Proud to be an American

Well as many of my family and friends know The Fourth of July is my favorite holiday!! I love what the holiday stands for and that we are able to celebrate this holiday every year because there are men and women out there who are sacrificing there lives everyday to keep the rest of us Free.  I Thank them today and everyday for what they do especially my Brother-in-law Tyler Hensley and Mike's cousin Matt Lacey, whoa are both Marines, currently stationed in California.  We can have our parties, BBQ's, firework displays, and spend time with people we love because of them.  I love spending the day with my family and seeing the fireworks at the end of the night.  For the past couple of years we have been spending the Holiday in St.Cloud with Michael's family.  We would have our BBQ and then head out on the boat with Mike's uncle Rick to watch the fireworks!! Being on a boat is the best and my favorite way to watch the Fireworks.  Well this year the 4th fell on a Monday and the hubs had to go to work the next day so we decided to stay home this year and find a festival to attend here.  Well we don't have a boat so we had to settle for watching the fireworks on dry land.  This would be Kalen first time watching the fireworks since he didn't go out on the boat last year.

I looked up area festivals and we had picked three we would try (so we would know which was the best for following years).  There was one in Crystal River which was on Sat, it was called Uncle Sam's Scallop Jam.  On Sunday night there was one in Inverness, then Monday there was the God and Country Day festival in Ocala.  We never made it to the Scallop Jam considering there was a 5 dollar entrance fee, which wasn't a big deal but we didn't want to have to leave after paying if the Kiddies didn't enjoy the fireworks and we aren't big on scallops.  Sunday afternoon we loaded up the truck with our cooler of snacks and our family and headed out.  We had to make a quick stop at Kmart to pick up some chairs since both of our were broken.  We ate at Sonny's to get our fill our BBQ for the day and then parked the truck and loaded up the stroller and went walking down to the park.  We found a perfect spot in the shade of a big tree but no trees in front of us to block our view.  We had about 3 hours to kill hanging out before the fireworks began.  So we each took turns walking around with Kalen so he wouldn't get bored just sitting on the blanket.  The night kicked off with a precious little girl singing the national anthem at the end they shot off a few fireworks.  Kalen's love affair with fireworks began.  He spent the next hour and a half pointing to the area the fireworks came from and yelling.  He wanted More!!! When the show finally began we strapped him back into his stroller seat so it would be easier to leave at the end.  Kalen sat staring at the sky I am pretty sure he didn't blink for the first 5 mins.  Through out the show he would let out some whoa's and ohhs, there was clapping and more pointing.  This was the firework show that just wouldn't stop.  No one knew when it was over and if they should start clapping.  Several times clapping would start and then more fireworks.  Even after the grand finale when everyone was leaving more fireworks.  It was a great show and Lucas slept through the whole thing (I covered his little ears with a blanket for the noise).  So he will get to truly experience his First 4th of July fireworks next year. 

On Monday we headed out to Ocala but we did not last long.  It started off on the wrong foot when we parked and the grass came up to Kalen's knees.  I guess they couldn't be bothered to mow the area before, its not like they did not know people were coming, it was the 42nd annual festival. The festival was strange, it had home made fair type games and even stranger prizes (not sure I would let my kid have the prize if they won).  The area to watch the fireworks had no shade anywhere.  We couldn't sit in the blazing sun with Lucas and Kalen for the next 2-3 hours waiting on the fireworks.  So we decided to head home at least we celebrated the day before.  Our neighbors were actually setting off some pretty decent fireworks down the road so we watched those with Kalen and Lucas before bed.

Showing us where the Fireworks are gonna be

Lucas taking everything in

What's a 4th of July without Elvis?!?

My hot sweaty mess of a son

My favorite Men

Watching the Fireworks

Watching the neighbor shoot off fireworks

Lucas and Mommy watching the Macy's firework special



(Beyonce pissed me off, she sang Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an America",I love this song and I pretty much cry everytime I sing along, I know I'm a sap. She decided to change the words. Instead of singing "It's time we stand and say" she sand "Its time we make a change". Seriously leave your politics out of this American Classic!!)

That I’m proud to be an American,

where at least I know I’m free.

And I wont forget the men who died,

who gave that right to me.

And I gladly stand up,

next to you and defend her still today.

' Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land,

God bless the USA

I hope everyone had a fabulous Fourth of July