The One With Fireworks & Stuff

It was almost a week ago...I know. But remember about how it's summer and we are on like a serious sunshine streak? (This is rare for Portland!!) - I don't do my best blogging when it's nice and sunny like this.

Anyway...the official 4th of July post!! And I have to say, it was pretty fantastic this year.  4th of July really is one of my favorite holidays!! I'm a firework lover. Always have been...probably always will be.  Pretty sure the highlight of my summer was waiting for our annual Shepherd 4th of July Party (we don't do it anymore...I think it died out when we got to high school...) BUT it was the 2nd biggest party of the year (behind our Shepherd family Christmas party - which is still going strong btw!).  I think I would plot for about 3 1/2 weeks on where I would set my pop-it booby traps around the yard, driveway and house...afterall, it's pretty sneaky to line a row of them across the front mat (of course, only on the white stars so they would blend in) - you know, so when people would walk in the door it would be all like "SNAP" POP" "CRAKLE!" and they would be all like wtf?? I just walked across fireworks!  I was a rebel. I know...

Anyway the weather is almost always perfect...and pretty much it just involves 3 of my favorite things...food, fireworks, & friends!

The day started with a little LODT fun - as per tradition, I always make the girls show up in red, white & blue attire. This year I added a little extra challenge - fancy painted nails got a red, white and blue sparkle star crown.

I even brought a round of sparklers... ;) we work hard, but trust me...we're also good at having fun!

Early afternoon I went down to Happy Valley Park - it's sort of been a tradition ever since I can remember...a day of activities and a big show of fireworks at dusk.  It has grown to be quite the extravaganza over the years...it's HUGE now.  Lots of booths, food, kid's blow up bouncy things like castles and slides and there are huge rock climbing walls, rides...they even added a beer garden this year...but I couldn't help myself...I chose a shaved ice instead. It was like a million degrees and it sounded bomb.  Don't worry I ate the whole thing and it was even better tasting than it looked.

After park activities I drove over to Southwest Portland and joined the crew!! Talk about awesomeness...and fun!

SO much food!! The boys grilled...I ate two hot dogs. Gross, but so good. probably two of these also...but counting isn't allowed on holidays so it was legal.

there were salads and chips and fruit and veggies (see not all bad...), and also LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF THESE!!!

I brought over what I thought was a ton (bottle rockets, mortars, roman candles, tons of random little ariel things, pop its, fountains)...but then David brought over a huge bag of them also. So that made even MORE.  And see David fortunately lives in Vancouver...and bought this lucky deal he found on like Sharing Spree or Groupon or one of those things...a grab bag of fireworks for $20 (with a $67 or something dollar value).  It was money well spent let me tell you!! Mortars, and roman candles, and other random things that shot in the air, ground blooms, smoke bombs, and fountains...And then to top it off...another party guest pulled out a huge box of tricks from his trunk.  And by huge I'm talking like HU-GEEE. with like REAL firecrackers and loud stuff. Like Indian Reservation stuff...double mortars and crazy rocket shooting things...I'm a pyro...and this was even out of my league!! But I still loved it (I maybe just watched those from a distance)

Hayley and I spent pretty much 6 of 7 hours straight lighting off fireworks. We were really into it.  and you know us...when we get into something we become obsessed.

 
even to the point of holding lit smoke bombs and spelling stuff...can you read it??

oh hey griffy!! and this is Kelly's dog.  He lives at the blue house. I didn't get a picture but they had 2 others over for the festivities! All in their matching dog bandanas.  Yeah you read that right 3 BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOGS!! At one party.  They rocked.

and to top off the night...from the deck we had the most incredible view of all of Portland AND Vancouver.  Talk about a view of unreal fireworks...plus we got to see Fort Vancouver's AND the Waterfront's.

Cheer's to another year America!! All and all, we are one lucky nation in this world of ours. Happy Birthday!