4th of July Festivities 2014

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I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July festivities and took time to give thanks for the freedoms we have while remembering the sacrifices made to keep them. We had a wonderful time celebrating with friends.

 

Last year G was too little to enjoy the fireworks, and since my hubby was working, she and I stayed home. It's amazing how much she has changed in a year's time.

 

 

 

For the last couple of days G has been on a weird eating kick, as in she's not really eating much of anything...which is NOT our child. From what I've read, this is pretty typical in toddlers, but for a mom of a notoriously good eater, it can be a little concerning (and frustrating). I began our morning with omelets, which she normally loves, but only ate a couple bites, and some fresh fruit, of which she ate about a half cup. (I'm certain most of you could care less about my child's current eating habits, but I also believe a lot of you can relate.)

 

After breakfast we had some family time until G went down for her nap. At that point my hubby and I did a couple things around the house. Since our previous plans of a cookout at a friend's house fell through, we decided to treat ourselves to the savory goodness of a local BBQ restaurant. The establishment is fairly new...and by the taste of their food, they should have no trouble sticking around for a long time. If you are ever in the area, you should definitely stop by Smokehouse Henry's*. You will not be disappointed!

 

(stock photo)

 

The Messy Pig (pulled pork-AMAZING!)

Brisket Sandwich

 

After our yummy lunch, we began getting things together for the evening's festivities. Mid-afternoon G went down for her nap and my hubby and I took advantage of her sleep time to get ready ourselves. Once she woke up, we grabbed the rest of our fireworks watching gear, loaded up the Jeep and headed out. We drove a little over an hour to join up with some of our friends. After enjoying some downtime at their house, we headed to Graves Mountain Lodge for fireworks. The show was decent (although we were told it has been much better in years past) and the time together was a blast (no pun intended).

 

 

 

G loved sitting in her chair and playing with the big kids.

 

About this chair...we got her good buddy one for his birthday last year. The other day during our play date, she discovered the chair and loved it! We decided to purchase one for her and it has been a huge hit!

 

 

 

How did you celebrate the 4th?

 

 

7.4.2014

 

 *I was not compensated in any way to share my opinions of any of the mentioned establishments or products.

 

 



Thoughts for Thursday

Holy cow! It's July! Where has the summer gone?! Tuesday, July 1st, was Second Half of the Year Day. I've already heard someone pass along the total of shopping days until Christmas. What?! Also, on ABC Family they are having a "Half-mas Merry-thon" where they are showing some of their Christmas themed movies. Good grief! I'll be sticking my fingers in my ears and humming "This is How We Roll". (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Christmas, but I'm just trying to survive the summer.)

With all that out of the way, I'll be joining Annie and others to officially start my Thoughts for Thursday :)

[1]

As many of you, we will be celebrating 4th of July with friends and a cookout. Last year G was too little to enjoy fireworks. I'm interested to see how she responds this year. She did enjoy the flames at our last hibachi meal...can you say firefighter's daughter? Along with all of the celebrating it is important to remember the cost at which we maintain our freedom. Praise God for those who devote their lives to our freedom and safety.

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[2]

These next two weekends hold a lot of fun and excitement. This weekend we'll be celebrating a very special little boy's 2nd birthday, as well as a milestone birthday for his mom. We can't wait! We'll continue the celebrating the following weekend with the 3rd birthday of another precious little one. I still can't believe that she'll be 3 years old! I remember sitting with her mom just a week after she was born. Time goes by far too quickly.

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[3]

I've begun a new devotional...and I love it! It was given to me by a parent at the end of school. It is filled with truth and comic relief...just what I need. If you are looking for a short daily devotional...this could be the one. Check it out!

Out of the Spin Cycle by Jen Hatmaker



[4]
I found this recipe for Chicken Club Lettuce Wraps earlier this week. I paired them with sweet potato tots and it all made for a delicious meal. When you check out the recipe you'll find that she made a honey mustard dressing to top them off. We opted for ranch. (This is a stock photo from her website. In all the chaos leading up to dinner I didn't get to take a picture of my finished product.)

I have some other 'happenings' coming up that I hope to share with you later. Have a blessed 4th of July!

*I was in no way compensated for my recommendations or opinions.