Happy Fourth of July!

Happy fourth of July everyone!  I am a bit of a traditionalist and I love the tradition of fourth of july.  Outdoors, being with your community, eating good food, listening to good music, watching things explode.  It's a great holiday really.  So many holidays celebrate family.... christmas, thanksgiving, etc... for me the fourth of July celebrates community.

I love community celebrations it brings people together, and I think we lack that as a society sometimes.  Today Matt, Josie and I went to a community fourth of July parade.  We laid our blanket down in some strangers yard under their tree.  A family we had never met sat down next to us, and their kids came over to pet Josie.  I had a good time talking to their kids.  It was your traditional parade; fire engines, bands, queens, politicians, boy scouts, shriners.  Just what you would expect from a small town community parade.  The people behind us (who weren't from the United States) were learning about an American tradition.  Pretty classical 4th of July.  Made me smile.

As I said earlier, I am a bit of a traditionalist.  So I love having traditional food on a occasion like this.  So tonight we are having coleslaw, corn, watermelon, and hot dogs.  Just what I picture for this day.  Can't wait til this evening when we can do some cooking/eating.

I have great fourth of July memories.  When I was younger, my grandpa had an army jeep.  So on the fourth of July (I don't remember when..... I was younger than 10) we piled into the jeep with super soakers, and we went to Milo, IA, and we were in the fourth of july parade.  Much like the parade I went to today.  Great memory.

One of my other great fourth of July memories is with my grandma Jeanne.  After my grandfather died she moved to Table Rock lake missouri.  We would take our boat down for the fourth of july and we would spend the weekend on the water water skiing, and being on the water as a family.  This in itself is a great memory.  But on the night of the fourth of july we would go on uncle ralph's boat, and the town would like off fireworks over the lake.  What an awesome sight.  The fireworks reflect on the lake, and all the boat lights bob on the water.  It is incredible, and something every year this time of the year I crave.  One of the greatest experiences.

This year is the first year, that I have lived in a state where fireworks are legal (and it is the first time in decades that they have been legal in this state).  Last night I went out on our deck, and there were huge fireworks in every direction.  It was a pretty incredible site.  I look forward to it again, this evening.... I even bought snacks to sit outside and munch on tonight while I watch fireworks. 

So happy birthday america.... thanks for the traditions, and the community that you provide.