Independence Day 2009

We had two weekends of celebration for this holiday...the weekend before the 4th and then the weekend of the 4th.

The weekend before the 4th was our town's Independence day celebration. They always have a large field of numerous activities for kids and food to eat and end the night with a fantastic fireworks show. It was so hot that day we opted out of all the activities and waited until the last minute to head out for the fireworks show. We really did wait until the last minute because we were the last bus to leave the high school to shuttle spectators over to the activities for the night. We probably live only 5 minutes from the field where everything was taking place, but knew there would be no place close to park and even if we did get close enough to park somewhere decent we would be in traffic for much longer just trying to get back out. So we drove 5 minutes in the opposite direction to get to the high school where school buses were loading and unloading people to shuttle back and forth all day and night. They dropped us off right at the entrance of the field and were waiting there to pick us right back up after the show ended. Not only was it convenient for us but Junior LOVED the ride! Daddy and I had a church function early that evening and had Nana and Great One over to watch the kids, so they stayed a little later and accompanied us to the fireworks and also enjoyed it as much as we did.


Waiting for the fireworks to start...Great One, Nana, Junior, Mommy and Gaga



Fireworks started! Junior and Daddy watching




The weekend of the 4th we headed to our friends from church's farm. There were a lot of people there and everyone enjoyed cooking out, riding 4-wheelers and riding a golf cart. Junior and Daddy took the golf cart out once to see the back lot of all the land they had out there and returned happy. We made a quick stop on the way out there to get our first fireworks with Junior to shoot off with the rest of the group. When it got dark all the adult men started to shoot off fireworks for the women and children. It was a spectacular show for amateurs! Meanwhile, Junior and I were busy lighting and relighting "sticks" as Junior called them. I would light a sparkler for him, he would hold it, occasionally swing it around and dance a little and then when it was done drop it on the ground and asked for "another stick please". Daddy came back from the big fireworks to do a few of the smaller ones we got for Junior. They didn't hold a candle to the sparklers though. Those will be our major purchase next year! No pictures from this night...sorry, I was a little busy keeping my kids safe from the fireworks that some men were lighting upside down and shooting straight across the ground at the spectators!!! One of those men shall be nameless...scratch that...one of those men was DADDY! Apparently the first one he lit he did not see the words that read "THIS SIDE UP". Apart from that, we had a wonderful night!