4th of July

[Earthy]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

Anyone doing anything? Books, game and fun ideas for kids?

We normally watch the fire works and also do some sparklers in our yard. I don't like the large fireworks around the house.

Lots of links for Info, Crafts, Recipes and fun....below!

So...go check them out~~:)

http://www.ushistory.org/libertybell/facts.html
Liberty Bell Facts


:)

[Euphemism]

Gonna buy as many fireworks as I can. I even have a runner heading to south carolina for me.

[MonkeyMamma]

We'll probably bbq and go to the park in the back of our neighborhood to watch the big fireworks show. Then come back home, let the girls do sparklers and watch the rednecks across the street blow hundreds of dollars in more fireworks.

[Hoosier Mama]

We are doing 2 days of fireworks and picnicing this year. We are having a family picnic, swimming, and our own fireworks on Tues. Euph...I am hoping we are going to be getting some good ones...those are fun to do on your own. And then we are going to our local firework show in town on the 4th with some sgood friends of ours from church.

Should be fun! My kids like to name all the fireworks. Like for instance, the big ones that have smaller ones that "pop" all around it they call "popcorn", then there is the "big hair" kind!! It's funny to hear the names they come up with.

[Hoosier Mama]

watch the rednecks across the street blow hundreds of dollars in more fireworks.

That is funny! sounds like my neighbors!! They celebrate the 4th for a week it seems. Drinking beer and shooting off firework at all hours! Drives us crazy! One year we actually did complain to them, because one of their relatives (who was a grown man) was peeing in their driveway in front of his car with the headlights shining on him....guess how I knew that??? My DAUGHTER saw him and came running in to tell us! UGH!!!! Needless to say, we were not very nice about it.

[ABall]

Its all illeagal here for the fire hazard, but we can sit in the back yard and watch the ones from the air base. And they cut the lemon tree down next door and we can see better!

I like the popcorn and big hair ones too!

[MonkeyMamma]

Leslie are you sure you don't live on my street??LOL!

They don't bother us though at all. Yes they are loud and drink their weight in beer but they are nice folks and kind to the neighborhood kids. We like to go out in our driveway on the 4th and on New Year's Eve to watch all the fireworks they do. Very entertaining. I can't believe how much they spend! May as well take several hundred dollar bill and just light them on fire. They usually are quiet right after midnight or around 12:30am. All that beer drinking make them sleeeeeeeeepy!!!!!

[Deena]

I can't believe how much they spend! May as well take several hundred dollar bill and just light them on fire.
Yeah, but that's not nearly as fun---those 100 dollar bills don't pop or zing or explode like the fireworks! :)

We don't have anything planned! Leslie, can I come to your house? The swimming and stuff sounds fun!

[momothem]

...watch the rednecks across the street blow hundreds of dollars in more fireworks.
ROFL!!!! Well said Tiffany---Well said.

[Ohio Mom]

We usually drive up to North Canton to watch the fire works, dh birthday is Monday, we will celebrate that on Sunday after church in the evening.

[Earthy]

and watch the rednecks across the street blow hundreds of dollars in more fireworks.

LOLOLOL

[Emma's#1fan]

We aren't doing much of anything. Fireworks are illegal around here. Perhaps I will make 4th of July crafts with Ems and hang them up.:D
Patty

[AmyU]

On the 4th we will go and see the fireworks. But on the July 7th they are having a car show that we will try to go to. My hubby will more then likely have to work. But I know my son will love it, so I will still take him. A town about 20 mins away has a 5 day thing for the 4th, (this is where the car show is). They will have bingo, a carnival and lots of other stuff. We can't afford the other stuff, but I believe the car show is free. They will aslo have fireworks on the 7th so we may see fireworks twice! I haven't told my son yet. I think I will wait and surprize him. I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday!!

[Earthy]

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/july-4th-crafts/
crafts

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/special/specialfeature/july-4th-cakes/
desserts

http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/special/specialfeature/july-4th-picnic/
picnic

http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday/specialfeature/julyfour_activities_sf/
parties


These look pretty fun!

[Lornaabc]

Our town is having a big celebration too. I plan to take the kids up there on the evening of the 4th. Everyone stay safe.

L

[Ohio Mom]

After reading this post, I remembered, Monday is our anniversay too. Oops, I forgot.

I pray that everyone has a fun and safe holiday.

[Earthy]

Thanks! You too OhioGran;)

We are planning crafts and games for these few days leading up to it. I wanted to get some books to read from the library, I am hoping they have some. The Fourth of July story looks cute.

[Earthy]

Thought I would add a fews pics of those who are serving our Country.

