Happy 4th!!!!
Jul 4th 2007
RachelGOn Writing!
I’m off today to my mother’s annual 4th of July barbeque. I love holidays because I have such a large family that it’s hard to get us all together at one time and place, but we all try to make it to the 4th. When my father was alive, he cooked ribs every year. And every year he started a fire in the barbeque and burned everything to a crisp. And every year he was soooo shocked that he’d turned the ribs into briquettes.
I come from a long line of Navy men so we’re pretty patriotic and very proud of our soldiers and our country. Last 4th my nephew was on leave from Iraq and surprised us with a visit. Also, last year my niece’s baby surprised me by projectile vomiting down my back. Now, it had been a really long time since a baby projectile vomited on me, but it all came back to me while I just stood there stunned. In those moments, I was extremely grateful that my children are grown and don’t puke on me anymore. I wonder what surprises are in store for this year?
So, how are you spending your 4th?
20 Comments »
20 Responses to “Happy 4th!!!!”
Judy F on 04 Jul 2007 at 9:54 am #
Right now its 11 am and I am still in my pj’s. LOL Kinda having a lazy day. Stayed up last night and watched the fireworks in the park. Today I plan on just hanging out at home and getting some reading done. Will have to call my brother and sister later its their 50th bday today.
Sabrina Jeffries on 04 Jul 2007 at 10:12 am #
Ah, the joys of puking children. You sound like me when my niece and nephew come to visit. They are an absolute delight (probably the best-behaved and smartest children I know–yes, I am biased), but they’re still children and sometimes I forget how much work children can be. I am SO glad that my son is grown. He may still watch Sesame Street and like animated movies, but he doesn’t tear through the house anymore like a little fiend or require non-stop attention.
But once in a while when they’re here, I remember fondly what it was like to cuddle a little bundle.
As for the Fourth, we never do anything unless some friend invites us to a barbecue. Growing up in Thailand, we couldn’t really celebrate there very easily, so we kind of got out of the habit. Conversely, however, that experience made me very patriotic, too. I always tear up when I hear the national anthem.
Claudia Dain on 04 Jul 2007 at 10:39 am #
The kids don’t have to work and are coming home to grilled hot dogs followed by vanilla ice cream drowned in fresh blueberries. Pure Americana! I love it. We’ll go see Transformers, discuss every nuance of every shot, watch fireworks from our back deck, and share stories from our week.
Family time. How I love it. We might even watch 1776!
foreverdelayed on 04 Jul 2007 at 11:22 am #
I am at work. I am anticipating a slow day in the store so I think I will try to get some reading done. We may go see the fireworks tonight. I think I want a hot dog today….
Stacy S on 04 Jul 2007 at 12:14 pm #
We are having a cookout and then set some fireworks off. Happy 4th everyone!!
Nicole Jordan on 04 Jul 2007 at 12:23 pm #
Dh and I have a big party planned! From the back deck of our new house, you can see nearly a dozen different fireworks displays all over the Salt Lake Valley. So we’ve invited a bunch of our friends to share the fun.
We’re making them all bring side dishes, though, so we won’t have to do all the work.
Hope everyone has a safe, fun Fourth!
Nicole
Aimee on 04 Jul 2007 at 1:02 pm #
Right now I am at work and the hubby is home with the kids but the forth is kinda a danger time for us………basically cause my son has very sensative hearing 2 danger zones are public bathrooms where everything from the potty flushing to the air dryers has him covering his ears and almost tearing up to the and the movie theater where he sits on my lap and I cover his ears all the way through the movie………So fourth of July has us hiding in the house he and I while I make sure stuff don’t fall of the walls cause there are two displays that are very close to my house that make the walls shake of course meanwhile my daughter and husband are outside watching and cooking out………now my third is only a couple months and is just afraid of the fireworks as her brother.
jessie e on 04 Jul 2007 at 1:03 pm #
HUGE party at my aunt’s house with fireworks and a moon bounce and an 18-foot slide and catered barbecue and flavored ices and lots of family. Promises to be a lovely day. Happy 4th to everyone!
Karen Hawkins on 04 Jul 2007 at 2:06 pm #
We’re chillin’ and grillin’, though not in that order. Oh, and I’m working today, too.
