One of my favorite ways to spend the 4th of July is with family, in small town America where there is a local rodeo and BBQ dinner for a free will donation to support the town firefighters...and that's just on the 3rd! On the 4th we travel to the nearby bigger town for a huge fireworks show that easily lasts 30 min of straight explosions and lights in the sky. In between these events we light off or own fireworks, with parachutes and lil snappers for the kids. We also have our own BBQs and usually swim or play with/in water. However this year was so rainy and cold all weekend that we didn't do any water play. In fact, the fireworks show on the 3rd had fog setting in, such that the fireworks truly lit up the whole sky, with a glow of red or green or blue surrounding the shape of the burst. And there were some that shot so high into the low cloud deck that we couldn't even make out the shape, but rather only saw the colorful glow. It was probably the most unique fireworks show I've ever seen! Plus, it was cool and humid so we were all in long pants and jackets and didn't have to worry about mozzies at least!
Red glow around the red firework in the foggy show on July 3rd.
All bundled up for the July 3rd show
I personally don't care to set off many fireworks at home, and what happened this year is exactly why. When we were lighting some fountains and Roman candle fountain type fireworks on the 3rd, they blew over and a few shot out sideways. A few of those shot back at us sitting watching. Not cool, especially with my own kids there now. Emma seemed timid about the fireworks at first, but slowly wasn't as scared, surprisingly even after the one shot near her. She especially liked the lil snappers.
Initially they watched from inside the car with their ears covered...
Evan seemed to like all of the fireworks a lot. And when the evening show started on the 3rd, I caught him with a big smile while sitting in daddy's lap. :)
It was nice to see Evan smiling at the end of the day July 3rd since he'd been sick all day. In fact, he woke up first thing in the morning and didn't have his normal big breakfast appetite and complained of a headache. So I gave him some tylenol and then soon thereafter he threw up. :( Later in the day he got the runs, and he had no appetite for food at all. So we let him take it easy, but at least he enjoyed the fireworks show. The next day, on the 4th, we thought he was getting better, despite him still not having my appetite. We did parachutes and he was right there racing to catch them (and even caught several). We did poppers and more lil snappers, and then more smoke bombs too. Then we also tried to get the kids to take a nap since they would be up late, but alas, they were too excited about all being in the same room that they played around and never slept.
Over the course of the day, Evan did have the runs again and so by the time we got to Wamego for the bigger fireworks show in the evening he was pretty run down. So Emma and I went with my sister and the other older kids to the carnival, while Evan stayed in the park with my dad and John and others.
At the carnival, Emma and her cousin rode the carousel, a jeep ride, and a helicopter ride. I had to ride along on the carousel and the helicopter ride. It was a tight fit in that little helicopter though, but it was fun to see them move it up and down with the control stick. Halfway through riding the rides, she suddenly needed to potty really bad. I had noticed a very long line at the nearby park bathrooms, but took her over there and bravely asked if they'd mind if she cut in given she's just recently potty trained. She was bouncing up and down so it was pretty clear she had to go urgently and no one seemed to mind. Whew! That was a close call I think!
It was nice to see Evan smiling at the end of the day July 3rd since he'd been sick all day. In fact, he woke up first thing in the morning and didn't have his normal big breakfast appetite and complained of a headache. So I gave him some tylenol and then soon thereafter he threw up. :( Later in the day he got the runs, and he had no appetite for food at all. So we let him take it easy, but at least he enjoyed the fireworks show. The next day, on the 4th, we thought he was getting better, despite him still not having my appetite. We did parachutes and he was right there racing to catch them (and even caught several). We did poppers and more lil snappers, and then more smoke bombs too. Then we also tried to get the kids to take a nap since they would be up late, but alas, they were too excited about all being in the same room that they played around and never slept.
The kids waiting for parachutes
Over the course of the day, Evan did have the runs again and so by the time we got to Wamego for the bigger fireworks show in the evening he was pretty run down. So Emma and I went with my sister and the other older kids to the carnival, while Evan stayed in the park with my dad and John and others.
At the carnival, Emma and her cousin rode the carousel, a jeep ride, and a helicopter ride. I had to ride along on the carousel and the helicopter ride. It was a tight fit in that little helicopter though, but it was fun to see them move it up and down with the control stick. Halfway through riding the rides, she suddenly needed to potty really bad. I had noticed a very long line at the nearby park bathrooms, but took her over there and bravely asked if they'd mind if she cut in given she's just recently potty trained. She was bouncing up and down so it was pretty clear she had to go urgently and no one seemed to mind. Whew! That was a close call I think!
Emma wanted to ride the cars again once more before we headed back to see the fireworks show.
When we arrived back at the park after the carnival, it was just starting to get dark. Emma needed to potty again, and so I took her to the porta-potties and there was a huge line. I decided to wait this time, though if she sounded really dire, then I'd see about cutting in. She did great holding it, and even went on the potty in the porta-pot without any issue. In fact, because she was drinking so much gatorade during the fireworks show, she ended up having to pee really bad on the drive home after the show too. So we had to pull off the side of the road and she went outside "on the rocks" as she describes it. Therefore, she used her first porta-potty and did her first pee outside all in one day!
As for the fireworks show, just like last year, this show was pretty amazing. It is huge and lasts 30 minutes long all set to music. There is a big finale halfway through that makes you think it's over, but then lights flash around and a new song starts (ACDC "Thunder struck") and it gets you all excited to see more. I was a bit nervous for Evan during the show, though, because when I got back to them after the carnival he was complaining that all of his joints hurt and he was not looking well. John gave him some tylenol for the body aches and yet that combined with loud music, booms, and bright lights was too much for him, and during the actual finale he had his own grand finale..throwing up right there on the spot. :( We packed up quick to head home and get him somewhere more comfortable, although he was worried he was going to throw up again on the drive so we had to pull over once and let him lean outside (nothing happened) and gave him a bag to hold onto just in case the rest of the way. He fell asleep at home pretty quick, but was rudely awoken middle of the night by more runs. Poor guy! Luckily, by the next day (the 5th), he was finally on the mend.
Mid-show finale
Given that Evan was sick and the weather was initially cold and rainy (so no swimming), the weekend didn't quite go as I had envisioned. However, we got to see family, lots of fireworks, my kids got to chase their first parachutes and throw their first lil snappers, and I got to see the most unique fireworks show. So all up we got to do most of the things that make for a good, all-American holiday.
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