We Love America...

Or at least I do, and I am determined to make my kids all feel the same.

For those of you who don't know, I am a FREAK about the 4th of July. It is my favorite holiday, and always has been. There is just something about the BBQs, the fireworks, the picnics, the parades, the water games, the patriotic music, and my favorite part: the jets that fly over to start a parade! Oooh, gives me chills just thinking about it. I seriously LOVE the Fourth!

So, I decided this year to do something fun with my kids (and they will have fun whether they like it or not!) For Family Home Evening last night we made those little paper chains so they can rip one off every day until the Fourth. They turned out so cute! Bill went to the store and bought some little flags that we could attach the chains to and I already had some fun garland stuff to wrap around the flags and attach the chains with. Then when the chains are all ripped off, the kids have a fun flag to wave at the parade. This is what they looked like:

And this is Rylee making hers:

And this is where we hung them. Kind of a cute decoration, don't you think?! Rylee is such a ham!

So, with our chains, the kids get to rip one off every day until the Fourth, and each day that they rip one off, we will do something related to the Fourth to help them appreciate it more and learn about it. Just in case you are interested, here is a list of a few of the ideas I have:

~ Write a letter to someone who is currently serving in the military

~ Make Fourth of July hair bows

~ Get a Fourth of July outfit

~ Take sidewalk chalk outside and draw a huge flag on the driveway

~ Listen to and learn the songs on Janeen Brady's Take Your Hat Off When The Flag Goes By and take the quiz about America at the end of the book.

~ Talk about Francis Scott Key and the Star Spangled Banner

~ Talk about and show the kids the different flags throughout America's history and talk about Betsy Ross.

~ Make a flag

~ Paint the girls' nails with patriotic nail polish and give Hayden patriotic animal cookies

~ Listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's patriotic songs cd to hear the songs of all the different branches of the military and talk about each branch.

~ Make the fireworks candy cup I make every year for people I visit teach, but this year the kids will make some! They are super cute! (Instructions: Fill a large blue or red SOLO cup with candy. Get three pieces of Twizzlers licorice and cut the tips off of the top of them and stick them down into the cup so they stick out kind of looking like fuses. Then wrap the whole thing with clear cellophane and tie with either red, white, and blue curling ribbon or with the same kind of garland kind of stuff I used on the flags. Then make sure the fuses are sticking out the top and stick a match in the top of each one to finish the look.) They are darling, and yes, I did think this one up all by myself - and I'm so proud of it that I make it every dang year. My poor family is probably so tired of them! I will post pictures when we make them!

~ I want to talk about our freedom and have the kids all write on stars reasons they are thankful to live in America and put those all over their bedroom walls.

So those are some of my ideas, and I am really hoping that the kids will want to keep it gong even after the Fourth is over.

But we kind of started last night after they were done making their chains. We talked about the flag itself and why it has 13 stripes and 50 stars and about respect for the flag. Then we turned on the first song on Take Your Hat Off When The Flag Goes By, which is a great marching song and they took turns using the extra flag (we didn't make a chain for Kate) to "lead their parade." It was cute to see.

Hayden couldn't quite figure out how to march and wave the flag at the same time.

Lana was kind of a "flag hog," but the other kids were good sports about it.

And Kate was dressed patriotic, but was NOT in a patriotic mood. She wanted to go to sleep! Poor girl!

Then we had those Mothers Frosted Animal Cookies (the ones that are usually pink and white - but we got the red, white, and blue ones) for treats, and the kids were so excited! Maybe I will get them just as pumped about the 4th of July as I am! Wish me luck!:)