Up in the Sky

The last few nights there have been fireworks every where, and as I type this I still can hear them in the distance - well past the eve of the fourth. We are located on the top of a hill and we can see Bismarck, the lone captial building which is the tallest building in the state, and beyond for miles. Apparently, it is legal to shoot off fireworks from June 27 - July 4/5, and the law goes in great detail to explain that sparklers and snakes are fireworks, too.

Anyway, we had contemplated going down to the capital lawn to watch fireworks on the 4th of July because we figured the crowd would be nothing compare to what we have encountered in Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, or even in Colorado Springs, CO. But over the last few nights, we had been able to stand out in our driveway or our back deck and watch fireworks light up the sky for miles - all the way to the horizon where we see the sun set - best guess 40-50 miles away. So, we decided to remain home and watch from the comfort of our driveway and have the flexibility to go inside when we wanted to.

I don't know how to explain this. I mean seriously, we have never seen so many fireworks going off by private individuals. It was amazing. Today I was talking with someone who too this was their first 4th of July here and he said it best, "It was amazing how much money went up in smoke."

Jay captured a little bit of video with my camera, but it still doesn't give you a true picture of how many people were letting off fireworks . . .

Favorite Fair Food @ home

We, okay me more than some, love funnel cakes.  It is always something I look forward to getting at the fair.  Love that ‘not good for you’ fair food!!!  If you live in Columbus and frequent the zoo, you know you don’t have to attend a fair to get funnel cakes or fried Oreos.  They sell them right there in the main entrance area, but only this time of the year not in the dead of winter. 

Well, we obviously don’t live in C-bus anymore so I’m missing my funnel cake fix about now. 

I have had a funnel cake recipe for some time, but just haven’t tried making it.  Well, the other night we gave it a shot and they turned out pretty good.  It’s amazing how simple they are to make and how few the ingredients, which makes me wonder why they cost so darn much at the fair!!

‘Not good for you’ fair food no more.  Now I can have it anytime I feel like heating up a skillet of oil.  Which won’t be that often, but who knows maybe once a month we should do a ‘not good for you’ fair feast.  HMMMM . . . there’s a thought.

4th of July

Celebrate your freedoms

WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA! Please remember only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you...JESUS CHRIST and the AMERICAN SOLDIER. One died for your Soul, the other for your Freedom. ...GOD BLESS THE USA!!!(a friend posted this on Facebook – well said!!)

Happy 4th of July!!

Be smart & Be safe!

our fireworks display

SPARKLER FUN . . .

sparklers are one of our favorite 4th of july activities.  the kids love running around with them. 

A PRIVATE DISPLAY . . .  

this is the first time we have bought fireworks to shoot off our own.  the kids are older now and jay thought it would be something fun to do with them since we live out in a remote area.  it’s amazing how many places are around here selling fireworks.  kid you not, there are semi-trailers in fields with cows where you can go buy your stash.  i have to admit for the $16 he spent, he got quite a few different things. 

the wind was somewhat of a problem.  it was difficult to light the fireworks and then it would blow the fireworks.  so we think we didn’t get the true effects because of the wind.

 

 

 

 

this one was crazy.  once it was done . . .

. . . it exploded and just left a pile of dust behind.  all the others left their casings fully intact, but not this one.

Fine Feathered Friends

We’ve seen a lot of familiar birds like the common grackle,

but today we had to break out the field guide again to figure out what was feasting in our yard.  We decided these are yellow-shafted northern flickers.  The two with the black mustache are the males and the other is the female. 

In this picture you can see the red spot on the nape that is characteristic of the female. 

 

The other day Jay and the kids saw a tree swallow but we weren’t able to get its picture because it was flying against the wind and then decided it was too much of a struggle to get to our feeder and it flew away.  I didn’t take this picture but I just want you to see how pretty they are . . .

RW&B

This year, Columbus celebrated the 30th year of Red, White & BOOM!  This is the largest fireworks display in the midwest.  The kids and I have never been downtown to see one live, but Jay did as a kid.  His dad worked at the gas company and they would get to go and park on the top of the company parking garage, and then they’d have one of the best seats in town for the festivities.  Shortly after Jay and I married, his dad retired so we didn’t have that opportunity to take the kids to a designated area.  You see there are oodles of people who come from all over to watch this display and we never felt comfortable taking the kids down there.

So, we have always watched it in the comfort of our own living room and we have enjoyed them just the same.  Plus the kids never really enjoyed the loud booms – we did venture out a few times to watch local community displays and they would get upset with the loud noise.  So we just found it easier to stay home.  We probably got a better view than a lot that are in the midst of the crowds and we didn’t have a two hour plus drive home.  Once the show was over we could put the kids in bed.

Friends started talking about the upcoming Red, White & BOOM on their blogs and Facebook and a devastating thought came to mind - we weren’t going to be able to watch it . . . or were we!?!?!

Well, I did some internet searching and then decided to leave it up to Jay.  To our surprise and great joy, we were able to watch it from the comfort of our own living room.  No, not on television, but on the internet courtesy of NBC4i.com . . .

OOOOOOOOOhhh . . .

AAAAAAAAAAhhh . . .

Every year I would take pictures of the kids watching it on TV and this year was no different.  I will have plenty to scrapbook for this 4th of July. 

Our favorite TV anchors - Colleen, Ally, Cabot, and Mike - wrapped it up after the 24 minute display, which was accompanied by a great soundtrack.  The music included military tributes, patriotic songs, classics, and even some new artists.  Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without including a snippet of “Hang-on-Sloppy.”

Great job NBC4, WNCI 97.9, and Pepsi!!  It was nice to have a little bit of home in our ND living room for this great holiday celebration.  Thank you.

July Sunset

Last night, while we waited to have our own private little fireworks show, I captured the sun setting . . .

9:36 p.m.

9:38 p.m.

9:41 p.m.

10:01 p.m.

Foto Friday . . .

today’s “foto” features the newest member of our extended family.   i made this lovely collage on Shutterfly and it will be proudly displayed on our wall.  right now all we can do is look at pix of him, but the time will come and we will get to hold him in our arms and not just in our hearts!!!

thankful thursdays

THANKFUL THURSDAY

i am thankful for the hugs and kisses that my kids shower on me.  mackenzie is such a little love bug and she is always hugging, snuggling, and kissing her way out of trouble.  i am thankful that even as he is getting older, he will be a teenager in december, zack still doesn’t mind when i hug him and he will even come up out of the blue and lean in for a kiss.  unfortunately, cassie doesn’t share in the hugging and kissing – she’s not much for being touched, but we still try to sneak one in here and there.  she will receive many much overdue hugs and kisses once she is in our graces again!!  i love my kids!!

To be intentional

Well, last month before I knew it the month was almost over and I only had six posts.  So, I have decided that I will be intentional (a word borrowed from a friend’s blog) with my posts.  I have seen blogs where they are intentional about their posts – one that comes to mind is Wordless Wednesday.  I’m sure there are other intentional days out there, but for my purpose I have decided to designate Tuesday as Tasty Tuesday, Thursday as Thankful Thursday, and Friday as Foto Friday.