Rachel, hope your surprises this year are of the good variety and not the Baby Puke kind!
All of you at parties, enjoy yourselves and be sure to drive safe!
Ann in IL on 04 Jul 2007 at 2:34 pm #
It’s overcast and Mmuuuugggy here.
I’m inside babysitting my 8 mo old nephew while his parents are on the river. I MAY step outside long enough to grill a burger, but that’s it. Watched fireworks last night from my patio. Tonight it’s early to bed cuz I have to be at work by 4:30am.
Holidays just don’t thrill me at all. Especially ones in hot weather.
Ellen Henson on 04 Jul 2007 at 2:38 pm #
First I take a moment to pray for the brave men and women who are overseas fighting for us. I truly hope that this day of Independence gives some meaning to their being away from their loved ones.
Then, I take lots and lots of moments to eat from my favorite food group…Barbeque! Ribs, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Chicken, Potato Salad, Baked Beans and coleslaw. Mmm Mmm Good!
Happy 4th to all.
Ellen
dbrown3400 on 04 Jul 2007 at 2:44 pm #
God Bless America was among my first thoughts this morning and yes, Sabrina, I got teary eyed, too. That’s how I greeted my daughter when she called. It took her a moment to catch on, but she agreed.
I’m now the oldest in my family on both sides and everyone else is scattered across the country, but I have fond memories of huge barbeques (cook outs as we called them) on the Fourth and other holidays. There was always a long table of food with homemade potato salad, cole slaw, you name it, and burgers, hot dogs and ribs on the grill. BTW, there were desserts, of course.
Judy, I’m with you on a reading day. Pharmacy is closed, so no working for me.
Happy and safe Fourth y’all.
Donna
twolilhahas on 04 Jul 2007 at 3:09 pm #
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!! I’m at a friend’s house. His family has grilled hot dogs and hamburgers. Otherwise, I’d be home alone this year. lol We’ll be taking the kids to watch a fireworks display tonight. So, they’re very excited about that.
ladydawgfan on 04 Jul 2007 at 4:58 pm #
“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.” ~Erma Bombeck
Usually, we have 2 nights of fireworks, but it is raining today. Tonight’s fireworks will be the television variety. Perhaps it would also be a good night to pull out my copy of “The Patriot” in honor of Independence Day.
A Happy and safe 4th of July, everyone!!!
kim h on 04 Jul 2007 at 6:19 pm #
eating, sleeping and reading, hours of baseball
Bethany Hamilton on 04 Jul 2007 at 6:47 pm #
Claudia - Ever since my hubby and I started dating, it’s been a ritual to watch 1776 every fourth
Great musical!
I just got back from my Mother’s, I was there with hubby, my daughter, my nephew, my dad and my brother. It was fun
Hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, corn on the cob. Yummm….
I love the fourth!
Too bad it was cold and rainy so we couldn’t swim…
Karen Hawkins on 04 Jul 2007 at 8:33 pm #
It’s rainy here, but it seems the fireworks can’t be stopped. Lots of popping and crackling out there. We’ve been sitting on the porch, under the awning, watching it through a drizzle.
I love the Erma Bombeck quote, especially the ‘iffy’ part. Thanks, ladydawgfan!
Hope everyone had a great day, ate their body weight in good cookin’, and either hugged a family member they rarely see or got to read a smokin’ good book while snuggled on the couch!
Susan K on 05 Jul 2007 at 7:39 am #
I spent half of my 4th working to fix up the new place we are moving into in August and the other half sick in bed fighting a cold. Not fun.
TinaLouiseF on 05 Jul 2007 at 2:57 pm #
While I was in Spokane, we watched the fireworks that were shot off from Vista Ballfield after the ballgame finished at 10 pm.
MsFatty on 08 Jul 2007 at 2:30 am #
I spent four horrid hours in the Alabama heat, wearing a shirt that refused to unstick from my sweaty body. The shirt did let everyone know that my Momma still has complete contol over me, by matching her own shirt completely. I listened to football stats and baseball mumbo jumbo for hours, if I did (god forbid) mention hockey or the Ducks winning the Cup, I got this blank confused stare….
Being projectile vomited on….well i can’t beat that.
Well at least the fried chicken was to die for and the beer was freezing cold….