Fireworks, Family and Fun!

Last year, Marina and I went to the Red, White and You fireworks show the day before Independence Day. The show was great but the wait for the show was a bit dull. We found out later that Marina's aunt, uncle and cousins were also there. But there were so many people there we didn’t see them. When we decided to go this year, I arranged to meet them there. Marina was excited to go.

We didn’t leave as early as last year, so we ended up parking a bit further away than last year. And since the walk to the park was mostly uphill, it was tiring. We found a spot not far from the lake where we spread out our blanket and saved space for everyone. About an hour later, our family showed up. Marina immediately wanted to hang out with her cousins.

Marina had fun with the kids while we waited and we shared the snacks we brought. When it was time for the show, we realized we had a great spot. The fireworks looked to be right above us.The kids were especially excited by the show.

After it was over, we gathered our belongings and said goodbye to everyone. The walk back to the car was much easier. When we got to the car, we could see that there was a traffic jam trying to get out of the parking lot. So we decided to wait for it to clear up. It ended up being a longer wait than expected. After 20 minutes we got out of the car and started talking with the other people who were waiting. In total, we had to wait about 45 minutes. Once traffic started moving we were on our way home quickly.

Patriotic Parade

Marina and I slept in this morning after a late night last night. Our plans were to go to a July 4 parade, just like last year. We left the house early and set up on the same corner. As we waited for the parade to start, a woman and her daughter arrived. We watched the parade with them last year and we were all happy to do it again.

While they waiting, the girls entertained each other. Once the parade started, they moved closer to the street. During the parade the both managed to get some candy, but Marina really got interested when the character performers came by. First she saw Belle and gave her a hug. We also saw Ariel, Tinkerbell and Marina high fived Captain America.

Once the parade was over, we went over to the shop in order to say hello to our friends. Unfortunately, they were not outside as they were last year. So we looked around at some of the other festivities before deciding to get out of the sun and go home.

Fireworks Fun

Marina and I decided to kick off the July 4 holiday a bit early by attending the “Red, White and You” event tonight. We took a picnic with us and left this afternoon.

It turns out that this is a very popular event. Parking was difficult to come by but we did manage to get a spot near a high school. We had a bit of a walk to get to the stage area where people were gathering. We found a spot and settled in. While we waited, we met a woman and her five year old son who were sitting nearby. He and Marina had fun playing together as we waited for the entertainment to start.

At seven o’clock a band took the stage. They sang a collection of fun songs. We danced and sang along with them. As it got dark, we were definitely ready for the fireworks by the time they started.
As it turned out, we had a fantastic view of the fireworks and we were able to hear the music they were synchronized with. It was an amazing display!

Once they were over, we said goodbye to our new friends and walked back to the car. It was a bit more challenging in the dark but we managed to get there. Fortunately by then traffic wasn’t too heavy and we were able to get home quickly.

Princesses on Parade

Since it is July 4, Marina dressed patriotically. She chose a sparkly blue tank top and a sparkly red skirt. She wore long white socks and topped it all off with a sequined tiara in red, white and blue

We went to a neighborhood parade. Our favorite princesses have their storefront there and we knew they would be a part of the parade. We arrived early and were able to find a good parking place. We also managed to sit under the shade of a tree until the parade began.

We moved closer to the street when the parade got started. We ended up sitting by two girls who we had met at the Mermaid Meet and Greet on Friday. The girls all got along nicely. Throughout the parade they shared the candy thrown their direction and Marina even let one of them use her parasol.
A little more than halfway through the parade, the Wands and Wishes princesses came by. Anna spotted Marina and greeted her with a warm hug. Of course, all the other girls wanted hugs after that!

Once the parade was over, I got Marina a watermelon popsicle and we walked through the small fair they had set up. In front of the princesses location were the characters from the parade. We met up with Moana, Jasmine, Ariel and Anna, who spent a while talking with Marina. She made a wish with Tinkerbell and Peter Pan. Then we got photos with Captain America and Wonder Woman.

 

Fireworks and Fun

The Independence Celebration at the local historic park is a must do every year for July 4. This year Marina wanted to dress in period clothing. She decided to wear her Red Riding Hood costume (without the hood) and a pioneer style bonnet.

As we entered Marina picked up a scavenger hunt bingo game. We immediately started looking  through the park for the items on it. It took us a while, but we managed to complete it. As a reward, Marina got an old fashioned candy stick.

