4th of July activities

So what are you all doing for the 4th of July?

We are having a b-b-q and decorating our house as if it were Christmas (as per the children’s instructions).  We don’t do fireworks.  Watching them requires us to be up too late and doing them (some are legal here) just seems like a bad idea since we live next to the woods (although it’s been so wet I imagine it might not matter.)

We will probably build a fire pit in our yard and roast marshmallows for s’mores…a food my kids think is synonymous with “country living.”  Anyone else?

Last year we went to my In-Laws house and my kids swam all day with their cousins, we had a barbaque and then we ran over to our City Lake and watched the fireworks.  It was perfect, so I think we will do that again this year.

It has rained here for several days straight and the plan for the 4th of July is that it’s going to rain again.  So now I think we’re having very American…tacos?  Or other food we can do indoors.  I’m beginning to wonder if it does anything besides precipitate here.  Swimming sounds like fun though!  What a great way to spend the holiday.

I have to say that is why I like to go to my in-laws.  I think it is nicer to spend the time with family rather then being around so many crowds.  Right now it is so hot here.  I hear it is supposed to be in the 100’s tomorrow.  Really the pool is the only way to go.  Even though is is wet there, you can at least you get to be with your family and the tacos sound like a great idea.  I hope you have a great 4th of July.

If we are able to make it this year and juggle the schedules, we love to go to my parents’ lake house. We go out on the boat to the middle of the lake and fireworks are set off. It is a beautiful sight with the fireworks going off over the water and reflected in the lake. Everyone honks the horns of their boats and you can hear patriotic music playing. Now that the girls are older, we really enjoy this. When they were smaller, we would get out in the middle of the lake and one would have to go to the bathroom. It never failed. LOL Now, they do better.

Just had another quick thought that I wanted to add. Be really careful with sparklers. I’ve seen kids get injured with them, especially small ones. However, there are several safe alternatives that kids still enjoy. Those little bits that you throw that pop are fun for the kids. They also tend to like anything that glows in the dark, like the necklaces or a small strobing flashlight. When my kids were small, they went nuts over the snakes. These are little black pieces that you light and they basically unravel into a “snake”. Does anyone know what I’m talking about? I’m sorry. I can’t think of what they are called. They stay on the ground, so just keep the little ones at a small distance and they are fairly safe.

We are having record-breaking heat and dryness here, so fireworks have been banned. We might drive to a nearby lake city to watch an “official” firework show (those are the only ones that are allowed). Otherwise, we’ll just hang out here. We’ll have a backyard barbecue and break out the slip ‘n’ slide and kiddie pool.

We had a part at my hubby’s brother’s house last night and I have to say it was a lot of fun.    I didn’t know fireworks were legal in CT so for my kids it was a real treat.  (We just moved here almost a year ago from NYC.) It was surprisingly relaxing because some of the nieces and nephews were missing.  Next year I want to go to Boston Pops.