As of Friday evening, I wasn't even positive what we were going to do to celebrate the 4th of July. However, yesterday turned out to be just about perfect in my eyes.
My wife had been planning to go garage sale-ing (probably not a word) with her sister yesterday morning, but 
that didn't work out. I offered to go instead, since I actually enjoy this, as long as I don't have to start at 6:30am. :)
We left the house around 9am, and spent 3 hours picking up some amazing deals on books, clothes, toys, and more. We spent about $18 total and ended up with a vanload of new stuff. The kids were thrilled to get an armload each. Not too shabby.
We had a great and healthy lunch at Souper Salad in Round Rock, and my two older daughters are apparently both experiencing a growth spurt, since they ate several plates full of food. In fact, I think our 8-year-old ate more than I did!
After that, we went shopping for some nice patio furniture at a couple of specialty stores. We are in the midst of working with a contractor to cover our patio in the next month or two, since we've lived here for almost seven years and never really used it that much. We found some great stuff which will frankly make me feel like entertaining more often! The daybed that we bought seems like the type of thing I have only seen in magazines or movies before now.
After finishing up at the furniture place, we headed home to grab a bite before the fireworks show nearby. I cooked my signature dish, "Noodlemania" (my son named it), then we loaded up and headed to Lake Pflugerville for fireworks. Thankfully, we live in an area that enables us to take the back way and avoid traffic, so we were seated with 15 minutes of leaving our house. The show was awesome again - this is the second year for this particular event. Even our baby enjoyed the fireworks, surprisingly. I was concerned that the noise would bother her.
We ended up running into our former next-door neighbors so we sat with them. It was nice getting a chance to catch up - I still can't believe that their son is graduating next year, since I first met him when he was two years old!
We got home around 10pm, got the kids to bed at a reasonable hour, and spent some time watching "This American Life" before we went to bed.
All things considered, that was one of my favorite days in awhile. No stress - just special time with my family.
Thanks for reading!
Photo above via Flickr.com from lepetitsaboteur.
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I call it junkin and I love to go myself (just not at 6:30 am either) You can get some amazing deals. Glad your non plans turned out great.
Quality time with the family is what those special memories are made of. I love to yard sale and usually go every weekend. My husband only joins me once or twice, that's his limit. We have our fireworks tonight. They are usually on the 3rd and were postponed due to rain. I am really looking forward to them. They are usually awesome...Portsmouth puts a lot of money into the display and takes great pride in having the best show around. Happy 4th!!
I just love to turn off my phone and chill out after a full day of work. Good to hear that you spent time with your family, that's what its all about in life.
Jason... I wouldn't mind garage sale-ing (Jason Crouch's word), if I don't have to wake up at 6:30 am... 9 am is very respectable. ;o) But getting out there around 8 am would be very good. In any case, sounds like a good day and glad the fireworks went well.
Jason,
Did you find any garages for sale?
Brenda and I enjoy garage sale-ing, we always ask do you want to sell the grage? How much for the yard? Every once in a while some one does!
Yard sale-ing is great for real estate people it an easy way of prospecting, if you follow those damn signs you'll see real estate on streets you'd other wise never drive. You'll see FSBO's you'd have missed, abandon and dilapidated houses all of witch represent opportunity.
When talking to seller's junk or yard if they don't want to sell ask if they know anyone that does. Always leave them your card! Always! If they're frindly try "I've got a problm and I could use your help. I need listing in this area, if you hear of anyone wanting to sell would you ask them to call me?"
Over the years we've made allot of money from yard sale-ing! Had alot of fun bought some bargains.
Thanks for sharing, I always enjoy your family stories.
Bill
Jason, Sounds like the perfect day! I don't mind going to garage sales, but rarely do. Who wants to get up that early? LOL....9 would work for me as well.
You'll have to show us pic's of the new covered porch when complete. You'll love it. We live on our back covered porch!
Jason, sounds like a very informal, restful, casual day for you and your family and getting to socialize with old friends. That's a good day in my book!!
Jason...Sounds like a great family day to me. As long as you are together, it doesn't matter a lot as to what you do!
Jason:
That is awesome. You are always busy but make time for your family as well. Have a great week!
I love garage saling too (sp?) except didn't go. Sounds like you have an awesome time! ~Rita
Sounds like a great day out with the family Jason. As for 4th of July deals... there are always TONS.
Glad you had a great time Jason! I wish we had gotten in sooner......it was midnight before we got home and this kids were VERY tired when it got time to wake them up for church! It gets dark so late here, that we didn't even start fireworks till after 10.
Hi Jason! Sounds like you had a wonderful Fourth! Is that photo of your home? If so, I just love that view from your rocking-chair front porch; what a beautiful area you live.
Have a great week!
Well, I fortunately or unfortunately discovered Lapbooking at the last homeschool convention! So I spent the 4th teaching our son about the Revolutionary war and Independence Day and the Declaration of Independence and then we made a really cool lapbook about what he learned! I am hooked!
It poured down rain so bad that we did not this year go and treck through mud and such to watch our city fireworks. Been there, done that, getting tired of the rain on the fourth of July:)We had a great time just hanging out at home.
I am glad you had such a great time!
Hi Jason, Sounds like you had a great 4th! I would like to know what's in your signature dish, Noodlemania...you can't just throw out a name like that and not explain it :-)
Have a great day,
Anne Rains
Family time is great!!! We spent Friday with my family, in Columbus Ohio. We watched the fireworks downtown there, and I am glad we did, as it was pouring on Saturday here when we got home!
Anne - My signature dish includes canned chicken, bowtie pasta, and Colonel Crouch's secret blend of herbs and spices. :)
Jason,
It sounds like it was a busy day for you! I also sounds like a great day! I also spent the day with my family and friends and enjoyed every moment!
Have a wonderful week!
Judy
Don't you just love days like that??!? Sheer heaven on earth. We spent our heaven on earth on the beach in Venice, FL, watching the night sky light up with fireworks, serenaded by the song of the sea.
What a blessing.
I haven't seen a "garage sale" since I left Texas in 1993. However, because we don't have the daily afternoon thundershowers out here, we do have a lot of "yard sales."
Hope you had lots of Fun, Food, Fireworks, and Fellowship with Family and Friends on the Fourth!