Once the hunt was over, we spent time checking out all the activities. marina seemed to enjoy watching the dancing,m but had no desire to try it herself. She panned for gold, tried to walk on stilts and joined in a group of kids on tug-o-war.

We spent some time looking at the animals on the property. Marina was especially interested in the goats. Although the wild rabbits running around always captured her attention! She also took a ride in an old fashioned horse drawn wagon.

The meadow was filling up, so we picked up a snack and found a spot to watch the fireworks. Marina was a bit bored, but she entertained herself by dancing with other children in front of the band playing there.

As darkness set in we settled on our blanket and Marina checked the time frequently. She was very excited when the fireworks finally began. It was a great display. We both enjoyed watching them.

Once it was over we were able to get to our car quickly. It wasn't that late, but Marina fell asleep on the drive home anyway.

Early Independence Celebration

The Fourth of July activities at the local historic park has become a tradition for Marina and I. This year, they moved their celebration up a few days to coordinate with the city’s fireworks. We went after dinner tonight.

The festivities were different from years past. The meadow area was filled with food trucks and an open space was left so people could settle in to watch the fireworks. Before we did that, we wanted to take a look around.

We found an activity table where Marina made a firecracker necklace. As she did that, we saw one of Marina’s former dance teachers. She showed Marina how to use stilts and play the old fashioned games they had on display. The Civil War display was smaller than previous years, but we still enjoyed looking it. We looked in on the blacksmith demonstration as well.

We picked out a spot in the meadow and bought a snack for while we waited. However, before the fireworks were scheduled it started raining. We took shelter inside the main building. The rain lasted over an hour. Marina socialized with other people inside the building while we waited.

We ventured outside a few minutes before the fireworks were scheduled to start. The grass was wet, but our blanket protected us. The fireworks were worth the wait. It took a long time to get home. Marina fell asleep on the way.

Old Fashioned Fourth

Marina has been looking forward to going to the Old Fashioned July 4 Celebration at the local historic park. She even asked if they had the same celebration for Memorial Day! This year was especially significant because we have been discussing the Boston Tea Party, Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War.

We arrived fairly early since the forecast called for a very hot day. We started off by greeting Uncle Sam who gave Marina some candy and posed for a photo. We then greeted Abraham Lincoln who admired the Civil War cap she was wearing. Marina was disappointed that the ladies were not churning butter and peeling apples as they have in the past.

We sat down to listen to a four piece string band playing some old time music. Then we decided to take a ride on the Prairie Schooner wagon. It was a slow, bumpy ride - I can't imagine riding that way across country as the pioneers did!

We headed toward the kids area where Marina panned for gold. She only took one scoop of the sandy soil, but she patiently sifted through it and ended up with a lot of "gold" in her pan. One of the other children told he she'd hit the jackpot! Next, Marina made a "rocket" out of a toilet paper roll and craft paper.

We found a shady spot and listened to some great music while we ate lunch. We stood for "The Star Spangled Banner," Marina even removed her hat and placed it over her heart! She was hoping to hear "You're a Grand Old Flag" since she learned that one for Veteran's Day last year. We didn't have to wait long, it was part of a medley of songs by George Cohan. I sang along with "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy." Marina thought that was hilarious.

We took a look at some quilters and other hand made craft items. When I heard the band playing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," I insisted we go back to the grove where they were playing. Once they finished, the actor playing Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. It brought tears to my eyes. That presentation was followed by the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Marina was bored by that, but I thought it would be good for her to hear it anyway.

Once that was over, Marina said she was ready to go home. As we headed out, a cowboy approached Marina and said he wanted to trade hats. Marina wasn't sure about that, but they did a temporary switch. I'm not sure why he liked her Civil War cap so much!

Historic Fourth

Last year, Marina and I spent the Fourth of July at the local historic park. We had such a good time that we decided to go back this year. Since we'd already been there, she knew what to expect. As we walked in, she recognized Uncle Sam and Abraham Lincoln.

Many of the attractions were the same. Marina was happy to sign the Abolition of Slavery petition with an old fashioned pen that she had to dip into an ink well. She also spent some time chatting with Abraham Lincoln as well.

Our next stop was s station where Marina was able to churn butter, grind coffee, clean laundry on a wash board and pare and peel an apple. She learned that those methods took a lot longer than what we have now.

We checked out the Civil War camp next. Marina was wearing her Union Army cap, so she was welcomed there. But the reception wasn't so warm in the Confederate army tent. Then we took a ride on a stagecoach before having lunch.

