Saturday, July 5, 2008

Is Connecticut really part of the US?

I am grateful for this country and for my freedom. I am also grateful for all those who have sacrificed for the sake of our liberty. Happy Birthday, America!!

We had a fun 4th up here. We dressed the kids up in the best red/white/blue clothes we could find and headed out. First, we celebrated with a movie (Wall-E). It wasn't bad, which is better than I thought it would be! Trying to look ultra patriotic we went to the mall to check out Old Navy's 4th t-shirts (no luck), but we did go next door and buy Joseph his first webkinz. I know he is only 3, but he plays on the other kids' all the time and has been asking. I have been wanting a new swimsuit, so we went into Sears to look and, low and behold, all their swimsuits (and a lot of summer clothes) were 50% clearance + another 40%. So all the kids got new swimsuits and outfits, no luck for me, though. A quick (not fast enough for me) lunch at McDonalds- with playland, and off to one more store to look for a swimsuit (still no luck), but we did all get new red/white/blue shirts, some of the kids looked pretty hobo-ish in the ones we had them in, and Peter found some flip flops.

By this time it was approaching 6:00 and we thought we had better start scoping out fireworks spots. As we drove around town, we noticed no one was laying out blankets where we thought they would. Concerned, Peter called one of the nurses and found out they don't do fireworks here on the 4th! They shoot them off a week later for sailfest, a completely unrelated celebration. I was ready to pack up and move to a more patriotic state. No fireworks on the 4th?!? Well, we ran home and jumped online. Thanks to google, mapquest, and my iphone map feature, we were able to find fireworks in a town in Rhode Island, about 45 minutes away. Complete with lots of people, music, glow necklaces, and porta-potties. If it were only a little hotter (only in the mid 70's), it would have been the perfect spot.

As I sat down to write this post, they did light off some fireworks on our beach. Just a small neighborhood thing, a day late, but still I guess I will forgive Connecticut this once. I am still a little flabbergasted about no fireworks on the 4th, though.

Here is a snapshot of our hard to find fireworks show (with new patriotic clothes included):

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9 comments:

  1. The fireworks look so pretty and I love the red, white, and blue colors. In is inamerican to not have fireworks on the 4th. We live on the border and there were tons of places to go to watch the fireworks. We chose the roof though. Your kids are really growing up. Wish I could see them more often.

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  2. By the way that was me your mother that made the ablove comment. Gordon left the computer logged on to him. This is still your mother.

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  3. Wow...great pictures! I never have any luck on fireworks pictures....did you do something special on your camera? And...I'm interested in knowing how you made your own header at the top of your blog...I love that picture!!!

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  4. Sound like fun. Next year you are welcome to come visit us for the 4th! We would love to have you around. Sorry about no swimsuit for you, but you should have called about the sale, maybe ours was doing it too! Miss you!

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  5. I LOVE that picture. It looks really cool. I wish you had taken me up on us coming out to BBQ on the 4th. Glad you had fun.

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  6. I guess I am unpatriotic, since we were close to fireworks and just didn't go. Abe had croup though, so I guess we had a good excuse.

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  7. Gina, I have a fireworks setting on my camera, but my brother takes great ones without that. I will ask him and e-mail you. Also, I will email you on how to do the header (it is too long to add here).

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  8. July 4, 1788 (the year Connecticut officially joined the union) they did not have fireworks. In Connecticut we believe in keeping things they way they have always been. Therefore we cannot add fireworks. Sorry, you'll have to talk to the pilgrims about it.

    I'm impressed even your blankets are red, white and blue! We usually do a big patriotic bbq when P isn't working so much. We'll have to plan one for later this summer and make it up to you that we don't do fireworks here. =)

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  9. I totally feel the same way you do Charlotte about the fireworks here in CT. We even have a Sub-base here so you would think they would absolutely do something for the 4th. We looked online and saw something for Subfest on the 5th so why not do it one day earlier on the day that the rest of the US celebrates our independence?!?

    Though this isn't an excuse to not do them on the 4th I will admit the fireworks for Sailfest are awesome and highly recommend you check those out.

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