GTKY ~July 4th~ **new format** shorter, easier... :)

2MamazInSeattle

Hi all!
Thanks to all who participated in the little survey I did yesterday. Great feedback and I will try to incorporate it here.

The new format will be 1 regular question, potentially 1 "quick" question, and then "what's up for the weekend".  We don't want it to be too daunting to fill out. Hopefully this change will get more folks to participate - plus, lots of newbies have come into the fold lately and we oldtimers want to get to know you, and for you to get to know us!

Reminder: Please anytime, PM me any ideas you have for GTKY questions. Honestly I make them up as I go, sometimes copy from other boards or check-in's I read, etc. but I'm all ears and definitely do not want my questions to get stale.

p.s. If you are interested in taking over GTKY from me for a month or two after Simone is born, PM me! While we all want to believe we will be supermom, I am not dumb enough to believe that and expect I won't be reliable for a month or two. The job is easy - Friday morning, post GTKY questions. That's it! LMK!

Ok, with that, here is today's GTKY in it's new format!

1. Being that it's the 4th of July, what are your favorite 4th of July memories from being a kid? (If you're not American, just pick a summer holiday with tradition around it and tell us about it and why you loved it.)
2. What's your favorite picnic food?
3. What's up for the weekend?
PIPs always fun and welcome!

Mystjava

Since it's early for me and my kiddo is relaxing beside me.. I'll do my best!
1. My favorite 4th of July memory? Gosh, I really can't remember much, but I do recall visiting my grandmother's house in San Mate during the fourth. We would go up to the college near by and watch the fireworks from there. Before we went up there, we would play with the sparklers at the house. There is a picture of me on roller skates (in a dress) thrilling around with some sparklers! I wonder if I can ever find that picture!
2. Favorite picnic food? Gosh, that's a tough one for me since it depends what mood I'm in -- (nationally mood, that is!) Sometimes it's chips and salsa or it's tabolui salad or it's some other dish.
3. This weekend? I really don't know, but we might plan a trip to check out some dinosaurs bones, etc. Trying to figure out what my LO is interested in this weekend. If not that kind of outing, we'll go on a hike at Anderson Lake State Park. Maybe I'll be able to get my disc golf fix.

CageyMack

Hi!

Thanks again, @2MamazinSeattle!

1. I remember, as a kid, living on the Olympic Peninsula and watching fireworks go off over the Strait. It was a great time. 

2. Favorite picnic food is homemade ice cream from our family recipe.  It is basically just cream, half and half, sugar and vanilla.  As a kid, I loved hearing it grind along, and loved eating the rock salt.  I still do! Nothing better than hearing the motor stop and jumping up to grab it!  And yes, we always had the electric kind.

3. This weekend is a little bit of a mash-up.  Going to watch our local parade in about 30 minutes, then visit some good friends for a meal tonight, then to the beach to watch fireworks.  Tomorrow I'll give a couple riding lessons. Sunday is church day (yay for Unitarians!), and then maybe hanging out with my sweet and overworked wife!  I am so ready for the weekend.

ATXmommas

1. I lived in Fairfax, VA for an internship one summer when I was 21. I was so excited to spend the 4th in Washington, D.C. It ended up raining all night, but I still enjoyed the fireworks on the mall in the pouring rain with thousands of other people. It was pretty awesome.

2. My go-to picnic food is a chickpea salad - the Creamy Chickpea Salad with Fresh Herbs from Fat Free Vegan
specifically. And watermelon. Have to have watermelon.

4. We headed to Dallas last night to spend the weekend with my sister. We ate lunch at a restaurant overlooking a park and went to a museum. My sister lives downtown and so we walked everywhere! Just got back to her place and we are all pooped! Planning a day at the pool tomorrow and then headed home on Sunday!

PIP - a patriotic selfie (Z, me, my sister - oh, and the little guy, of course!)

firstcomeslove2013

1. Being that it's the 4th of July, what are your favorite 4th of July memories from being a kid? (If you're not American, just pick a summer holiday with tradition around it and tell us about it and why you loved it.)

My favorite memory was and still is fireworks! I love them and really love going out and eating snacks and hanging out and laughing with friends and family, finding the perfect spot to watch!

