at Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids
(Photos by Hanna, comments by Lori)
The 4th of July is a big, big holiday in the U.S. It's the day we celebrate our independence from Great Britain, so essentially it's our country's birthday.
My (Lori) family, along with Hanna and Hyunkwan, gathered as we usually do on the 4th--at Reed's Lake in East Grand Rapids. The celebration there retains a "small-town" feel that we associate with this day. People gather on blankets with picnic baskets while a band plays in the background.
We find a spot on the grass and lay out our food, then we wander along the lake. We are always surprised at how many friends we see there--Hanna and Hyunkwan found that to be true, also!
You'll find our country's colors--red, white and blue--in abundance on the 4th of July.
This nice man was proud to show his patriotism! (And look how nicely Hyunkwan and Hanna match his outfit! Too bad they didn't have big hats, though!)
Here's the whole gang (minus Hanna, who was taking the picture). Why are we smiling? Because there was a lot of yummy food in front of us!
The little girl on the blanket nearest to us was fascinated by Hanna!
It's beginning to get dark. In the background a band is playing and people are singing. Boats are all around the lake, and in the background you can see lanterns floating into the sky.
And then the time we've all been waiting for . . . fireworks!!
With booms . . .
. . . and crackles . . .
. . . and smoky sizzles . . .
. . . the sky is filled with color! Even the adults can be heard "oohing" and "aahing" over the sight!
It was a fun and festive day, even better because we were able to share our traditions with our new friends! Happy birthday, USA!
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