[dalynnrmc]

okay i'm gonna go with one of nellie's pet peeves and post without reading the whole thread. i'm tired!!!

we're gonna sit at home. LOL we're outta money this time and in the middle of the city at that. probably something going on here, we'll find that and watch or turn on the tv and watch the one in NY or something.

i think dh is off; we might BBQ. that'd be fun.

[dalynnrmc]

okay, yes, i see them. ;) Cool pics, love the first one esp. tfs

[momothem]

WOW on the pics. Just --wow.

[Earthy]

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/july4/
Activities and crafts for July 4th

http://www.homeschoolzone.com/PP/fourthofjuly.htm
Fourth of July

http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/_4th.html
Independence Day crafts

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/fourth-of-july/index.html
Fourth of July Activities and Games

http://www.dltk-kids.com/usa/
General USA and Fourth crafts

[CrystalCA]

We are BBQ'n , lighting a few of our fireworks, watching the neighbors fireworks and the grand finale is watching the casinos fireworks!
The Stratosphere Casino's fireworks display alone is worth staying up late!!! At 1149 feet it is the tallest building west of the Mississippi!!
Then we have to be at the airport by 6 AM the next morning because my 2 babies are flying alone (cry,cry) to Grandma and Grandpas house in Northern California.
I'll be alone for 10 days (cry,cry)!! I have a huge stack of library books that I am planning to go read though. My plan is 1 book a day!!

[Earthy]

www.History.com

has several Independence Day videos to watch. I had the link but it wouldn't let me paste, will try again later.

[Earthy]

4th Books:

A is for America by Devin Scillian
A Fourth of July on the Plains by Jean Leeuwen
America the Beautiful by Katharine Bates
Apple Pie Fourth of July by Janet Wong
Beat the Drum, Independence Day Has Come by Tomie dePaola
Celebrate America by Jill Hauser
Fireworks, Picnics, and Flags: The Story of the Fourth of July Symbols by James Giblin
Fourth of July Mice by Bethany Robers
Fourth of July, Sparkly Sky by Joan Holub
God Bless America by Irving Berlin
Happy 4th of July Jenny Sweeney, by Leslie Kimmelman
Hats Off for the Fourth of July by Harriet Ziefert
Independence Day by Nancy Sanders
John Hancock: Independent Boy by Kathryn Sisson
Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Jellybeans: A Fourth of July Story by Heather Henry
My Country Tis of Thee by Samuel Smith
One Final Firecracker by Gregory Maguire
Stars and Stripes: The Story of the American Flag by Sarah Thomson
Snickerdoodles Star-Spangles Fourth of July by Clare Grosgebauer
The Fourth of July Story by Alice Dalgliesh
The Star Spangles Banner by Francis Key
This Land is Your Land by Woody Guthrie
Will You Sign Here, John Hancock? by Jean Fritz
The Fourth of July Encyclopedia by James Heintze

[Earthy]

OOHH for those with little kids don't forget this one is cute for little ones:

Biscuit's Fourth of July by Alyssa Capucilli

[Earthy]

Flag Cake

Margarine/Butter
Flour
1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix (plus ingredients to make cake-listed on box)
1 package (4-serving size) JELL-O brand gelatin, any red flavor
1 C boiling water
1/2 C cold water
3 1/2 Cs (8-ounce container) Cool Whip brand whipped topping, thawed
1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
1 Cp blueberries, washed
1 C miniature marshmallows

Grease 13 x 9 pan with margarine and dust lightly with flour. Prepare, mix and bake cake mix according to package directions. Cool cake for 15 minutes.
With large fork, make holes in cake about every 1/2 inch.

Pour gelatin into mixing bowl. Add cup of boiling water and use scraper to mix thoroughly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Use measuring cup to pour gelatin over cake. (It will run down into holes, making sliced cake have red stripes.) Chill cake in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours. Cover tray with aluminum foil.

Put about one inch of warm water in kitchen sink. Take pan out of refrigerator and dip bottom (don't let water come up over sides) into water for about 10 seconds. Put large tray on top of cake, and invert.

Frost sides and top with whipped topping. Arrange strawberries and marshmallows in alternating rows for stripes, leaving upper left for field of blueberries. Chill again until time to serve.

[Earthy]

Red, White & Blue Chocolate Cupcakes

2 c Sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c Hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1 1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Salt
2 Eggs
1 c Milk
1/2 c Vegetable oil
2 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Boiling water

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
5 T butter or margarine
4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c milk
1 t vanilla extract
Fresh blueberries and strawberries

Heat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups. In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water, batter will be thin. Fill muffin cups.

Bake 20-25 min or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.

Frost cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting. Garnish with blueberries and strawberries.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
In medium bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the milk and vanilla extract, beating until frosting is of spreading consistency. Makes about 2 cups of frosting.

[Deena]

Wow Nellie, yer on a roll! :D

Thanks for sharing!

[Earthy]

I love to have fun.

