Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!!!  Fireworks and sparklers!  Potato salad and Texas cake!  Family and fun!
This is what this holiday has been for me my entire life.  Long before I understood what we were celebrating, I was celebrating! 
My earliest memories of July 4th are with my cousins on their farm.  I am sure that these memories are a bit muddled and I am going to confuse years and events.  But the feeling of that time is accurate.  The Hansons had four kids at the time.  We were five.  Everyone was pretty close in age.  Aunt Elaine, my mom's sister, and her husband, Arnie would host us for a few days.  I remember going swimming at a lake, and on the way my cousin Marty and I would come up with a very elaborate songs in honor of Smokey the Bear.   If I remember correctly, there was a sign of him as we entered the beach area. 
I don't remember much else about what we did on our visits, but I do remember that there was always kiss cookies.  So much so that I associate kiss cookies with July 4th and not Christmas. 
I also remember the year that my cousin Angie dropped a firecracker under my mom's lawn chair.  Ooops! 
Fireworks were at the ballpark in either Parnell or Williamsburg.  My sister Sheila and my Aunt Elaine would count the fireworks and duds.  On the bicenenteial there was a special firework that burned 1976.  I think it was hanging over one of the dugouts. 
Again, I didn't know the signifigance of theis day, just that we had a lot of fun, ate such good food and ended the evening back on Hanson's farm.  It always rained the night of the 4th.  My grandpa said it was because God wanted to be sure all the sparklers were put out!
Later 4th of July's were spent at home.  I remember watching the Cedar Rapids display from the KC parking lot.  One year, Dad and I parked at IC and walked downtown to see them. 
My first 4th as a married woman was spent in Oceanside with no husband.  I stayed at home (because I was too scared to drive anywhere!) and enjoyed the display from my little patio.  The following year, Danny was home.  Crissy and Sheila had come out to visit (and help us move our stuff to a storage unit since Ashlyn and I were moving back to Cedar Rapids) Ashlyn and us.  We watched the display on the Oceanside beach where we could watch both the city display and the Marine Corps display.  A year later, Ashlyn was all hyped up on the 4th of July.  She ran all over the place with her flag.  She was the ambassador of the day, greeting all!  She could not wait for the fireworks to begin!  But alas, after all her running, greeting and ambassadoring, she was asleep before the first fierwork burst into the air!
4th of July's in Germany were awesome!  We had two little girls running aout the base.  The atmosphere was completely different becasue there the 4th of July was just not a day off from work as it was for so many people in the states.  Ashlyn and Hayley were celebrating with the people that protected our freedoms.  People that were following in the footsteps of those first members of the United States military.  ALong with the fireworks display, we were treated to static displays of tanks, humvees and heios.  It was awesome!
Twice, Danny adn I have celebrated the hokiday in Washington DC.  Once it was just Danny and I.  The second time we took Jacob.  The one thing I have to say about the display at the Mall is this, the entire display is one big fanale!  Amazing!!!   And being in the Capital city on such a day brings a special meaning to the holiday!
Now days, we spend the 4th at home.  It's not that we don't want to go out, but Harlow likes us to stay at home.  When Barron was alive, he twice removed the screen from the backdoor.  Harlow hasn't gone that far (because we never replaced the screen) but she does a fair amount of pacing and barking and farting. 
I think it is time to start an old tradition.  Next year, there will be kiss cookies and family.  Swimming (in a pool, not a lake), grilling and maybe even a trip to see the display.