Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Independence Day 2014

You've got to be at the parade bright and early to score the best spot!

But no matter where you sit, every kid gets a free flag to wave:


I've been told that our parade here is a little strange (I just think it's weird that it doesn't have many horses, and it doesn't begin with a mock gunfight as the parades in my Southern hometown do), but we love it!

I'm pretty sure I take a photo of this guy every year.



This kid LOVES herself a parade.





The biggest difference with the parade this year is that it's no longer in walking distance, but all that means is that we got to park next to a near-ish playground and then walk over. And if we've parked next to a playground, then we might as well spend an extra hour after the parade playing!




I LOVE when the Fourth of July falls on a Friday or Monday; I cherish that long weekend spent at home, particularly this year, when I refinished my lockers with the kids' help (more on that later); refinished my former overhead projector cart and now brand-new school supply cart (more on that later, too!); packed the kids for camp (required much shopping for mess kits, white T-shirts, socks that go OVER the ankle, non-aerosol bug repellant, etc.); hung out with the kids elsewhere while Matt ran a garage sale at our old house, mowed the lawn there, packed up the rest of our stuff, cleaned up, and signed the paperwork for our first official offer(!!!); mostly refinished a dresser; sanded down a bookshelf to varnish; and did many, many, MANY other we-will-never-finish-moving-in-to-this-dang-house projects and endless chores. 

And of COURSE we also went to the drive-in--Transformers is really good, y'all, especially when seen under the stars from deck chairs right in front of the projector, ice cream from our favorite local ice cream shop in our hands, amateur fireworks sounding every now and then from off in the distance.

It's kind of the perfect life, you know?

3 comments:

  1. Congrats on the offer! Hope it works out.

    Lots of projects in the works. Even when you do get everything moved in, there is always the possibility that it will be rearranged numerous times before it really feels like home.

    We skip the parades. No horses, lots of loud noises, sunburns and bugs and candy we can't eat. We went to the archery range instead.

    ReplyDelete
  2. At least I've finished the card catalogue and the bookshelf and almost finished the dresser--I've got to stop doing house projects and start doing road trip projects!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sent you a message on FB.

    What did you do with the card catalogue? That thing is so awesome. I'm in need of a big storage something for our living room (to store backpacks and other bulky items). I can't find (don't want to pay for) exactly what I want, so I think I might make something on my next school break.

    I have so many great projects in my head. I can't wait to find out where we will be going next because we are totally going to buy a house (with a garage). Then I will spend our entire time at our next base working on all the projects I have put off while going back to school.

    Oh, and maybe fit in some homeschooling as well.

    ReplyDelete