[Earthy]

All-American Ice Cream Cake

Vanilla Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 c oil
2 eggs
1 c buttermilk
2 tablespoons red food coloring
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1/2 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blackberry jam

Preheat oven to 375° F.
Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil and eggs. Whisk in buttermilk. In a small bowl, combine food coloring and cocoa. Add to egg mixture. Sift salt and flour into batter and mix well. Combine vinegar and baking soda in a small bowl and add to batter. Immediately pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30-40 minutes. Cool cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.

Whip cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well.

Slice cake horizontally into three equal layers. Place bottom layer back into springform pan. Spread with approximately 1 cup of softened ice cream to make a 1-inch layer. Freeze until solid. Spread blackberry jam on top of ice cream layer and place second cake layer on top. Spread with another layer of ice cream and freeze. Top with jam and last cake layer. Freeze until solid. Unmold the cake onto a platter and coat with cream cheese frosting. Freeze until 15 minutes before serving time. Use a knife dipped in hot water to cut slices.

Serves 16-20.

[Earthy]

American Flag Cookies

1 c Unsalted butter, softened
1 Egg white -- whipped
2 ts Pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 c Unbleached flour
1 1/2 c Sugar
1 1/2 ts Baking powder
1 ts Red food coloring
1 ts Blue food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine margarine, egg white, and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix wet ingredients with dry until just moistened. Divide cookie dough into three equal portions.
Tint 1 portion with the red food coloring; and another portion with the blue food coloring. Mix thoroughly.
Form each portion into long bars and stack bars on top of each other using alternating colors (red, white, blue).
Wrap finished cookies in waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for about an hour. Cut cookies into 1/4" thick bars. Place on greased baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

[Earthy]

In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.


The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.


When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands, which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let the Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness of his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: George Read, Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

[Earthy]

http://www.americanflag.com/

Just thought there was some neat stuff on this page.





:)

[Earthy]

I pledge Allegiance to the flag,
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic,
for which it stands,
one nation under God,
indivisible,
with Liberty, and Justice for all


Congress first authorized the United States Flag on June 14, 1777, the day we currently celebrate Flag Day in America. This date is also significant in that it qualifies our flag as the third oldest of the National Standards of the world, even older than Britain’s Union Jack.

First flown from Fort Stanwix, on the site of the present city of Rome, New York, on August 3, 1777, the flag had a tumultuous beginning, going through the Battle of Oriskany when it was only three days old on August 6, 1777.

The flag's original design called for a star and a stripe for each state, making thirteen of each, to correspond to the original thirteen colonies. In 1791, Vermont was admitted to the union, followed by Kentucky in 1792. The number of stars and stripes was accordingly raised to fifteen. As other states joined, it was clear something would have to be done about the ever-expanding flag. An act of Congress in 1818 reduced and restricted the number of stripes on the flag to thirteen. A star would be added for each new state.

The individual stars depicting the states represent the power of our Federal Constitution, which reserves to the States their individual sovereignty, except as to rights delegated by them to the Federal Government.

George Washington said of the flag’s symbolism, "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty."

[Earthy]

http://www.fireworksafety.com/

[Earthy]

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/navy_legacy_hr.asp?id=190

How to display the flag.



:)

[Earthy]

The Star Spangled Banner
By Francis Scott Key
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

[Earthy]

Popsicle Rockets

red juice (red raspberry, cherry, cranberry)
blue juice (blue Kool Aid, Gatorade, blue raspberry) white juice (lemonade, coconut juice drink)
red string licorice for fuse

3 oz. paper cups
Popsicle Sticks
baking sheet

Line up several 3 oz. paper cups on a baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of red juice into each cup. Freeze 2-3 hours until firm-slushy.

Remove from freezer and poke a popsicle stick into the center of each cup of juice. Add 2 tablespoons of white juice and freeze 2-3 hours.

Remove from freezer. Top off with blue juice and freeze 1-2 hours until slushy.

Remove from freezer and insert a 2 or 3-inch string of licorice into each popsicle. Freeze until hard. Peel off paper cups to serve.

[Earthy]

http://home.nycap.rr.com/content/us_bio.html

All about Uncle Sam

Be sure to click on the 'Next' button at the top.



:)

[Earthy]

http://www.american.edu/heintze/fourth.htm
Fourth of July Celebrations Database


:)

[Earthy]

http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/
A Capital Fourth


:)

[momothem]

George Washington said of the flag’s symbolism, "We take the stars from Heaven, the red from our mother country, separating it by white stripes, thus showing that we have separated from her, and the white stripes shall go down to posterity representing Liberty."

I've never heard this part before. That's great.

