My 4th of July

This year, we celebrated my second 4th of July at my Great-grands' home.
They always give me a Grand time!
Ooma played Patty-cakes with me and made me laugh.

Oompa gave me a little flag, and led me in our mini-parade.

Daddy stuck the flag in my hair!

Me and Daddy, by the pool.

He took me swimming.

After dinner, we went to the park with our cousins
to listen to a band and watch some fireworks.

The music was LOUD . . .

. . . and so were the fireworks. But, I wasn't even a little bit afraid.
When daddy tried to cover my ears, I wriggled out of his arms.

I'd rather watch the fireworks on my back, like this.
Yes, glow sticks and all. :)

I hope you had a Happy 4th ~ be sure to let me know if you enjoyed my guest post!

Love,
Mikaela

SNOW DAY!

Tiny balls of hail were gently falling around us as we went out for groceries the evening before last. Imagine our surprise as we left Krogers a mere 30 minutes later. The entire parking lot was covered in a blanket of white. Strangers beside us swore under their breaths.

The less prepared shoppers among us scraped their buried cars with gloves and plastic bags. We thankfully reached for our ice-picker to do the same.

White flakes pelted down all day, and all night. For forty days and forty nights, It Snowed. And snowed. and snowed. We got snow!

Aaron and I woke up yesterday, feeling like Christmas. But since it wasn't, we enjoyed the next best thing: Snow Day! And school, of course, was closed.

Here, Aaron opens the door in search of his morning paper. There was none. But he just had to stick his hand out to test how deep the snow was. ;-) Hey, after all . . . snow doesn't usually accumulate that much under this roof-covered walkway.

I told Aaron I wanted to see how deep the snow was out there. Then, I did The Stupid by sprinting out (as much as one can sprint and flounder) without any warm clothes. :-P

Oh, I'll say it was about boot-high.

There's Aaron.

. . . and there's his "Snow Angel". Which, I thought would have been more aptly called his "Caution Radiation Sign".

Last but not least, that's the more-sensibly-dressed yours truly,

~ Mrs. Arcfide

Happy All Hallow's Eve

I grew up boycotting Halloween, sincerely believing that it was "Satan's holiday". This article that I read last year, together with this article, drastically changed my perspective and opened my mind to celebrating October 31st as All Hallow's Eve - the antecedent to a glorious All Saints Day.

As one of the authors clearly stated, the calendar of the Satanists is a perversion of Christian seasons - there would be no Satanists if Christians were not around. Until we cease to cower in fear and take dominion of what is God's and ours, the Evil One will continue to have his heyday.

What better way to repudiate him than to embrace this holiday with mirth and delight?

Yes, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. And to a marvelous time at Harvest Parties with both families and friends... because it's Hallow's Eve.

~ Mrs. Arcfide