Happy? Fourth

Hello,

The days just fly by and I find myself falling further behind in posting. I hope you all had a good Fourth of July holiday. 

I'm going to vent a little about ours. It was good, but we plan to try something different next year. Chuck and I got our chairs down to our usual intersection at 7am after they blocked off the streets. Got a good spot in the shade. At 9:30 all three of us came back down and settled in to people-watch while we waited for the parade to start. We're just two blocks from the beginning so we get to leave while it's still winding it's way through the streets. It's the perfect spot.

Not long after, a police officer came up and told us all that we would need to move our chairs because that part of the intersection was being used as an emergency exit. It never had been before but okay, we definitely understand. We moved our chairs over closer to the sidewalk, but still got to be 'in the street.' With the intersection now empty, we had a big, clear view toward the start, and of all the participants as they would come down the street!

What we didn't know was that he was going to allow people to stand in the intersection. No chairs allowed. Oh. As it got closer to start time, there were so many people that crowded into that space we could only see directly in front of us.

And there were so many kids! We've been at that spot for many years and have never seen so many. Then we hear a dad ask his kids, "Why are we here?" 

"Candy!!"

"And why are we at the front of the parade?"

"Because they haven't run out of candy!"

"That's right!"

So many of the kids had bags that they would fill, like Halloween. One girl even went out to the street to a parade participant and took the candy right out of her hand! 

It was different.

We had the usual participants:

  Some fun ones:

And a few that made you grateful:

And the horses. They're always a favorite!

But this year I would say 85% of the entries were promotions for local political candidates, or shops, or businesses. It was just one big commercial. 

Plus, in 2020 our town decided to stop doing the big fireworks show so you leave the parade and that's that. We've always loved celebrating July 4th in our town but this year was just meh. 

I did make our usual jello dessert. Diana even made it for Adelaide this year. She called it her 'wibbly wobbly.' 😄

I do want to acknowledge the victims of the Texas floods. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by them. I can only imagine what those families are going through.  

Started Celebrating on Sunday

The older I get the more I like the Fourth of July. I think it's because we get to sit in our 'parade chairs' for a few hours and just people watch. No responsibilities, no checking the clock... just sitting and relaxing. And there's always people walking by that you know so you're giving hugs and catching up. I think we should do that every weekend. 😄

The girls all had things to do on Monday afternoon so we started our celebrating on Sunday. Sharaya gave Diana a box of things she had been collecting for the last couple of years. She had filled it with baby clothes and books and shoes and toys. She bought a small stuffed dog for their baby, exactly like one Ally had (still has) when she was a baby! It was fun to see everything and "Oooh" and "Awwe" over baby stuff!

 

We played some Mexican Train and stopped in the middle to have our traditional jello and whipped cream. This is something we started doing when the girls were little and it's still a favorite!

 We had to cut the game short so we could go get our spot down on the parade route. Do you do that too? We can't put our chairs out before 6PM so people begin arriving around 5:30 and we hang out until just after 6:00, then we all head home. It was raining most of the day Sunday but thankfully the sun came out on Monday.

 We were all together this year, the first time in a while. The parade lasted about an hour and had more small town groups this year. A girl scout troupe, a baseball league... but there were a lot of regulars too! I teared up when the motorcycle group came by, thinking of my sister. Beth held up her Star Wars travel mug when the characters walked passed. And the Mariner Moose was there! He's our Seattle MLB mascot - Go Mariners!!

This group is from our church. We have a Discipleship Home for men - and now women! - who are coming out of addiction. They walk in the parade every year! These two ladies work in the office though.

The civic field is being worked on so we didn't have a firework show this year. After the parade Sharaya and Ally went to watch fireworks with some friends and the rest of us went to Dairy Queen before heading home. Poppy had been freaking out with the random fireworks earlier in the week so they knew they needed to be home with her on the Fourth. At about 9:30 Diana sent us this picture ~

Been Looking Forward To It

This year we decided to go downtown a few hours before the parade started and walk around looking at all the shops. We stopped at the Edmonds Bakery to get some breakfast and we were shocked at all the cookie jars! So many cute ones!

 

 

I have a cookie jar that belonged to my grandparents. She's got to be at least 60 years old but I still use her! Do you have a special cookie jar?

While we waited for the parade to start, I walked around a little more. I really love the heart of our little town. 

We were invited to a friends party this year. I'm always nervous in those situations, especially if I don't know the people really well. Ugh! But we had a good time. I think next year we'll let Beth stay at home. She really didn't know anyone and just hung out with me all day. She'd much rather be at home writing, singing or watching TV!

Girls photo! 

Beth is in the middle row, left of center and I'm behind her

 

Then on Sunday Sharaya and Allie came over for s'mores! 

Thanks for the picture Sharaya!

I look forward to the 4th of July every year!

We really had a great day!

Empty Nesters

I checked the birds nest again the other day and they were all piled inside! Mama Bird was sitting on a wire waiting for me to get into my car and drive away.

 

Then yesterday we headed out to the parade and I peeked into the nest...

 

Gone! I'm so sad! But hopefully Mama Bird will be back next year.

Sharaya and Allie spent the 4th with friends on Treasure Island just north east of Tacoma yesterday. Diana is, of course, in Pennsylvania so it was just Chuck, Beth and I at the parade. Edmonds is a city of about 42,000 people but downtown, in the heart of the city they put on a small-town parade and we love it! 

We went down the night before and set out our chairs and each year it fills up earlier and earlier. But we found a good spot and staked our claim!

Beth and I happened to be at the porta potties when it started but we were able to cross the street and get back to our seats in just a few minutes. Whew!

There were the cutest little cheerleaders!

Of course, when it's a small town parade, you tend to know a lot of people in it. We have friends who are very involved in theater and they drove the truck and their kids handed out candy.

Our church has a men's residential aftercare program and they march every year.

The lady walking toward us is Cheryl, Beth's BFF.

When it got too warm, Beth would pull out her fan!

The Seahawks fan bus played some awesome music that everyone was singing along to. Even Beth!

 See her hand?

Yeah baby, she was jammin'! :)

Actually she really did begin to swing her shoulders and bob her head, she really got into it!

 

But I think her favorite part was the Star Wars characters! 

One of them even came over to talk to her but was too close for me to get a picture. She was pretty excited!

Then we came home, fixed burgers and had our usual jello and whipped cream for dessert. Red, white and blue of course!

I hope you had a great day celebrating our nations birthday!