4th of July Traditions

Just thought I'd share some of our 4th of July traditions. My kiddos love this holiday (as does Dad). I do too but I still remember the time I burned my fingers while lighting a sparkler. Craig's laughing really bruised my ego! But I digress ....

TRADITIONS:
1. For the last seven years I have been making a flag cake. This involves baking a cake, white frosting, blueberries for the "stars", and sliced strawberries for the red stripes. The orginal recipe called for whip cream but the first year I tried it, it looked like a mud slide. The fruit would not stay in place and the whole thing looked like it was melting. I modified the recipe. I sometimes use sparklers as candles. The last few years each child has set a row of fruit on the cake. Here is how my cake looks even though I don't do it this way.

2. We like to make edible "sparklers." This involves melting chocolate chips, rolling half of a thick pretzel stick in the melted chocolate, adding some cookie sprinkles, setting it on a plate and refrigerating for a few hours. They don't last very long! TRY IT!

3. LEMONADE! After reading the Little House series as a child, I've always associated lemonade with the 4th of July.

4. FIREWORKS!! Especially when we visit family. They live outside the city limit so fireworks are very legal. This is Craig's favorite part. He stays outside the whole time. When we stay in town we watch the city fireworks. We usually park at the mall.

5. 4th of July Parade: Our parade isn't anything grand but the kids love it. We always know a few people in the parade (Church group, girl scouts, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, etc) and look for them. Kolbe's favorite part is the FIRE TRUCKS! I never knew there were so many types.

6. I read the 4th of July Book to them. Actually, I need to find another one. I think I packed it a few weeks ago!

7. This might seem VERY SILLY, but we say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. You have to remember we homeschool and start our day with prayers instead of the pledge. So this is a VERY big deal. In fact, we say it four times. That way each child gets to hold our little flag.

When the kids get older (maybe next year) I'll have them recite things. This coming year Isabelle will be memorizing the Preamble to the Constitution. Our traditions aren't too original or deep but they're ours. We've been doing them since the kids can remember. That's what counts. I want them to have memories of traditions we did for certain holidays. I used to try to do everything I came across. I now realize a few traditions done consistantly is better than many done sporadically. Can't wait until Tuesday!!