happiest birthday, dear America!!!!

 Last evening we went to the beautiful pavillion of Emerson Park, on the north shore of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in NY state.  We have been going there for the fourth of July celebration for years and years, and this is the first one without my sister.  When all of our kids were little, we would get Little Caesar's pizza, and Twizzlers.  Well, yesterday Emily came over, and Kathryn with Achilles and Rhys, and we rode together.  The 1812 Overture is Achilles favorite song, he was hoping the Syracuse Orchestra would play it!  

Who doesn't love the 1812 Overture?

Cheryl's oldest daughter Katie brought a selection of red, white, and blue candies, and little lollipop sticks...so my grandchildren and my sister's grandchildren got in line...

Margaret and Emily (Cheryl's husband Bill in the back)

Benjamin and little Declan

Achilles and Tennyson

Emily with Kaia, we did have a downpour before the concert started...but we stayed under the eaves, and then the sun came out...with a vengeance!  It was steamy hot!  What a beautiful summer night though, I had a sundress on and didn't even need a sweater when the sun set.  

Oscar and baby Kaia

Achilles and Rhys

Emily

Some of my sister's grandchildren...

Cam, Char, Kaia, Rhys

That's Elise and Declan getting candy from Katie...

Very hard to see, but a bunch of the grandkids together...I think I had a smile on my face the entire evening.  I told Margaret and Kathryn:  all these kids here are from Cheryl and I. (I teased that it would be them someday!)  wow.  It wasn't even nearly all of our grandchildren, I have 19 and she 29.  They weren't all there, but oh my goodness, it was a joy to see them.  My heart ached missing my sister, but I know she was looking down so fondly.  

Benjamin...so proud of him.  Samuel wasn't here this year, he's in Virginia with Grace and the kids, visiting her family.

Yesterday:  After swim class, I went to Aldi with Paul.  We got popsicles and some burger, tomatoes, arugula, bread, cheese (Cam is making mac and cheese for today's picnic).  Home...but not for long!  I went over to Ben and Ashley's house, and visited...and went for a swim in their pool with them, and Anya, Elise, Declan.  The pool water was 88 degrees, I could have stayed in there all the live-long day!

But, I had to get out and get dressed, and back into the hot hot day, to the Dollar General.  Twizzlers are a must for the Symphony night!  

Our power is out right now, it's pouring rain and thundering.  We might have an indoor picnic today.  Darius is smoking wings and brisket, we're having watermelon and the mac and cheese and hot dogs and a flag cake and cookies and and and...:)

Besides the picnics and fireworks and symphonies, the fourth is very special.  I am super proud to be an American.  I am thankful to be an American.  It's not perfect, but if every citizen started from a point of thankfulness, and stopped finger pointing and tearing each other down...united we stand, divided we fall.  I just love freedom, and there could certainly be more of it.  Leave us alone and let us live.  

Ah so now it's early evening, and we had our wonderful fourth of July celebration, Happy 250th, U.S.A.!

Nine of the kids were there today, some spouses, some grandchildren...

Kathryn's cake...mmm.

Margaret's cake

Baby Ellis with his daddy, letting him have the cookies...

Cousins:  Blythe and Jamie, they're besties.

Emily with Jon and Rosi's Emilia

We just got home...it's cooled off a little bit now, and that's good.  We made macaroni and cheese this morning for the cook out, it was so hot in here with the power off...it came back on before we left, so I could run the water and do all the dishes.  

We are watching soccer and just chilling...I hope you had a nice day, and if you are so lucky and blessed to live in this fine country, Happy 4th!