Fourth of July

We had a wonderful Fourth of July!!  We started the day by going to the church for a flag raising ceremony (which I loved!! I am such a sucker for all things patriotic!)  There was also a pancake breakfast.  Let's just say, I did not go for the food.  But, the company was great!
We ran a couple of errands after the breakfast including finally getting hanging baskets for the front porch.  It looks so pretty!  We also bought the first sweet corn of the season from a stand in town. 
For lunch I made an American Flag with blueberries, strawberries, and jicama.  It was a big hit with the kids. 
On July 03, I made a simple wedding cake for someone, and had some extra batter, so made some small cakes for us and I decorated them up.  The kids loved having a Birthday cake for America.  I also made black bean burgers with jicama, cilantro slaw.  My husband who grew up on a dairy farm with excellent beef around was a little wary, but in the end was pleasantly surprised at how good it was! 
We went to a celebration right here in our little town in the evening.  Our property actually backs up to a retirement community.  Each year they throw a big Fourth of July Party with food, music, and a great fireworks show as a thank you to the community.  It was awesome!  They even had fun activities for the kids, including a balloon artist and a coin grab, which, of course, the kids loved!  When we got home, Kenneth lit off some fireworks here as well.  (He just can't help himself!  He loves them!)  It was a late night, but it was memorable!

Here are the pictures:

Purple and fuchsia petunias this year



Aren't they lovely?

And a geranium for the back of the house- because they were on sale =)

Right outside my kitchen window- makes me happy

Strawberries, blueberries and jicama

Happy Birthday, America!

Kate was interested in this thing, too!

They loved eating it!

Our Fourth of July picnic lunch in the backyard.  Kate wandered around the whole yard eating her corn-on-the-cob and I think she got every last kernel!

Fireworks in the driveway

Arianna loved this one!

Daddy letting Grant have a turn lighting

Kaplooey!!!

Like father, like son




The kids had drawn on the driveway a few days before this and were pretending to burn down the 'ramshackle barn' they had drawn. 
We've been reading Bill Peet books lately. . .