[Earthy]

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

[momothem]

HAPPY 4TH

[Earthy]

http://www.usacitylink.com/usa/
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA


http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2007&m=May&x=20060628141729JMnamdeirF0.745434
U.S. Independence Day a Civic and Social Event

[Earthy]

http://stockholm.usembassy.gov/Holidays/celebrate/independ.html
Celebrate! Holidays In The U.S.A.

[momothem]

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/july4/

just in case the kids need something to do till the fireworks start :angel:

[Earthy]

Yeah! That's a good one!

[Deena]

Thanks for all these sites and ideas ya'll!

[Earthy]

Your Welcome:)

[Earthy]

http://www.usd230.k12.ks.us/PICTT/paraphernalia/leelamar/FreedomPoem.html
Freedom Poem

[Earthy]

Freedom

I thought of the freedom for which many have died.
A freedom for which many millions still yearn,
To live and to laugh, and yes, even to learn.
The freedom to reach out to each other in love,
The freedom to give thanks to our Father above.
The freedom to enjoy the work of our hands,
The freedom to travel, and enjoy our great land.
Freedom to worship in the church of our choice.
How many of us, in these freedoms rejoice?
Lord, walk before us and help us to see,
It s only by the grace of God, we are free.
Jerry Ham

[Earthy]

The essence of independence has been to think and act according to standards from within, not without. Inevitably anyone with an independent mind must become "one who resists or opposes authority or established conventions": a rebel. If enough people come to agree with, and follow, the Rebel, we now have a Devil. Until, of course, still more people agree. And then, finally, we have --- Greatness.
Aleister Crowley

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
US Declaration of Independence

Maybe the greatest challenge now is to find a way to keep independence while also committing ourselves to the ties that bind people, families, and ultimately societies together.
Jane O'Reilly

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness] it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government...
Thomas Jefferson (The Declaration of Independence)


You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
William J. H. Boetcker

[Earthy]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3344479

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq5jul05,0,4460222.story?coll=la-home-world

http://www.kxmc.com/News/140860.asp

http://www.iraqslogger.com/index.php/post/3445/July_4th_a_Day_to_Remember_Unity_of_Humanity

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-07-04-0007.html

http://www.kpho.com/news/13620924/detail.html

[momothem]

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.
You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds.
You cannot establish security on borrowed money.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.
William J. H. Boetcker
I believe there are some in D.C. that don't realize this.
Thanks for the post.
I hope everyone had a fun and safe Independence Day celebration with family and friends.

[Earthy]

Hope Everyone's Fourth Was Great!

[KrisRV]

wow Nellie, thanks for all the wonderful site and treats.
we stayed home I bbq ribs and made hashbrowns with cheese, we watch the neighbors they bought 2000 dollars worth of fireworks what a show we had..

[Earthy]

Oh my! That's a lot of fire happening:)

Sounds like a lot of fun too!!

[KrisRV]

yes, it was Nellie, right over or RV it went. Sure glad we had some rain that day before they did the fireworks..

[Earthy]

LOL Did it rock the RV?

They were booming all around us. We look into the sky in all directions and there they were, 'stars bursting in air' :)

[Deena]

Wow, $2000 worth? That's amazing! I know someone in Africa that's trying to get through school to become a pastor, but he doesn't have the money. $2000 would do it for him! Not saying they shouldn't have done that, cuz that's what they REALLY wanted to do. I'm just putting a different perspective on it....

But hey, you got a great show, so that was cool!

[KrisRV]

Deena, I have to agree with you. I told dh wow I could use half the money they put in the fireworks that went up in time. I think it's sad. But, it has to be what people want to do with there money.

[MonkeyMamma]

We spent a whopping $23 on fireworks!! Not too bad eh? The rednecks spent enough for the whole neighborhood. They had all kind of food and drink and there were a lot of people. I couldn't really eat anything because of my tooth but I sat and visited and watched the fireworks for a while. I went in early last night and Grace and I fell asleep in my bed. Dh slept on the couch last night. He said we looked so peaceful sleeping together he didn't want to move her to her bed.

[KrisRV]

we spend nothing on fireworks, like you Tiffany we let the rednecks buy them..

[Earthy]

LOL

Yeah, we bought sparklers and a few small ones. Only spent about $10.

There were just so many going on around here...I wonder how long it will last too.

[Ohio Mom]

It was raining off and on all day yesterday. We left our house and drove around to some houses we want to look into buying, stopped at McDonald's for supper and then on to the fireworks - it rained right up to the time they started setting them off - The children enjoyed them, but when we went to put Gianna to bed, she continued to hear them - must have been the rednecks -LOL, and she was scared. She finally fell asleep about midnight. We spent a nice day together!!! We did buy some sparklers, snaps and smoke thingys, total 16.00

[Earthy]

Aw man, I forgot the snap thingys!! I wonder if they still have those at the store.