late, lay on a blanket and let those big ole beauties explode over them. It is going to be a perfect day!

**Update:
The parade was lots of fun! I really missed this small town and those mountains!

**Update 2:
The fireworks were wonderful! Leaning on hubby with my kids piled on like puppies listening to Louis Armstrong sing What a Wonderful World while they exploded over us. It just doesn't get better than that! Hope your Fourth was wonderful too!

4 comments:

Sandy McTier Designs said...

Hi Michelle,
Hope you have a fabulous 4th of July!
Blessings,
Sandy

vivian said...

glad you had a great holiday. we did too. The 4th of july is one of my favorites.
now, have a happy sunday!
hugs
vivian

Bonus Mom said...

Looks like you guys had a great time! We too have the tradition of the town parade and you can see the town fireworks from my sister's house. This year the parade was cancelled due to rain and it cleared up long enough for our bbq, then rain cancelled the fireworks too!!! We still had fun though. Happy Fourth!

love.boxes said...

Your photo of the centerpiece turned out better than mine..
I loved the fireworks too! but I don't love the parade (shameful shrug) too much advertising.. not enough patriotism for me... and I believe in the free market more than most.. but come on folksies!