Let Freedom Ring

We had a nice Independence Day here!  Started out with the girls making firework pancakes...super cute cakes and girlies!  We got ready, did a few chores, hung out and read some patriotic themed books.  Then, we headed to Main Street to see a flag ceremony and hear a local gentleman give a speech.  Paul is on the hospital board with Dave so we know him pretty well.  He did great, and talked about "Home of the free because of the brave".  He emphasized the debt of gratitude we owe all service men and women.  But then he spoke about what each of us can do to be the brave and keep our land free.  We can get involved in the community and serve.  We can attend meetings, write letters to our representatives and senators, help others around us, know current events and issues and respond appropriately, support our local heroes, be a hero ourselves.  Good way to start off festivities.  Then they had a bunch of carnival type of games for the kids, which were a hit!

After the afternoon downtown, we went home and got ready for our BBQ party.  We invited some friends from our Branch over.  We chatted and cooked at first, then it was time to eat.  Everyone brought their own meat to grill and we had tasty sides to share.  We made a salad, chips and dip, jello and Emma helped me make a yummy marbled cheesecake. Then we did some activities.  We bought some decorations, so the kids decorated their bikes and we did a bike parade around the block.  We also had some impromptu prizes and awards, since the kids wanted that.  Growing up, we always did a bike parade for the 4th neighborhood breakfast and I always thought it was a fun idea, so carrying on the tradition.  The kids loved doing that! The Funds brought some face painting stuff and so that was fun for everyone.  We had a few games out like yard Yahtzee and Frisbee.  We had a bubble gum blowing contest with giant red, white and blue gumballs.  The kids did pretty well and some of the adults had impressive gum chewing skills too!  We also got some red, white & blue gummy bears and so the next day, we tested them in different solutions and made them "grow".  The kids loved that science experiment.  There has been a drought going on here and so fireworks were banned.  It was a bummer but we still got some fireworks the weekend before for New Years...Dave couldn't help himself.  But we didn't let that stop our fun.  It was a great night.  We did get a few poppers and confetti guns the kids had a great time finishing off the night with!  We also set up our laser lights on our house in red and blue, which looked almost as good as a firework show, almost!!

The line "let freedom ring" keeps running through my mind lately.  We can all let freedom ring by being a good citizen and doing out part to serve in our communities, by teaching our children what a great country they live in and to be grateful for their freedoms, we can thank a veteran, we can thank God for our freedom and pray and work to keep our rights preserved.  Let freedom ring always, in small and big ways!