Sunday, July 6, 2008 - Birthday Party / 4th of July

Hope your having a great holiday weekend.

Out here in the country the firework displays were all around us in the distance last night. The woods echoed and made it sound like the Civil War was going on. Our valley had the smoke of our fireworks laying low and you could imagine soldiers of time past walking out of the fog.

Its quiet now with just a few booms way off a little earlier. The only light is the fireflies that light up the fields. And the sound of the pond critters and animals in the woods. Back to normal, ahhhhhhh.

We had my Mom , sister, BIL, hubby and I to celebrate the 4th. We had a cookout over at Moms and then everyone came over here b/c we have a better view of others shooting big bucks into the air : ). BIL brought a few so we had our own little ooohs and ahhhs.

All the kids had other parties to go to so it was just us oldies out having cowboy coffee and taking it easy. Oh we had a game of washers to play. You toss washers in a box , something like horseshoes but so much easier on the arms after a day or too. Sis and I beat the fellers, LOL. We even beat em in a rematch, lol. Bring it on!!!!!!

Last weekend we had the bigger party with bonfire and fireworks for our Grandson's 3rd birthday. We used the tent and its still standing.

There was badminton,with super size rackets and shuttlecocks. If you could get past the laughing b/c of the size of the equipment to play , it was rather fun. We had a cookout and our new SIL did the cooking,: ), he did a great job.

We had icecream and cake in the tent. Here is the little birthday boy opening his gifts. He got an ant farm. They have to order the ants, hey I offered my ants, take all you want!!!!

Notice his arm. He broke his collarbone the day after Fathers Day playing on his kiddie jungle gym. The day before he was playing in our woods, climbing on rocks, sticks etc., goes home and gets hurt on a kiddie toy. : ( He's healing great.

This is baby brother eating  icecream and cake , yummy and messy!!!!

DH and I have been cutting dead limbs down and piling up for the bonfire, we are planning for this spot for further bonfires, its open and we can really make it huge and safe.

This one did get pretty big, we stayed at a distance. Our thoughts were on the firefighter in Ca. Just thinking how big this little bonfire was compared to the ones they are fighting. Prayers going out to everyone in the line of the fires and firefighters.

This bonfire shot up sparks that we really didn't need any fireworks. The evening was perfect, rain the day before made it safe for such.

I remember when we first moved from the city to the sticks. My Dad, Mom, Sis and I were sitting around our campfire on the 4th of July. Loving the outdoors but yet feeling we were missing some fun not having fireworks. So Dad fixed that. He stirred up the fire to make sparks fly and yelled Happy 4th Of July. We'll never forget that 4th in the woods.

And then this one makes us laugh to this day. When our kids were little , my sis was so into holidays. And the 4th of July had to have fireworks on that day rain or shine. Well it rained so sis and hubby lit fireworks in the rain while we watched from inside the dinning room window.

Gosh this even reminds me of the time when sis and I were in our early teens and Sis wanted a Christmas tree that very day. It was raining hard then to. So Mom and I sat in the car while sis was out in the rain holding up trees that were leaning up against the Hen House store and we would say ya or nay while she got drenched. LOL we still laugh about that. So sis is not a fair weather person. But she still likes to celebrate on the day that the hoildays fall on. Me, I like to celebrate when we can, even if its a week off. Makes the holidays last longer : ).

Oh back to the b-day party!!!!!

When our bonfire was dying we shot off the fireworks.

Oh and the sparklier fun,

The party was such fun, it felt like we had the 4th of July that night, so its been holiday fun for a few days now.

Now the fun part is when you gather all the blown up fireworks and fire em up. There's still some that has a little more ump in em, some snap, crackle and pop. So DH and I sat out tonight to have the last hoopla of fireworks.

I'm so glad we have another day left of the long weekend. It will be in the garden.

Got the first tomato and I ate it right in the garden : ). Also some more garden pic to share. Blackberry picking today in the woods had me up against a snake, a pretty green one. He posed for a picture so I'll be sharing that on my next blog.

Coal our growing pup is a great fur friend, she did not get scared from the noise of the fireworks, just layed on the deck like it was no big deal. Shake a box of dog biscuits , now thats a big deal.

All take good care
Many Blessings
linda