Where did you spend America's Birthday?

Waiting for the parade to start
Clifford in her hiding spot

Happy Birthday America! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Did you enjoy a fireworks specktaculaaaar? This fourth of July the 3 of us went to a great parade in Ralston. We have gone for the past few years and got our same spot this year as we did last, so we were excited. It is now officially "our" spot. We started going to this parade a few years back with my friend Hollie and her family. We thought this would be a good tradition to start since there are no big holiday events around our area. Then my friend moved away so now it is just my family to keep up the tradition! We look forward to going each year and all have our favorite floats we look for. Each year we also usually attend a fireworks display and potluck at hubby's mom's campground at the river. This is also a lot of fun and something we look forward to, but due to all of the rain we have had, they were not able to have it this year. It was a little odd to not be going there since we have been for the past 6 or 7 years. We also watched our fireworks on IPTV on "A Capitol Celebration" since we didn't go down to the river. Following the show, we played a family game of Wii Carnival Games before putting B to bed.

Our neighbors however had their own little celebration, with about 40 or so people. They were mowing like crazy on Thursday evening, and we started to suspect there might be a party in the works. We were correct. When we woke up on Friday they had already set up their tables and festive decorations. The kids started lighting off fireworks at about 10 am. Some of the moms that were there were filling up the pool with the hose in one hand and their cigarette in the other, while also managing to yell at their kids at the same time. As we pulled in the driveway after the parade we commented on how we hope they are going to clean up all of the firework trash that was now in our yard from the countless fireworks the kids were doing. The fireworks proceeded to go off until about 1045 PM. The problem with this is our dog. Our little stray dog that adopted herself into our home in September is dramatically afraid of storms and fireworks. If it even so much as starts to rain, she begins to shake and pant. This continues all night during the thunder storm season. What do you think happened to her all day with the continuous fireworks noise? She freaked out all day. I couldn't even get her to go outside to potty. She was so scared. So where did she spend America's birthday....... in the bathtub. Her favorite spot during times like this. She finally did lay down instead of just sit there panting and shaking. The crumbs you see around her are from the goldfish that B dumbed in there for her. So.... where did you spend your 4th?