BikeBookBread Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I have such fond memories of family picnics. Nothing fancy, but the stuff of smiles: a big bucket of KFC, watermelon, grapes, Grandma's perfect raspberry pie in the park; poppers (those little things thrown on the ground), sparklers, "ground bloom flowers" which were my fave because they were pink; getting to stay up late to go see the fireworks on downtown Mercer Is., WA where I grew up (until they moved them to another day so as to not compete with the big Seattle fireworks displays), waiting in line for what seemed like a whole hour at Baskin & Robbins to get a cone; Sousa marches on the radio; always bringing a rain jacket (hey, it was Seattle!) because it often rained on the 4th; and if it DID rain, watching the National Concert live from DC, or the Boston Pops concert with Arthur Fielder on PBS, Kiwanis Club placing thousands of little flags overnight up and down the main road on Mercer Is (this was COOL!)...it was always one of my favorite holidays. I want to share that joy with my girls, and they are finally old enough to start making these great memories. What do you do for The Fourth now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Growing up, we would go up to my aunt and uncle's house on the lake. Go swimming, play volleyball, have a barbecue then go somewhere to watch the fireworks. Since we don't live near family now, we have a barbecue at home, go swimming then watch the fireworks. This year we are going to the local stadium to watch a minor league baseball game followed by fireworks. Last year we went to the stadium. There wasn't a baseball game but waterslides for the kids and music and things like facepainting. We brought our blanket and laid on the baseball field to watch the fireworks. Back in Oregon we would pack a cooler and hang out by the river all day to get good seats for the huge fireworks show on the Columbia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUV2EDU Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 (edited) I was born in raised in Seattle, WA. When I was a kid, we would have a big bar-b-que cook out in our backyard. Sometimes we would have them at Seward Park, Leschi, or the water front. We would purchase our fireworks from the Indian Reservation. Although firecrackers were not allowed to avoid possible fires, the Indian Reservation sold them. My favorites were the Snakes and the Whistling fireworks. Today, our family still gets together for a big cook out. However, we watch the fireworks from a distance Edited July 2, 2009 by LUV2EDU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 In the past we always did a big bbq. But, this year, we just didn't feel like it. It always stresses me out. So, we're going to the the Independence Day Tea Party and then we'll just bbq as a family and do fireworks out on the street with the rest of the neighborhood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I don't have a lot of "every year" memories. My dad worked a lot, went to school and my mom didn't go out for much. She's happy at home. But, my husband is very into tradition. On July 3rd we go out to see Fireworks, we usually go to friends on the 4th. He has some sort of tradition for holidays. As much as I balk because I'm a fly by the seat of my pants...kinda person.. my kids like to know what to expect. The day after Thanksgiving, he pulls out "The Russian Ruby" which goes back in the box the day after Christmas for next year. Even the 17 year old will listen to the story... Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I always make "the flag cookie" (huge sugar cookie with strawberries and blueberries on white frosting) and "the flag drinks" (red and blue gatorade ice cubes in Sprite). And hamburgers and fries. And the children have the annual wrestling match with King George, played by my dear husband, who gets quite a whalloping from three boys when he announces what he is going to tax next . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deece in MN Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 My dh works on the 4th pretty much every year. When the kids were younger I took them to the parade, but about 3 years ago we decided to go to a movie instead. We loved it and it has become our new 4th of July tradition. We are going to see Ice Age 3 this year. :) We also go to a nearby parking lot to watch the fireworks because it is such a hassle to try and get to the football field where they shoot them from. The parking lot is on the corner of our block and we invite some friends and hang out for the evening. We have been doing this since we moved here 7 years ago. Nothing major, but it is something to look forward to. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 Well, when I was a kid we lived out of city limits, so we usually ate a bunch of watermelon and shot off fireworks in the front yard. Bottle rocket and roman candle wars are in my memory. :glare: That doesn't happen around here. Usually the 4th involves large amounts of delicious, fresh, summer foods, swimming, and going to watch fireworks somewhere. Two years ago we had a big pancake breakfast before heading to my brother's house for the day. Upon arriving at my brother's, I promptly went into labor (well sorta, but that's the gist of it). So now we have a Happy Birthday Pancake Breakfast on the morning of the 4th to celebrate Romy Joy. She'll be two this Saturday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 As a kid, we lived in an itty-bitty tiny town in Kansas and so we'd always spend most of the day at home popping poppers and lighting snakes and smoke bombs before heading to the town fireworks show where I was one of the only ones NOT allowed to run riot with my friends :( (In a tiny town like that, all the parents/kids/families knew/were related to each other, so I'm not sure why this rule was enforced with my family... but it was and nevermind.) Now that I have my own family, we have the party HERE. We live in the country, so most of the day is spent keeping the kids fairly busy with some of the small stuff while DH supervises and I do some appetizer cooking (bacon-wrapped jalapenos this year) and clean the house. Early evening everyone arrives and it's sitting and talking and eating and drinking and shooting off more small stuff till it gets dark, and then we head into the back yard/pasture for the big stuff. We can also see/hear a couple of other towns' shows from where we're located. Loving the happy birthday pancake breakfast... maybe I should make a "Happy Birthday America" breakfast somehow.... I have strawberries and blueberries and whipped cream... this requires some thought. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Atl Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 As a kid, we spent most 4th's on Cape Cod. Grilled, swam, and blew things up (as one of my younger brothers would say). As a mum, I pretty much do the same, but not at the beach :sad: Instead it's pool or lakeside at the grandparent's. We still make bbq and blow things up though. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I haven't really established a tradition since getting married, but my family's tradition was great. When I was a kid/teen, my church hosted a July 4th bbq down by the river 30 min. from our house from about 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. We played volleyball, bocce ball, water balloons, etc. Then, everyone went home to relax for a while. After dinner, they came over to our house for watermelon and rootbeer floats (and whatever others brought--chips, jello, cake, cookies). The men and teens played basketball, the little kids jumped on the trampoline and ran around the yard, the ladies talked. Just before dark, we walked 2 blocks to the golf course to see the fireworks. Afterwards people came back to play with sparklers & small fireworks in our cul-de-sac, and a great time was had by all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loupelou Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Growing up we always attended a parade, had a huge family barbecue, did our own fireworks show, and then drove downtown for the city show over the water. With my own family we have around 50 people over for a big bash and fireworks. It's also my dd's birthday so it makes it extra special.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 We spend the afternoon of the 4th at Meadow Farm Museum's annual "Old-fashioned Fourth of July". http://www.co.henrico.va.us/rec/ We stop somewhere for dinner, and then go watch fireworks. :auto: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 The day usually begins with one of our boys announcing to the family, "Nothing of importance happened today." (Turns out King George III didn't write the diary entry, but we still love the story. :) ) After breakfast we head downtown for our city's parade. For the past four years one or both of our boys have been invited, along with their baseball team, to be in the parade. This year it is Hunter and his Little League team--the city champions. In the evening we have a wonderful bar-b-que (usually salmon, chicken, lots of salads and snacks) with my husband's family. His brother's home sits on a ridge overlooking a beautiful valley. The fireworks on the opposite ridge are spectacular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 we usually had a cookout (just our family ... there were 6 of us) and then went to see the fireworks. Any day my father was home all day was a good day. He worked a lot of hours to support his family so my mother could be home for us. Now ... we usually do nothing (but do it well LOL). This year however, my mother has planned a big get-together at my parent's house. She invited my cousins and aunts and uncles. One of my aunts turns 70 this month so we are also having it be a surprise party for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Ah, the joys of the Fourth. Dh has traveled over the river and through the woods to obtain fireworks not sold within the borders of our state. A yearly ritual since my oldest was old enough to start begging for same.... He supplies younger son with these fireworks early in the day so that all may be blessed with mini-explosions every few minutes all. day. long. He *says* (he always says) that he will monitor closely. He is in the house every time I see him..... He is instructed NOT to allow the exploding of glassware this year. I just arrived home to find glass littering the street gutter..... He has issued stern, clear rules for the day, or so I am told. One of those rules is that the newly painted and emblemed mailbox shall not be used as a launch platform in any way, shape, form, or fashion. I've been outside a large portion of the day creating arrangements for church. The mailbox is mentioned in some form or fashion about every 15 minutes. It has thus far escaped unscathed, as has the mailman. However, the day is still young and there's always tomorrow..... They have taken a break to go play video games. I think I'll try to catch a nap before they come back and the explosions resume (although I keep hearing *someone* shooting off something right outside my window even now). It's going to be a long night. I'll be so glad when they've grown up and aren't so interested in experimenting with exploding things any more. I just continue to hope and pray that they arrive at that time of their lives with all extremities fully functional, both eyes intact, etc., etc..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 I grew up spending the 4th at the lake watching tons of fireworks go off all around the lake. We take our kids to the local parade, bbq with family and then head off to the fireworks. This will be the first year that we have fireworks of our own, because we are now outside the city limits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted July 3, 2009 Share Posted July 3, 2009 Fireworks. That's it! And that's enough. (Oh and we swish some sparklers around, too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.