After we ate, Marina panned for gold and found five pieces. She even took the time to show other kids how to do it. We also tried some snickerdoodles from a wood burning stove. Our next goal was to complete the scavenger hunt the organizers had created. It took some perseverance, but we were able to complete it.

By this time, Marina was practically melting in the heat. So we decided it was time to call it a day. We stopped for cold drinks before heading home.

Fun on the Fourth

This year, I thought we’d try something different for the Fourth of July. We went to a local historic park for their “Old Fashioned July 4 Celebration.” We’d been there earlier this year, but it was nothing like what we experienced today. As we walked in we met Thomas Jefferson and Uncle Sam. Marina had her picture with each of them. Then we headed into the Civil War camp. It had tents set up just as Civil War soldiers would have had them. There were many men in blue Union uniforms demonstrating bayonet training and explaining how the soldiers lived. There was a flute player in uniform who let the kids beat the drum as she played. Marina loved that. She also got to meet Abraham Lincoln.

We had a chance to ride a stagecoach. Marina couldn’t wait to try that. It was a bit of a wait, but Marina was so excited during the ride. We stopped for lunch, hamburgers and hot dogs. After we ate, we attended an Abolitionist Rally. Marina was a bit bored through it, but she was patient. After the rally, we checked out the kids games area. There Marina panned for gold. Once she found some she got pretty excited about looking for more. We also saw a weaving presentation. Marina carded wool, spun it into thread and then used a machine to weave it. She really loved the weaving part. They had several craft stations where Marina made sand art and a pinwheel. 
 
At intermission of the orchestra music, there was a reading of the Declaration of Independence. People in the crowd were invited to read the articles. Marina wanted to participate, so she went and read a short paragraph. She wasn’t at all nervous and read very well considering the difficult words.
 
We went on another wagon ride and Marina panned for gold again before we headed out. She chatted with Abraham Lincoln for a while, showing him some of the crafts she made.  She hugged Uncle Sam just before we left.
 
We spent a little time at home before heading over to Aunt Ann’s for a barbecue. They had rented a bounce house, so Marina spent most of the time in there. It had a huge slide which she liked to bounce down. She came inside to eat a hamburger and some vegetables before heading out again. Near dusk Cameron brought out some ”poppers.” Due to the high fire danger, no fireworks were allowed. So the kids made a mess with the noisemakers and streamers. Then they all helped clean it up.

When we left, both Marina and I were tired. We’d done a lot to celebrate America’s birthday.

Patriotic Princess

Marina has been very patriotic lately. She has been dying to go to a sporting event and chant “Go USA!” (Unfortunately, we haven’t been to one where the United States was one of the teams playing.) She’s been looking forward to seeing fireworks as well. She was tired this evening but she was determined to see fireworks. We had dinner at Madi and Noah’s house. Marina didn’t eat much, I think she was too tired and excited. She played with Madi and Noah for a while before it was time to leave.

We went to a golf course to watch the fireworks this year. We spread out blankets to sit on. For a while, Marina just laid on the blankets. When it started to get dark, she perked up a bit. The kids played with some glow in the dark bracelets I brought. Once the fireworks started, they were impressive. We were much closer than we’re used to. So, they were big and loud and we had a fantastic view. Marina especially liked the one that was shaped like a heart. It took a while to get home, but that didn’t matter to Marina. She fell asleep in the car just minutes after buckling her seat belt.

Happy Birthday America!

We planned to see fireworks with our neighbors, but unfortunately, the evening didn't turn out the way we wanted. We had thunderstorms move in this evening and the fireworks were rained out. Still we had a fun evening. We had a picninc dinner in the back of their SUV. The symphony played for a while and we got to hear that. But, ultimately the rain picked up and we went home. We saw a few fireworks from Marina's bedroom but she lost interest after a few minutes. I guess it just wasn't the same.

Happy Fourth!

We were invited to my sister's house for the Fourth of July. Marina has been excited all week. Why? She wants to have sparklers! There are always fireworks over at Aunt Ann's house, so I was sure she'd get her wish. She also got to spend some time with her cousin Cameron which always makes her happy. Along with sparkers, she found Snaps and Champagne Poppers are also fun.


And when it came time for fireworks, she loved watching them. My daughter who thinks the toilet flushing is too loud had no problem with the sound of the fireworks. Go figure!


I hope you all had a great holiday as well!