Happy 4th of July!

Wow this weekend touches me! Anything patriotic really does but a whole weekend dedicated to appreciating our freedom, enjoying our friends & family, starting & maintaining traditions, & all things red white & blue.

 All over blog land you will find a zillion things red,white & blue! hand painted flags on wood, glass, flags out of doilies & burlap, rescued wood, wreaths, furniture to be & being built, pillows, pillows & here, things to do w/paint chips, adorable pinwheels here, here & here, mantels outfitted for the celebration, Martha's door medallion,outfits for the littles, crafts for the bigs, headbands for the girls, shirts for the whole family, rockets, banners , scrapbook pages & another, cake, parties, red white & blue strawberries, mini-fruit pizzas, cupcakes & cupcakes, kabobs, home tours here, here, & here, sites w/highlights OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! so much I want to do, wish I had time & supplies for !! maybe next year...


I love a parade!!! especially a small town one where I know a lot of participants.  I love to see who is doing the same ole same ole from years past & who changed it up this year,  how groups & businesses adapted their theme, motto, & statement to fit the theme of the parade,  the respect we pay to our veterans, the flag, our officials & volunteers, & the way the kids scramble for the candy ;)  I may or may not be the one on the curb urging them on, offering to trade, or pointing out a forgotten piece still on the street.  I also may or may not be the one on the curb yelling people's names that I recognize that may or may not be tossing candy or trinkets, or handing out Popsicles to the audience.  I may or may not be the one on the curb getting teary eyed when the flag, veterans or high school band go by. I may or may not love the parade in our small town. :D

but I think, most of all, I look fwd to spending time w/family.  It started out @ Great Grandma & Grandpa Crew's house b/c they lived steps from the parade route. We could all park there, get out easily to go rescue the kids from the school after their band was done, set up early, walk to & from the parade, nap after lunch, walk to the carnival uptown after naps & do sparklers on the patio. LOVED! IT! That tradition continued as long as someone (Jeff) in the family lived in that house after their passing. But once it turned into a rental we had to find some place else.  Mom's was the next closest to the action. not near as handy but still in town.  She moved to the country a couple of years ago leaving us as the last ones in town. so the solution seemed obvious to me, tho Tim took some convincing ;)  I LOVE to host. Love to decorate, organize, have people over, even the cleaning b4 & after is enjoyable w/the purpose in mind.  So last year we started hosting the 4th of July family dinner following the parade. it rained on us but we made do.  Tomorrow is our 2nd annual hosting & I just have to vacuum the carpets & make the pasta salad. OH yea & cut up the veggies for the veggie tray, & make sun tea.  but that really isn't much compared to what I started w/. :)   plus I still have 24 hrs to get it done...nooooooooooooo prooooooooooblem!!! 

Tonight we go to Tim's Mom's for her family dinner. its way bigger than my lil 16 person get together we'll have here tomorrow, b/c there are lots more extended family attending. Lots of people to catch up w/, lives to catch up on, & children to coo over ;)  This is a fairly new tradition as it started when Tim's Grandpa passed away right before the holiday weekend & the family was still around from out of state so it just seemed natural for everyone to gather there for the holiday that year. the next it just grew from there. another one I love!!!  tons of photo ops! ;))

Another tradition we don't miss out on is the annual Short 4th of July party. Even tho the Short clan has changed in numbers-a divorce, some marriages & births, etc. The party has changed in deets but the theme remains.  Celebrate the holiday w/food, friends, family, music & drinks.  Definitely a relaxing, catching up, good time to be had!

oh yea & there will be fireworks all over the place! but I am so over them you won't hear much from me on that. Tuesday's post will however, contain photos from all 3 events! Love & can't wait.

WOW that got long fast!!!  sorry for the book & lack of photos!  but anyway, how are you celebrating? I can't wait to hear!!