"....solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."--John Adams in a letter to his wife dated July 3, 1776.  It's just after 11:00pm and I feel it safe to say we can count another holiday as having officially passed.  So how did we fare in accordance with what Mr. Adams felt would surely be requisite observance of our nation's independence?

Let's see..... 

Pomp and parade.  No parade this year however, I tender that with three of my five Z's falling into the category of not a guy there was plenty of pomp.  Case in point.  The dress up box.  The God of Rain did his best to dampen our Indepence Day spirits with frequent short showers interspersed throughout the day.  Rather than be dismayed at the inclement weather my girls turned to the dress up box.  Nothing brings back that little ray of sunshine like a three year old and a six year old re-enacting The Little Mermaid and Cinderella at the same time.  Lots of pomp!

Shows.  Did I mention the re-enactment of The Little Mermaid and Cinderella?  Oh, oh, and the DIY network had a build an outdoor kitchen marathon going on and I was able to catch an episode during one of the downpours.

Games.   It took me just over forty five minutes to clean up the study and living room this evening.  Toys, balls, crayons and all manner of stuffed animals spread all around the house.  I think we can safely say, "There were games."

Sports.  Let me see......Oh, on my way up the channels to the aforementioned DIY Network we paused briefly to catch the score of a Reds/Giants game.  My son asked who we were rooting for.  After a lengthy discussion of why I really could care less about who was winning as: #1 I'm not a baseball fan and b) Even if I was, I don't really like either of those teams.  He was buying into none of such talk.  In his mind, if two teams play a game you are somehow contractually bound to root for one of them. We picked the Reds because we live in Ohio and he found a cardinal feather in the yard yesterday.

Guns.  My wife and I are pretty solid on this one issue.  No guns.  We do not own them nor do we feel a need to rush out and purchase one.  I don't hunt.  OK. There was that one time.  But it was a borrowed gun and I never even fired it.  Honestly, I'm not even sure the thing was loaded.  I actually had an entire herd of deer sneak up on me from behind.  No lie.  I was watching some squirrels playing on the branches in front of me and had put the gun down for some morning coffee and an apple.  I heard noises behind me but just thought it was more of those pesky squirrels.  When I finally did look down there were about seven deer at the base of my tree all looking up in utter amazement at the dork eating breakfast in their woods.  No Guns!

Bells.  The church just across the river from us has the most beautiful bells.  They chime every hour from 8:00am to 8:00pm.  At noon and six pm they play a little hymn or two.  It's really enjoyable when you are outside and the sounds from those bells come drifting over the yard. 

Bonfires.  Sorry, John.  No fires.  Did I mention that it rained off and on throughout the day?  Our big plan for the Independnece Day celebration was to go the the park.  The village has a veritable festival every July 4th.  There are rock walls, train rides, games, slushes, jungle gyms and over thirteen hundred barbequed chickens.  Everyone in the village shows up.  Always a very good time!  We eventually made it to the park this afternoon but not until after my four year old bolted out of the door and onto the deck during one of the downpours pleading, "Come on God! Please stop the rain so we can go to the park."

Illuminations.  Nothing says Happy Independence Day like setting off sixty to seventy thousand dollars worth of fireworks.  For a small village, I have to say I'm very proud of our July 4th Fireworks display.  It didn't get started until about 10:00pm but I feel it was well worth the wait.  We had come back home from the park and were grilling my world famous steaks and brats.  (That's right.  The grill.  Fire.  We did fire) The plan was a nice leisurely picnic style dinner on the deck, clean up, bathe the twins, get them to bed and sit out in the yard to watch the fireworks.  God decided we needed just a tad bit more rain and we were forced to move the picnic indoors.  The rest of the plan went off without a hitch.  My oldest three Z's had an absolute blast.  Prior to the big show they played more princess games, chased fireflys and ooh'ed and ahh'ed at the bats swirling around us.  After the big finale, I had no problems getting three very tired and satisfied kids to bed.

So, Mr. Adams, all in all, I think we did a pretty good job in keeping with your wishes of observing our nation's independence.