Hope everyone has great plans-lots of cookouts, and fireworks. As for my family, we are heading to Boston in a few hours-boy, I'd better start packing! We are going as a Make-A-Wish Family. Our oldest son (age 16) was diagnosed w/ cancer in May of 2006. After almost a year of treatment, he is in remission, with a fabulous prognosis. Patrick is a huge Boston Redsox Fan-and we encouraged him to use his wish for something that $$ couldn't buy. He debated for a while btwn backstage at a Metallica concert, a day w/ the Food Network, or a trip to Australia to visit my brother-he chose to meet the Red Sox. . So, our limo will await us at 4:30 a.m. and take us to the airport. We are staying on the water in Boston-can't wait to see the fireworks and listen to the Boston Pops. On Thurs., we have to be to the ballfield early, where we get to meet w/ Tim Wakefield (pitcher) of the BoSox. How cool is that? Will be sure to post pics! And I definitely plan to eat my weight in lobster (be nice!) and clog my arteries w/ drawn butter.
just wanted to add, that this has been in the works for quite some time, but just didn't want to *jinx* myself by posting. I really need to get to bed-I have my alarm clock set to ring in 2.5 hours. Yikes!

Have a great holiday guys!

Our city had the 4th celebration on the 3rd because the military base here always does fireworks on the 4th and this way people can do both. I think this is the first year our city did it? It was fun, games and freebies for the kids, let them play on the playground, and then waited for the fireworks on the river. They were set off from a barge. Nice, but didn't last long enough to me I think there was a band playing but I couldn't hear them from where I was, if they did.

Not for me. I'm working from 11 to 11. Oh well, what can ya do.

If I don't get called into work or if I don't hear the phone when they call, our plans are to spend the early part of the day in Oatman AZ. Oatman is an old mining town that still has descendants of the miners burros that roam freely through the town. At high noon they have the annual Egg Fry. A contest to fry eggs on the sidewalk. I have lived in this area for almost 20 years and this is the first time I have gone to see this event. Should be fun. Later that evening we will head down to watch fireworks over the Colorado River.

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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

LinnyBop - what a super opportunity. I hope that you enjoy(ed) our fair city - it is special! And the Red Sox are, too. Have been on the Fenway tour - it is spectacular! Have a great time!

As for us, DS1 and I are headed to New York for college visits. We are going to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown today and visiting RPI and Cornell on Thursday and Friday. DS2 and DH are going to grandmas in CT.

Let's hope the holiday roads are light and safe!

cj/

No big plans for the Fourth. On the fifth, we are flying back to Chicago and Milwaukee. My brother is getting remarried on Sat. We get to see most of my family and my dh's family. Have not seen them in 2 years. Then we will visit with my ds and dil in Chicago for 2 days.

Well this morning we are going to a funeral service for my Uncle. (diagnosed with cancer two weeks before he died. He died six weeks ago in OK. We just now got is ashes here Friday. It has been a big mess with the state. He was poor so it was a state thing).

Anyway, then at 1p all of us family and people from the morning service are going to my mom's for a cookout.

Then at 5p we will go to my dads and watch the parade, (it goes right past his house.

Then at 9p we will go watch the fireworks at the river.

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Our town has a huge parade today. DD is playing with the school band- so we are definitely going. We had our town fireworks last night, they were awesome.
After DS's pool party yesterday and catering to 12 year olds for 5 hours, I wanted a quiet day by the pool. But DH friends called us for a last minute bbq, so we will go there. Huge deck, pool, good friends, good cooks- I am looking forward to it.

Linny bop- what an exciting fourth for your family,. I just heard the line -up for tonight's concert in Boston. The Pops, John Cougar Mellancamp, and The Blue Man Group. 500,000 people expected . The forecast is a little shaky for the fireworks, but I'm sure everything will work out.

OMG... We'll have to check that out next year!!! Wow! Do the eggs actually ever fry? They might this year, seriously... It is gonna be one hot day! 107 forecast here in the mountains in Prescott, yikes.

That said, we are staying indoors. I'm going to do some outdoors stuff very early. Here in a little while, I'm sure my DH will come out and start the Star Spangled Banner on full blast on the stereo just to aggravate the little ones!

I'm doing the crockpot (in the garage!!!) with pulled pork, corn on the cob, beans, and all the fixins'. Our biggest tradition is homemade ice cream... Yum!

We'll eat our ice cream on the deck during the fireworks that we can see from here (if the neighbor's trees haven't gotten too tall yet!

We can almost see 3 sets of fireworks from surrounding towns -- we live on a hill!

Have fun everyone!!!

We go to an annual cookout every year at our friend's house. It's a big event-- starting at noon and going all day and night. They have a huge pool, and it's always a really good time.

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Forgiveness is love in its most noble form. -Anonymous

I wondered why they were doing it on the 3rd. We always go on post anyway. Guess this means there will be even more people out there tonight.


Dh & I always go early and play phase 10 together & hang out. It is our tradition

OK everyone over to Cutie's for ice cream.

Boy that sounds good.

__________________

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass
It's about learning to dance in the rain.

Hope you had fun Lynn!

We hung out at our neighbors all day. Eating,drinking and swimming. Just got home.

5 minutes before the fireworks and ice cream... everyone is drooling. Come on over!

We went to have a picnic with family. It was great fun. Then headed down to the Lake Huron to watch the fireworks on the water at about 8 or so. The beach was packed with probably thousands of people. We settled in and watched the Lake and the people, it was a beautiful evening. We watited, and waited and waited and waited...........

THE FIREWORKS NEVER HAPPENED.....technical difficulties..........can you believe it????

That's so sad... I bet they were stressed out. Was it one of those computerized ones with the choreographed to music fireworks?

Our local fireworks are non-complicated but sometimes there are some pretty long pauses. We had a nice show last night...

Love the grand finale. My DH said that our friend who works for the city said that the grand finale biggee cost $10,000. Wow.

Ironic. How long did you wait before finding out.

Here we had fewer fireworks, because a professional company came it. The volunteer who had done it for years burned his hand 2nd degree, then sued the city and now wonders why he didn't get to set them off this year.