Well the Annual Super-Duper-Shubert-Coopster 4th of July Celebration (that's what I'm officially naming it, ha) was a blast. We got in quite a bit of swimming before a (thankfully brief) thunderstorm chased us into the house - which was fine, since it was time to make din anyhow. And chow down on Suz's Deviled Eggs (and sip beer, of course!) while grillin' and chillin'. The storm quickly cleared and the sun again emerged, so we wiped down the chairs and ate our burgers and 'dogs on the deck. (Insert: a plug for Nathan's Famous brand hot dogs, available at Byerly's, hooooey they are fabulous. We decided even better than Hebrew National, another family fav. See what you think...)

When it was time for Suz's Blueberry Kuchen (crisp short-crust topped with a mass of ripe blueberries and baked into a buttery, cinnamon-y, warm-berry crumble, topped with freshly whipped cream, rarrr...), we moved out onto the screened porch so that I could make everyone try out the new cushions I ordered to pull together our hodge-podge of hand-me-down, white -wicker furniture. One chair is from John's parents' East Hampton home (thank you, Dot!), spiffed up with a fresh coat of white paint (thank you, Stacey!) and a new melon-colored pillow. The sofa and other chair are un-matching pieces I bought on clearance. I'm not even sure where the end tables are from, I've been hauling them around with me for years. With a new rug, some sheer curtains, and the white lights/paper lanterns I wrote about a few weeks ago, it's all come together quite inexpensively and nicely, I think. And since I'm the one who loves to hang out there - particularly while eating my lunch - I guess that's what matters most, eh?

So, uff, stuffed full of guacamole and burgers and blueberries, it was time for...fireworks! Yay! I love fireworks, just like a little kid, I clap and ooh and ahh - I can't help myself. I found my face was hurting from smiling through the whole thing! Best part of our fireworks experience is the kids' reactions, especially little Sully's commentary - he notices the most amazing things. Since I don't ever spend the 4th with Nathan (his dad's bday), I'm so happy that I get to spend it with Vivian and Sullivan, and someday Coop de Loop as well!

(Recipes posted in comments, below.)

Happy 4th of July!

Looks to be a lovely day for barbecuing and hanging by the pool - good thing that's our plan! Stacey and Cooper, and Suz, Cory, Vivian, and Sullivan are all coming later this afternoon for some food and fun before we head out on the golf course for fireworks. We didn't know there were fireworks right here in the 'hood the first summer we lived here, but we figured it out pretty fast as we were driving by the entire neighborhood walking toward our house! It's so sweet - no parking, no traffic, just a bag of chips, a cold beer, some bug spray, a chair, and we're out the door, yeeaah.

Simple food today - guaaaahcamole with chips and raw veggies (a nod to moderation; there, I'm done) at the pool; Suz's deviled eggs (she's the deviled egg queen, yum); grilled burgers and dogs with all the fixin's (including a little guac that I set aside, there's is nothing like guac on a burger, The Kill...); a big salad with grilled tomatoes and onions; and Suz's blueberry kuchen for dessert. How fabulously, patriotically red (tomatoes), white (eggs), and blue (kuchen), eh? Hope you have plans for a tasty, Festive 4th as well!