Well, it was a pretty uneventful Independence Day here in Canada. What a surprise, eh? Bear had to work so I actually spent most of the day alternating between extremely bored/lonely and completely stressed out due to a certain somebody having never ending fusses.*

We started the day with American flag cereal.

{Kashi GoLean Crunch, Cheerios, bran flakes, and corn flakes}

And we might have ended with leftover key lime pie from Canada Day if the pie had not leapt to its death earlier in the week (this is what it looked like after cleanup).

But at least we had “fireworks” provided by Mother Nature. An excellent storm rolled in during the evening complete with thunder and lightning.

How was your 4th of July? What did you do?

*Not nearly as enjoyable as the Neverending Story.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

I wish a very happy Independence Day to all my fellow United States Citizens. As we enjoy good food and good company let us remember our beginnings and not neglect to make our future better by keeping secure the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.

I know I don't usually post on Fridays. But I just had to share these photos of my lovely baby girl from her recent photo session! Check 'em out on the Madchen Studios blog!

The celebrations began with a breakfast surprise from Bear. Canadian flag French toast! Strawberries {YUM!}, whole wheat French toast, whipped cream, and a French toast maple leaf made with one of our maple leaf cookie cutters. It was awesome!

We hit the festivities at the park which included a lot of inflatable, bouncy fun for kids older than Lucy and younger than us, crafts we had no desire to buy, and overpriced food we did not consume. But lest you think it wasn’t any fun I will point out that I had a blast showing off my adorable daughter in her adorable outfit. She was very popular. Plus we got free maple leaf temporary tattoos!

After hitting the park we stopped at the grocery store to pick up some groceries {which most certainly did not include a key lime pie…nope, definitely not}. And after lunch we all had naps, but only the most patriotic of naps. Really, they were very Canadian naps.

And finally we went to watch the fireworks. We found a great spot that was far enough away that we avoided the really bad traffic on the way home, plus the fireworks weren’t loud enough to scare the little one. We may not have been all that close but it was a great view. We could see the tepee, the moon, and the fireworks all together. How’d Lucy like the fireworks? She loved them!

She watched them very intently and was jumping in my lap in her excitement. I wasn’t sure whether she would hate them or be indifferent at her age. I certainly didn’t expect her to enjoy them as much as she did. I think her reaction was more fun than the actual fireworks (which were also very nice)!

I love my native country, don’t think I don’t. But I also really love Canada. It’s a great place to live and while I may not be a true citizen I have a lot of Canadian pride. I love the freedom, the tolerance, the natural beauty, the diversity, the wildlife, the health care, the Tim Horton’s density, and yes, I even love the word “eh!”

All in all it was a great holiday, probably the best holiday we’ve had since moving to Canada. We had good food, good fun, and good naps. And we had each other to enjoy it all together. Happy 142nd Canada!

O Canada!
Our home and [cherished] land!
True patriot love in all [of us] command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

Canadians, how did you celebrate? Tell me in the comments. Non-Canadians, feel free to tell me how cute Baby Lu looked. ;)

July 1st is Canada Day! As if in anticipation of the holiday I received my permanent resident card in the mail yesterday! Finally! I’m so happy to have it, even in all its “oh-my-Google-that-picture-of-me-is-awful-glory!” I also finished Lucy’s red and white tutu and made her a matching shirt. The shirt was a big let down. The wax paper stencil did not iron on properly so I had to paint the design more or less freehand (hence the asymmetry).

I used a metallic, red fabric paint for a little extra shimmer. If you want to make something similar don’t forget to put a piece of card board inside the shirt to prevent bleed through to the other side. And if you’re thinking of making a tutu I recently learned this helpful trick…tie the in-progress tutu around a chair or your leg (depending on the size) to keep it from moving around while you’re tying on the tulle.

I’m super excited to get Lu all dressed up. Check back tomorrow for part 2 which will include photos of the tutu in action, a recap of the festivities, and some of my thoughts on Canada!

What do you think of Canada (US citizens feel free to answer)?