Ahhh, it's that time of year again.  When color-coordinated outfits are anything but cheesy, and suddenly red, white and blue is such an attractive color scheme.  We celebrated the 4th of July like everyone else, with a small-town parade and a BBQ, and blah, blah blah.  I'll just show you some pictures.



   The 4th of July color scheme also conveniently lets me sport my Braves hat, and so of course any situation in which that is seasonal-attire-appropriate is a major plus.  Major plus, get it?  I am just so punny. 
  Charlotte, you just slay me.  And look at you, being so color-coordinating with the 4th of July, what with your strawberry blonde curls, fair skin and blue eyes.  You made a royal mess with that watermelon, but that's what summer is all about, right?  Letting children get messy and dirty and sun-burned occasionally. :(  Mama was a genius and didn't put sunscreen on your aforementioned fair skin, and you burned your poor little cheeks pink at the parade.  You forgive me though, right??


   What's more all-American than a burger and a good ol' sauerkraut dog?  A fruit pizza that looks like a flag, maybe, but it's hard to top that. 



   If you want some well-written, deeper thoughts about celebrating the birth of our country than pictures of cute babies with flags, than head over here. 

   I don't know about the rest of you, but the 4th of July is on a fast track to competing for Gold for holidays in my book.  Thanksgiving is Randy's favorite and I always thought mine was Christmas because....hello, Christmas!!  But I'm starting to re-think things, and it is just shaking my world.  Kidding.  But really, think about it.  The 4th has all the fun of other holidays and arguably more because it has the BEST WEATHER.  It has the good food, the fun with family and friends, (actually, more fun with friends because on other holidays you're just expecting to hop around to like, 7 family things)  it's casual, and we all know that is a win/win, it has a color scheme for outfits that isn't actually cheesy, and most wonderfullest of ALL.................there's no presents!  NO need to rush around and find that one perfect, sentimental gift that says all the things you don't know how or didn't even know you were supposed to feel, or that one that topped the one last year, or that perfect obscure-something-they've-been-looking-for-forever....there's just no pressure for any of that.

   I mean, maybe it's because I'm not very good at gift-giving that I naturally gravitate toward any holiday that #1, gives an excuse to throw a party and #2, let's you color-coordinate and #3, does not require you to give presents to every known (or unknown) relative in your address book! 

And THAT is how the 4th of July is quickly becoming my favorite holiday.  Except I'm not quite ready to dethrone Christmas.  Although, ask me after a few more years of trying to squeeze in a certain girl's birthday party 5 days before it, and I may just change my mind once and for all. 
   




God bless 'Merica.