Blog Challenge - Independence Day part 2

Midnight in Cali issued last week's blog challenge on Scrapshare. If you read the previous entry, you know that she invited participants to blog a second time about this year's festivities.

Since I have current photos now to share I decided to take her up on the invitation. This year's group at the BBQ was smaller than the last couple. I am not sure why that is but things wax and wane over time. Each year brings a slightly different mix of participants. My mom mussed as we left about how much longer the hosts will continue. The "older" generation of the family, at whom's home this is held, are moving up in years. "Doc" turned 80 this year and time is obviously starting to show its passage.

But for this year the food and company were fabulous as usual. It is interesting how things change from year to year. Last year there were lots and lots of yummy desserts, this year lots and lots of equally yummy salads. The main attraction is always the pig and it was particularly fabulous this year.

The kids enjoyed the watermelon. It was sweet and yummy. The first of the summer for us.
David and Emily, the two watermelon eating munchkins above had fun playing in and around the creek under the supervision of one of the other moms. Jessie, the preteen in the family, found a couple other preteens to hang with forming a "gaggle of giggles" When the party broke up to head over to the school for the annual sports fest (this year no softball but something else was happening) we headed home to Mom and Dad's (that will always be one of my two "homes". The house I grew up in and the house I am raising my children in.) Dad took a nap, Emily and David played with the dogs and Mom, Jessie, Matt and I played cards. The game is called manipulation. My grandma taught me and my mom. She taught Matt and Jessie some too though I take some credit for them playing. It is always good for laughs and memories.

The kids wanted to see their friends the Souzas and they wanted to watch a big fireworks display because we skipped the display that is held in our little town on the 3rd (we call them the 3rth of July fireworks, held then so that the town can have a celebration but people can then travel to other locales on the 4th). Matt called up the Souzas and soon we found ourselves on the way over to their house to watch the Lebanon show. We parked ourselves in the field of the nearby elementary school and waited for dark. There was lots to watch. All around us people were lighting off fireworks that were illegal in our state but are easily attainable across state lines or on the Indian Reservations. We benefited from the show without any of the risk. The kids played, lit off the few legal things that the Souzas had and watched the goings on around us.










I even got some nice shots of the sunset.









After it finally got dark, the professional show started. I forgot to take my tripod so my fireworks shots came out only so-so this year.
After the show, we came home, dropped into bed and prepared to get up early the next day to make sure everything was packed up for the kids to go to "Grandma Camp" with Matt's mom.