I’ve decided that I really appreciate celebrating Independence Day in the Midwest. People in the small town heartland seem to be unabashedly patriotic. The whole week we were visiting my parents, you could see American flags flown in people’s yards, special décor downtown, fireworks going off every night after sundown, and the day of the 4th it seemed everyone was wearing red white and blue. Singing the Star-spangled banner in church and hearing everyone’s enthusiasm brought a tear to my eye.
Growing up in Colorado the fourth of July was my favorite holiday. You might say it even topped Christmas and candy-laden Halloween. I think I can see now that my Mom’s love for the holiday was infectious and she and my Dad always made the day really fantastic. They would set up an elaborate homemade miniature putt-putt golf course in our yard and invite over a party of their own friends and their families. (Luckily their friends were the parents of my friends). Hosting big parties was kind of rare at our house, so I think it added to my anticipation. After eating grilled meat and the accompanying baked beans and potato salad, we would drive up to Loveland and play card games and frisbee until the fireworks started over the lake. The view was always excellent and the display spared no expense (or so it seemed to me) and I loved knowing that I was up really late as we all walked back to the car after the show carrying our blankets and following the slow procession around the lake and home. Whether or not my parents did, I even have fond memories of the traffic (sorry if I complained though, Mom and Dad, I’m afraid you’re going to call me out and say that I whined about it) and the red glow in the car from all the taillights.
Rosalyn and my mom watching the fireworks.
My mom really loves fireworks, so I always enjoy having her around to make appreciative comments. I spent most of the night trying to get this picture (above) to work out. I evidently do not know my camera very well, but I was happy that I got one that actually turned out well. It was the first time that our kids had seen fireworks and they called them exploding rocks.
A smiley face firework.
I like this picture from breakfast. Rosalyn liked to use her charm to gain access to whatever it was that Grandpa was eating. She was regularly successful and it made me sort of jealous since he eats berries in cream for breakfast.
One day as we were driving back to my parent’s house with the kids the boys kept on saying “look there’s the sleeping silo! Another sleeping silo!” Now, there are plenty of silos in Indiana, but there aren’t any around my parents house. Finally, after much deductive thought and wondering about my kids and their imagination, I realized that there are a lot of weeping willows on the way to my parents house. When I asked if they were looking at trees, they said “yeah, the sleeping silos.” Funny.
We took our kids to visit the fire station for the first time.
Just as we arrived the fire engine drove out. Here it comes, below:
Rosalyn found her doggie.
Luckily there were plenty of other big trucks to snoop around on. And luckily, we didn’t start any fires.
Rosalyn is talking to the truck in its ear.
On the day of the fourth we had our good old friends the Davis’s come and photograph our entire family as a gift for my mom on her birthday (the 5th of July). It was hot, and I was telling Kim that she should charge extra per degree over 95, but she’s a sweet gal and just laughed. That’s professionalism, folks. I am excited to see how they handled two 18 month olds, 2 three year olds, 3 kindergarteners, and 6 hot adults. (Hot, like man my face is melting off hot, not like hot-bod hot. Although, Nick is that… okay, mush, moving on.)
They stayed for dinner and rockets. My Dad has created a bottle rocket launcher, of the 2 liter bottle sort, and the twins and triplets rather enjoyed themselves with it. My Dad is cool.
That’s my brother Bill, there, hooking up the compressor to the launcher.
Here’s a shot of Kim hard at work with her cute little man at her back taking a picture of my cute little man in his underwear. You can just tell that we were having a blast. Pun totally intended.
At some point during the week, we went to the Indianapolis zoo with my Brother and his wife Sarah and their family. This isn’t the greatest picture, but you can see the twins and the triplets and jett and roz trying to touch a shark. Always a good time.
Kids and sharks seems like a good way to end it. Bye for now.
