The 4th of July

At this point, the fireworks are iffy.

It rained heavily a couple hours ago, so we’re all waiting to see if the pyrotechnics will be shot off as usual. I hope so! There’s something magical about snuggling on a blanket with a little boy, long after his bedtime, watching fireworks light up the sky.

The boys did, however, get candy — and lots of it. A small town near here (and by “small town,” I mean small. They’ve just revised their population sigh to read, “Not many.”) that hosts an annual 4th of July parade. It’s nothing fancy — firetrucks, tractors, teenage beauty queens, a couple floats and a band — but none of that matters to the boys. To the boys, the July 4th parade is all about candy.

By 8 am, they had their candy bags picked out: a paper grocery bag for Boy #4, double-bagged plastic grocery bags for Boy #3 (“in case one gets a hole”) and a heavy-duty plastic library bag for Boy #2. Not that I blame them. The July 4th parade was always my favorite too.

Now, the candy has been sorted into little piles. Boy #3 has his candy in multiple plastic containers while Boy #2’s bag is heavily guarded and ready to take up to the fireworks tonight. (This child was planning the snack menu by 9 am this morning.)

They boys are currently resting up and keeping their fingers crossed. (Thanks, uncles, for keeping the boys entertained at our afternoon cookout.) With any luck, the fireworks will proceed as scheduled and we’ll oooh and aaaah surrounded by family — and candy.

Enjoy your 4th!

The Building Boys Bulletin

The Building Boys Bulletin Newsletter gives you the facts, encouragement, and inspiration you need to help boys thrive. Written by Jennifer L.W. Fink, mom of four sons and author of Building Boys: Raising Great Guys in a World That Misunderstands Males, Building Boys Bulletin includes:

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“I learned a lot about helping boys thrive over the past 20+ years — most of it the hard way! I’m eager to share what I’ve learned to make your path a little easier.”   – Jennifer

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4 Responses

  1. Hi Jenny,

    Fun post and an accurate description of our fourth as well. We often attend the parade in Elizabeth’s home town. The younger kids love the fire trucks and, as you wrote, go wild for the candy. This year was no exception.

    Love the photo. You captured the moment beautifully.

  2. Hi Jenny: Thanks for your reply. Happily, I am able to post comments if I view your blog through Internet Explorer. Mysterisouly, FireFox does not permit such me to post comments. I prefer FireFox, but your blog merits the extra effort :).

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