New Salem 4th of July

This week, Allie is taking a photography class in a town about 30 minutes away from us.  Since I don't want to drive an extra hour going back and forth, I've set up office at the local Panera.  

And because I've got some time, I decided that I would take a few minutes before I get started on work and share some pics from our 4th of July in North Georgia.  

We drove over on Friday, June 30th. 

 My kids were excited about getting to spend several days with their cousins.  

My Mom and Step Dad live on the bluff of Lookout Mountain, so we enjoyed supper and shot some fireworks off their back deck.  

This picture was taken before one of the fireworks came back toward us instead of going off the bluff.  That ran most of us in the house!  

On Saturday, July 1 - New Salem (the community on top of Lookout Mountain where I grew up) had it's annual BBQ and Fireworks celebration.

We had some great BBQ for lunch and then went home to rest for a while. 

We then went back to the celebration that evening to enjoy some music and watch the fireworks.

Bradford and Brady

Holden and his slushie. 

Selfie while we waited on the fireworks.

As we waited on it to get dark, a big storm rolled in and people scattered.

We went and got in my Dad's truck and waited for a bit.

But got out to watch the fireworks.

Thankfully, we got to watch the whole show. 

Just a couple of shots of the fireworks!

On Sunday, we went to the church I grew up in and then my sister and I went shopping for a while. 

On Monday, we all went to the movies.  

My Step Dad let Allie drive his car and some of us down the mountain.  

I am not sure I will survive being the mom of drivers.  

How do people do this?!?!

That evening, we went out to supper to celebrate my Dad's birthday.

We went to Foodworks in Chattanooga.  

The food was delicious and the company was great.

We had a great night.

This is my Dad and his girlfriend with the grand kids (minus one. He was in Gatlinburg with friends).

This one is of the kids and the parents.

My brother and sister and I with out Dad and Sandra and her son and daughter.

Even though they aren't technically related to us, we love them and consider them all family.

When I was growing up, my mom's family had a tradition of going to the creek that ran through our great grandfather's land every 4th of July.

My sister and I had big plans to take our kids to the creek and see lots of extended family.

But it had rained so much that the creek was going to be way up and potentially running too swiftly to get in, so we decided against taking the change and hiking the mile down (and more importantly back up the mountain) just to stand there if the water was too high.  Maybe next year......

We did go to my aunt's house for lunch with several aunts, uncles and cousins.   

We missed those of you who weren't there! 

A few pics of the fun.

My brother and sister and I. 

These kiddos had a blast running around and playing in the mud. 

This sweet picture is of my 92 year old grandmother (soon to be 93) talking with my nephew about coming to her house.  

My grandmother has 12 grandchildren.  Only 5 of us were there on this day.  

We really missed the rest of you! 

We were all truly blessed to have grown up so close together.  We saw each other at least once a week at Granny's house and most of us went to school together.  

That evening we had another celebration at my Mom's house.

Lillie and my niece, Miss Caroline, were attached at the hip. 

So sweet.

The kids had fun drawing all over Grammy and Granddaddy's driveway!

Then came time for more fireworks! First up, sparklers!

Then, on to the back porch to shoot more of the "big ones" off the bluff.

It was a wonderful trip with loads of  loud family fun!