Red, White, and Blue

There are many things that I love about living here.  Here as in the United States of America.  The U.S.A. 

There are many many things I could list, but I'll suffice with just a few.

We have the choice to practice a religion if we want.  We can believe in a deity, or chose not to.  So long as we are not hurting other humans (or breaking the law), we have religious freedom.

We can dream big dreams and achieve them through hard work and perseverance.  Here a gardener could potentially be a teacher, a doctor, a physicist, or the next president.  All we need to do is work, and we can achieve.  We have the freedom to.  Yes, there will be obstacles to overcome, as with any goal that is worthy of achieving.  But our freedom allows us to have dreams.  Achievable dreams. 

We can go to school.  Here elementary, junior, and high school is free; paid for by taxes.  Not only can we attend school, but many schools are free or there are scholarship programs that one can apply for.  We have the opportunity to get higher learning if we want.  We just have to want to.

We can work.  Yes, anyone, no matter disability or race, can find work here.  Anyone, if they want, and are willing to put forth effort, can have a job (or two or three).

We have emergency services that we can call on any time of day or night.  Hospitals: doctors and nurses and aids who do their utmost to care for the people who walk through the doors.  People who do their best for other's health.  Also, the police.  Men and women who work day and night to keep our neighborhoods and homes safe.  Risking their lives to keep ours safe.  Firefighters who risk their lives to save others from the flames that swallow homes, cars, and forests.

We have a military.  A working military.  Armed forces who are there because they volunteered to be there.  These people defend our country and our freedoms because they want to.  They are not forced, or coerced.  Many have lain down their lives, and many more will, so that our country can stay free.  Those men and women of our armed forces never cease to amaze me.

We have choice in how our country is run.  Our country runs on a democratic system.  Yes, I'll agree with the next person, in that the system has flaws.  But, ultimately, we have the choice.  We get to choose.  We choose by our vote and by our contacting our representatives with our opinions.

We have access to so many things that most of us take for granted: fresh food, fresh water, clothing, shelter, transportation, reading material, medications, Internet, phone services, medical care, and so much more it is impossible to list them all.

We have so much to be grateful for.  All we need to do is look around to realize how much we have.  We (as a country) need to wake up and see how privileged we are. 

We need to be thankful for what we have,

for we have much to be thankful for.

Another Experiment

After a trip to the store to pick up the necessary ingredients, we all took ourselves out to the patio to see what there was to see. 

Fun!  Sticky! 

Messy!  Fascinating! 

Realizing that there is a reason that the reaction is happening and explaining it.  *

I love that our kids love to learn!

*Explanation: the diet coke releases all of its carbonation very rapidly due to the tiny holes (nucleation sites) across the mentos surface.  Nucleation sites are tiny pores that allow a carbon bubble to form.  Mentos, simply put, have thousands of pores on their surface, allowing thousands of bubbles to form nearly simultaneously, causing the soda to erupt out of the bottle once a mentos is added.

One of the Things I'll Remember When I'm Senile

Well, I at least hope to remember it forever. 

Peaches started it.  Playing solo.

Then Handsome joined in, making it a duet.

Oh that beautiful music!

Mr O decided it looked like fun, and came round the corner to learn it too.

And that was the most wonderfulest beautifulest rendition of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" that I have ever heard.

More Missing Teeth

So, it's that time again.  That time where I get to take cute pictures of my kids with gaps in their smiles.  And once again, they have matching missing teeth.  Well, almost matching.  They are exactly opposite.  At any rate, they are still adorable.  Especially when they smile!

And then they giggle and laugh and ham it up for the camera.  And I, of course, can't resist taking those goofy pictures too.

Who, my kids?  They are never goofy...

Drip Drip Drop

As often happens in this area, not too long ago we had one last snow. 

That one last snow that happened after the trees were beginning to bud and flowers were starting to bloom. 

That snow that lasted for almost an hour before melting away completely. 

Yeah, that snow. 

Pretty spring snow.

Rather Amusing Really

In most places once your flowers start blooming, you know that winter is gone and spring is here.  Not so in this area.  Beware, optimist.  Flowers don't mean that the clouds, snow, and rain are gone. 

Of course there are those of us that love weather no matter what is coming down. 

So, yes, I'll admit.  I loved having 3 inches of snow come down after many flowers were in full bloom.  It made for some lovely photos.