Our 4th of July celebration actually begins on the evening prior.  Every year, our local Northcoast Symphonic Band has its last concert for the season on July 3rd. It is especially important because my kids' grandfather (Bob) plays euphonium in the band and is fairly well-known in these parts among the music community.  He's written music for the band and solos quite often, as he did on this night.  He played a double-belled euphonium, which is hard to explain but awesome to hear.  I'm getting ahead of myself .... after the usual hurry and scurry to get everyone spiffed up and to the concert, we arrived in time to hear the pre-concert band.  It was a 3-piece band plus a singer.  Grandpa Bob is in this band also, playing trombone.  He's amazing.  Anyway, they were playing big band music, which I love (reminds me of the music my parents loved to listen to) and we all enjoyed listening.  They even played "Route 66", and I turned to my dh and said, "Hey, a Depeche Mode tune!" (FYI: "Route 66" is a tune from the 60's and has been redone numerous times - DM's version happens to be my fav.)  Dh smiled politely.  I digress.  Don't I always.  So, when this pleasant little band was finished, we were all in the mood for more great music.  This concert is all about stars and stripes and America.  It's great.  My favorite part of the 4th. This large orchestra is made up of community players and they are sooo good.  They played mostly patriotic songs, which I love to have my kids hear and learn and I love to hear as well.  Mixed in were a few slower, melodic numbers, one being a medley of "California Dreamin'/Monday, Monday" by the Mama and the Papas, a group I loved when I was a kid - I was singing along!  I told my kids that The Harbor Master (Denny) sang in the band that sang this song - they were wide-eyed at that bit of info!  Sadly, The Harbor Master (from Theodore Tugboat on PBS) died awhile back - I cried hard.  Anyway, back to the concert.  Are you still with me?  There is a very special moment during this concert when they play a medley of military anthems, to honor those who have served or are serving in the military.  They invite those honored men and women to stand when their particular theme is played.  Also invited to stand, are the families of those special people.  I have the honor of standing for the Army (my stepdad) and the Marines (my dad) and it's always a teary-eyed moment.  It's so cool to look around at the audience, so many people stand up, it's amazing how many, many people serve in the various branches of our military.  We applaud for each group.  I love the look in the elderly gentlemen's faces, you can see so much emotion in their eyes, they truly served their country with their heart.  This is the reason for the 4th. This is what I want to convey to my kids.  Patriotism, even when you feel your country isn't perfect - is there any country that is?  Loyalty, honor, respect, love of country and man.  All these things come to my mind during this part of the concert.  You have no idea ... anyway, we enjoyed our evening and my kids were better behaved this year than ever.  What a blessing!  We were very proud of grandpa Bob when he did his solo on the double belled euphonium.  He's good with a crowd, so professional.  My son, Chad, had his evening program autographed by his grandpa, as well as the conductor and guest conductor.  I would love to see Chad play in the band with his grandpa someday (grandpa teaches Chad euphonium).

In reality, the 4th is the anticlimax for me, after this concert.  It's a rushed day of doing crafts with my younger kids, teaching about the flag, Uncle Sam, songs, where and why fireworks were made (the questions came fast and furious from our 6 yo).  Making potato salad, barbequing knockwurst (are you kidding - give me a veggie dog!) and my dh's famous beans.  We did a simple meal this year, dh had to work tonight and I was wanting less work.  The 3:00 town parade, consisting mostly of every available fire truck, police car, forestry vehicle, coast guard whatever, blaring their sirens the whole way and throwing candy to the kids - oh, boy!  The coast guard helicopter flyover is always fun.  There were actually 2 llamas in this year's parade - a step up for our community.  Forgive me, I'm just not a parade person.  I mean, as a kid growing up in So. Cal, I never went to the Rose Parade in Pasadena - shame on me!  Our family just wasn't into parades.  My dh, on the other hand, went to the Huntington Beach parade every year, it was a family tradition.  So, even though I grumble every year, we go to the parade because my dh says it's fun.  The verdict is still out on that one.  At dusk, we set off our own fireworks and for once, we had no scared-to-death kids.  There were years I sat in the van in our driveway with our little ones because they were so afraid of the noise and sparks.  Not this year!  Then at 10:00 pm, our town shoots off fireworks from a barge on the river.  This is the best part of the day and a great way to end the 4th.  A quiet crowd (no rowdies this year), just the ooohs and aaaahs at great displays.  We had no wind and clear skies - it was perfect.