Tradition

Ever since I was 3 years old the neighborhood I grew up in has hosted a 4th of July parade and fireworks at the big park 1 block from my parents' house.  Over the years I stopped going to parade because I felt a little old and wasn't that interested. So this year it was fun to bring Shannon to her first parade, the same parade I watched and walked in as a child!  My parents host a kind of "open house" and family and friends come and go to the parade and/or fireworks or just hang out at their house. Years ago they had 2 big trees that have since died so we view the fireworks right in their front yard. 

Grandpa walked with Sandra, Caleb, Sarina, Shannon, Aunt Anita, and myself to the parade 4 blocks away. At first none of the kids liked the sirens (there were an awful lot, I'd say 20 trucks maybe) so they sat in their strollers. Sarina had a ton of fun trying to catch candy being thrown and passed out from the floats!

At first Shannon was holding me and turing away from the fireworks when they started. Then as I (and everyone else) made a big deal how special and pretty they were she calmed down and snuggled into grandma and grandpa with her eyes glued to them, no longer afraid!