It’s been so long since I have sat down and wrote a good old fashion family blog post. Life with three kids has definitely meant when they were all babies I could blog about our everyday life in between feeds and nap times. Fast forward ten years, now I am constantly chasing the clock to share the bare minimum in between taxi driving two teenagers and one primary school kid that has a better social life than me and more sports than he knows what do with. I share gadgets and brands we love and holiday destination that we come back raving about but I miss sitting down and just writing about them specifically and for no reason other than to document their childhood.
Yesterday was the 4th of July. One of my favorite holidays growing up in America. I have only had the pleasure of taking my two older kids to America three times during 4th of July. At a time, they were far too young to ever remember, sadly. A time when we weren’t confined to school holidays and term time. As soon as my eldest started school, that was it we could visit America until school got out at the end of July.
I remember the parades through our small town were the hottest event of summer time. Since we get out of school in June, it was something to look forward to. The BBQs, the parade, the town fireworks display, gathering with friends and family for big 4th of July parties. The 4th of July teats, like Rice Krispy Stars, Watermelon Cake, Chocolate Bark and more. As an adults it was even better with all the themed 4th of July drinks. I really wish my kids as teenagers and at an age they would remember such festivities could do it all with me again.
That hasn’t stopped me from making my own traditions with my family here in the UK.I may not be able to give them big firework displays or parades but boy howdy do we still celebrate the 4th every year. We decorate the house in red, white and blue every we have flags in corner. We do 4th of July crafts and games.
The kids go to school with treats and mini flags for their classmates. We have had the best experience with my kids’ primary school, they have always made the day themed around 4th of July for us. From word searches for spelling practice to even explaining the holiday and why Americans celebrate it to the whole class.
We have a flag that I have put out every year on the 4th that’s 6 feet tall it’s now 18 years old. It’s always the first thing the kids help me with is getting our flag up. When they come home from school, we put on our red, white and blue and make some treat like the ones mentioned above. Once we are done baking I make homemade burgers, homemade fries, fruit salad, and watermelon cake. Sometimes we light the fire pit or do sparklers depending on the weather.
I am hoping it’s something the kids keep doing as they grow up. I really hope that one day they do it with their own kids too. Pass on the tradition of the holiday that even though we don’t live in American anymore, we are still American and therefore they can keep the tradition alive in their own families even if they live in the UK.
What are some of your family traditions for the 4th of July or if you don’t celebrate the 4th of July like we do perhaps some other holiday you celebrate? What is your country’s famous holiday that you would keep alive if you moved abroad?