2. What's your favorite picnic food?
Hmmmm I don't know if I have a favorite food that is limited to picnics but I often love a good picnic. Watermelon is amazing, cole slaw, a good summer salad maybe!


3. What's up for the weekend?
Well, the weekend has been lovely so far!!! My parents came in Thursday night and @doodah1013‌ and my dad did a 5k Friday. We went to a community breakfast, had a picnic and went to watch fireworks with my parents and friends. It was awesome. Today we are driving to C's parents for a picnic and to send the night and then we'll be back tomorrow to get ready for the week!

AandStilltrying

1. Fav 4th tradition....cookout w family. Last night we continued with a house full of people. My BFF and her husband and 2 girls, my sis, husband and 2 boys, Sarah, my mom and me. Was a lot in a little house! . We grilled steaks and went to the pool, then out for icecream. That's pretty typical for us.

As a kid, my aunt and uncle had HUGE party with 50-80 people that we would go to. Could watch fireworks from their pool. Those days were the best!

2. Mr. Bee potato chips...wv thing.

3. Today we are entertaining an 11 and 5 year old and packing. Tomorrow...BEACH BOUND! We are staying at Emerald Isle which is where lovely hurricane just made landfall so we will see how much damage is around. Beautiful weather predicted.

2MamazInSeattle

1. We always had some sort of picnic on the 4th of July with my mom's picnic food staples - which I loved. Fireworks were super exciting to me too!

2. Ok, growing up, my mom made (trashy) pistacio pudding salad with the marshmallows and pineapple... you know the one. But, as a grown-up, baked beans for sure. And my rendition rocks.

3. We had a picnic attended by about 10 people yesterday -a nice manageable gathering for us! It was low-key and super fun. My friend came over and helped me finish the nursery (J and I know certain projects are just not good for us to do together - we'll NEVER go on the Amazing Race together!) - so short of 1 extension cord en route, and a few more organizing steps, it is done! So friends got to see it yesterday and J's mom comes Thursday for our shower next weekend, so we're excited to have it done in time for her. Today, and went to yoga and now is just tasking and relaxing (yesterday was big for me it appears) - and tomorrow I start my acupuncture/breech baby turning mission!

Jazibel

Ok checking in a bit late.

1. We used go to the next town over and watch fireworks from a little park in the center of downtown. I loved being awake in the dark (we went to bed early as kids), the sparklers and laying on our blanket watching the display.

2. Favorite picnic food. To be honest we've done way more bbq's than picnics. So picnic food would be grapes and BBQ would be german potato salad and grilled chicken.

3. We drove down to Los Angeles on Friday and are staying in an awesome hotel here right near Hollywood blvd (our friends live in the hills just a couple of miles away). There's a nice pool in the courtyard and free snacks (all soda and junk food - but still). Our friends came and hung out here and we went swimming Friday & Saturday afternoon and hung out at their house othetwise. This morning we check out And drive to Las Vegas - but first a little more pool action. I am exhausted from being up several times last night so a nap would be awesome too.

shelly2314

1. Being that it's the 4th of July, what are your favorite 4th of July memories from being a kid? (If you're not American, just pick a summer holiday with tradition around it and tell us about it and why you loved it.) Going out on the boat for the afternoon and watching fireworks. Later on we started doing an annual thing where we would go as a family for a parade in our hometown, then we would walk around the local fair, go to the mall for lunch and a movie, back home to take a nap, then out for fireworks. It was always a good time we shared with the family and my grandma
2. What's your favorite picnic food? Corn on the cob (not sure if that is picnic LOL), watermelon
3. What's up for the weekend? Going camping with the in-laws (it is actually "Glamping" as we have a pull behind with A/C, running water, etc)

Morenajuliet

CrazyAunt84 said:

1. We did fireworks at the NYS fair a few times. Usually we just did a low key BBQ. 2. My mom makes strawberry pretzel jello salad that reminds me of childhood picnics. Weird but delicious. 3. Had a BBQ at moms today, work tomorrow and yard work Sunday! Bonus: @morenajuliet and family joined us at mom's today - I got to play crazy aunt! Here is our auntie/baby selfie.

Lurv ya friend! You're going to be a great mommy!