There's a fire ban...How we celebrated the 4th of July

If you have been reading the internet headlines or listening/watching the news then you know that Colorado is literally on fire. 9 fires with at least two being extreme and huge! It is so sad to see the forests and homes burn. It has been a dry year.

So no fireworks of any kind or campfires even...what's a 4th of July with no fireworks? WELL...let me show you:

The perfect ending to our grilled hot dogs, chips, Pork N' Beans Independence Day meal: Strawberry Delight. A yummy, creamy dessert with crumbly, crisp like crust on bottom and top. Heaven.

We spent the day painting our version of fireworks on paper and my oldest son painted stars on the American flag. We also (thanks to hubby for the idea) tied plastic jungle animals to plastic bags to make instant parachute toys. See picture below: Look at son's hat and you will see the Rhinoceros skydiving.

Notice the flag...He is so proud to hold it. Awesome!

NOW, we could have poppers!!! So we managed to go through almost 400 poppers. Oh, the joy of a pop sound! 

For our last hoopla and most thrilling event...we put Mentos in some Diet Coke and made our own sticky explosions. 

No fires, fireworks or true explosions, but we had a great day of freedom. I am proud to be an American.

Linking up with:
http://www.mamakatslosinit.com     Come join the party!

Happy 4th of July!

 

Happy Independence Day everyone!

We can't have fireworks because of a fire ban due to all of the fires in Colorado, including one burning just 10 miles North of where I live. 

STAY TUNED...and I will share how we coped celebrated without firecrackers and fireworks...you could be inspired or pleasantly surprised!!

6 months? That is....a long time.

6 months. Daunting. No. Freeing.

The challenge: One dessert a week for 6 months. (No sweet drinks, sugary cereals, etc. either)!
The incentive: Cash from a generous, loving donor.
The first thought: What did I just sign up for? No chocolate sans one day?!? Are you kidding me?

 Our sugar challenge started on Jan. 1st and ended on June 30th. There were eight adults doing the challenge. If we cheated, we lost $15 for each cheat. Yes, I cheated 3 times...I wasn't the only one. Hey, willpower is overrated.  

So why am I writing this? To boast? Nope. To encourage and entertain? Hopefully.

Why did I agree to this? For my health and to prove to myself that I could do it.

 Not all challenges are a bad thing.

I was surprised at what I learned. (Plus the benefits)..here goes:

      

My choice really offended others. Somehow people took my choice quite personally. Not just that I wouldn't enjoy a dessert with them, but as if I was convicting them. I did my best to downplay my choice, but it kept surfacing. Some criticized or acted like I was weird or out of my mind. 

      Maybe they were right, but I believe sugar is VERY addictive. Sugar is like a drug..If you don't believe me then think about this...even on the first day off the challenge, I could feel the temptation rising up to return to my old patterns of eating sugar...I wanted to...I haven't and I won't. AND...It takes more than 40 days to break a habit. REALLY.

     FREEDOM!!!! Sugar doesn't have the same hold on me anymore. I found that when I did enjoy a dessert once a week that the more rich the dessert was the less I desired it. It practically made me sick. I discovered that sugar could be conquered, but it still has a strong pull. I found self-control actually existed in this area of my life.  

All eight people passed the challenge, but to me the greater "impossible" mission will be to not go back to how it was. It is easier to not fight what is pleasurable than to realize you are better off without it. NOT that I am trying to convince any of you to bid fair well to sugar forever. Even we are not doing that...we just choose to keep sugar to a very low minimum.  I mean processed, added sugar and desserts, not naturally occurring sugar in fruit or added sugar to food not considered a dessert such as a slice of bread.
                         I can honestly say that I am changed.  Wonder what other habit I should consider breaking in 6 months? Hmmmm.

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