Fourth of July in Our Small Town Community
As I wrote, I ended up going in a completely different direction!
We are so lucky to live in a pocket of the suburbs that maintains a small town, main street America feel. I remember when this community was first being built, and we complained that it was like the Stepford Wives. But, now we live in said community, and I appreciate everything about it.
It’s hard to feel like a small town when you live in one of the massive suburbs of one of the largest cities in the country, but we manage! All the neighborhood streets quiet and tree-lined with wide sidewalks. The houses are beautiful, there are community pools and a Village Green at the end of Main Street where the Founder’s Day events are held.
This was one of the reasons we wanted to move here. We wanted some place that we felt connected that offered activities, opportunities and events that we could enjoy as a family. I know for the kids, the idea of living in the community where they attend school was a huge factor. They have never had that before. With all the charter schools and open enrollments, it’s so common to have friends that live 20 minutes away. The days of all the kids in the neighborhood all sitting in class together are long gone.
As with any small town, festivals and activities are a huge part of the community. So, what a better day to come together than Independence day!
Little 12 wasn’t very happen when I woke her up just after 8 this morning though. I can’t really blame her, not really sure why the parade had to start at 8:30, but it was only a block from out house. I felt we were obligated to attend the parade at least this year. Next year sleep may win out.
The parade was cute, but it was just a bunch of golf carts and a few bicycles. Not sure that it was worth waking up early for it. Who knew there were so many different types of golf carts, and I don’t think half of them would actually be seen on the golf course. Like the golf cart limo? Unless there is a party at the 9th hole, not sure what use that would serve. And the car seats in the golf carts. It’s a sight that always makes me take a double take. Safety first, but it’s just so weird to me.
After the parade, we came home to get ready to go back to the community pool party. It really wasn’t a pool party, there is a little park area in front of the community pool (again just a 2 block walk from our house) where they set up two HUGE inflatable water slides and several other smaller ones for the little, little kids. Leading up to it, 15 was adamant that he WOULD NOT go down one of the slides. Well, 12 and I had to race, so the boys watched and recorded.
From the ground the slides looked really high and they definitely had a steep drop, but it wasn’t until we were actually at the top that I was like omg, this is so steep. It was a straight drop. I’m definitely not to proud to say that I did indeed scream on the way down, and after all that 12 still beat me! We raced again. I didn’t scream. I still lost. Little 12, being all proud of herself on her slide wins, gave her little puppy dog eyes to her brother when he continued to refuse to go down, but he finally agreed to race her. I knew he’d end up going down the slide, just sayin’. He doesn’t like heights and said he felt the same way I did when he got to the top. But, he made it down and beat her.
Thankfully, everyone seemed to have a good time even though it was hot and the humidity from the storm the night before still hung in the air making it a little uncomfortable. As the kids get older, it’s harder and harder to get them to participate in things like this. They are all into their “teenage” stuff…you know video games and YouTube! We at times get a little grief and complaints and sighs and “do I have to”s, but in the end, I want to make as many memories as I can with them. Three years from right now we will be preparing to send 15 off to college and will be doing college visits for 12. So, I definitely don’t feel bad if I’m making them participate in “forced family fun.”
Ending the night with an amazing fireworks display is a non-negotiable for me, and thankfully the fireworks did not disappoint. It was a great 25 minute show that had a spectacular finale. Sitting on the Golf Course right there near where they were setting them off allowed for clear and unobscured viewing. It was a little scary, because the whole area where the fireworks were getting launched from was red, like the ground was putting off some nasty radioactive gas. The one misfire that exploded on the ground scared 12, but it was all good and everything was done with perfection!
Lessons Learned:
Not every adventure is going to work out. Not every activity or event that comes along will go over as well as I may want or hope, but I have learned over the years that sometimes you just have to force kids out of their comfort zones to do things, go on adventures and trips and explore. It’s so easy to get caught up in the craziness of life - work, school, sports, going to the gym, and other things that require our time that make it a little more challenging to balance everything, but it is so important that when the opportunities arise that you take advantage of them.
I love exploring and adventuring, and even though what we have done today isn’t impressive like hiking Mt. Everest, it was time spent together. The Fourth of July is just another day, but it’s fun to watch fireworks and have an excuse to just randomly go down a waterslide. Take advantage of the little things. You do enough little things and they become big things. Not all adventures have to be rafting on the rivers of the Colorado River or spelunking wherever there are caves to go spelunking in. We have time for that, and I know that we will be those parents who will still want to do family trips and adventures with our kids even when they are grown with families of their own. The best part of that is that they can help pay for it!!!!!
I hope everyone had great Independence Day and has also learned the importance for taking advantage of even the smallest moments.