Thursday, July 2, 2009

Free Stuff Friday

Hello....Hello.....Hello.....



is anyone still around or all you all taking off for the holiday???



Well, here's a great contest for those die hards who check in on their blogging on Fridays. You should be rewarded for your dedication, right?



I agree.



So, today's Free Stuff Friday is a fabulous gift card to Barnes and Noble in the rockin' amount of $25.00.



How to enter?



Leave a comment letting me know how you plan to spend the 4th. Relaxing with a book? Roasting weenies with in-laws? I'm curious! We'll be hosting the family bbq. 9 adults, 12 kiddos - all on my husband's side. Then we do fireworks in the street. Does your state allow fireworks?



I'll close out the comments Friday night when I go to bed and do a random drawing. Check in Monday to see who the lucky winner is. Who knows, it might be you!



*

39 comments:

Michelle said...

Still here! We're going to our small-town parade in the morning. Think Andy Griffith. Seriously. We have five traffic lights in our whole county and everyone calls the Sheriff by his first name. There will be a unicycle, folks driving their lawn mowers down Main Street, and our local Miss Pageant Winner.

In the evening we're going to a cookout with friends. Not sure where they stand on fireworks, but they are legal in Virginia.

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

still here, too! i'm going to be cooking out with my parents, hubby and daughter. then we'll try to keep her up long enough to see fireworks, which are suppose to start at 9. she's never seen them before! excited about that...i've always loved fireworks. awesome competition.

Tess said...

Michelle - LOVE it! Those fantastic images have to work their way into your writing. They must! Have fun, friend. And, good luck in the drawing :D

Tess said...

Jeannie - Oh, I so remember those days when the little ones were new to fireworks. Here's hoping she doesn't freak out like mine did the first few times!!!

Jacob R Parker said...

Hello, we live way up on a hillside. Rumor has it the neighbors far below us are having a 4th of July party to end all 4th of July parties, with fireworks galore. We're not invited, but it should work out just fine. :)

Tess said...

I like the way you think, JR. And,I love the name of your blog. The Yodeling Dwarf? Awesome.

Natalie Whipple said...

We're going to my in-laws for lunch. I'm grilling. My family decided they'd go to CA without me. I know, I love them too.

Cami Checketts said...

Hope you're a night-owl, Tess and I made it in time for the contest!
We've got company coming to swim, barbecue, and go to the fireworks show. I've been scrubbing the darn house for two days. At least the threat of someone sleeping in my son's beds and using the downstairs toilet gets me to clean!
Hope you have a great holiday,
Cami

Katie Salidas said...

I'll still be here. We are doing a BBQ at a friends house, followed by a mini fireworks (the safe kind) shoot off in the street.

B.J. Anderson said...

My husband, me, and my kids are going to set off our little fireworks, have a bbq, and relax. I'm sure there will be some reading in there, too. :) Have a great holiday!!

Cindy R. Wilson said...

I'm still here. Not going too far. My husbands family reunion last throughout the weekend, so we'll be stopping by on Saturday. Then we're heading over to my dad's house for driveway and street fireworks. My littlest is two now and I think she's going to love it! Have a great 4th everyone!

Joyce Wolfley said...

I'm going to my 10-year High School reunion. Don't know yet if I'm looking forward to it or dreading it. I'm hoping there are fireworks...I've heard of so many cities cancelling their shows, and AZ does not allow individuals to set off fireworks.

Have a safe holiday!

Nayuleska said...

Hailing from the other side of the big pond, and not being American...I'm not going to any firework displays (shudders in terror). I will be writing up a stack of book reviews (a few American authors), and watching anime.

dellgirl said...

Hoping very hard I can do absolutely nothing for the 4th, nothing. Wish I wouldn't even have to cook. Ah, but I have to eat.

Have a great 4th of July weekend!

lisa and laura said...

We're going to my parents house for a BBQ which means A. I don't have to cook and B. My kids will probably go into catatonic shock during the fireworks. Both of my kids are terrified of loud noises, so I'm sure it will be a complete nightmare.

Enjoy!

PJ Hoover said...

I'm headed to Central PA for a family get together! Should be a blast!

Jody Hedlund said...

I'll be working hard on writing a synopsis and proposal for another book that might, maybe, help close a deal. We'll see. I'm learning that I really have to be flexible in this writing buisness!

And, hopefully somewhere in the midst of frantically trying to start a new book and write the first chapter, etc., I'll be able to head out to the lake and enjoy a cookout, fishing, swimming with friends and family!

Scott said...

Margaritas! Margaritas! Margaritas!

Yes, margaritas x 3. We did a mini margarita night last night because - technically - it was Friday. We're doing the normal margarita night tonight because it is - actually - Friday. Then, tomorrow (4th) we're having people over for a pot luck grill out with . . . yes, you guessed it, more margaritas, as well as a few other adult beverages.

Fireworks are allowed in some counties, just not the one I live in. We'll watch the big display on tv. Trust me, you don't want to fight the downtown crowd to watch the fireworks!

Hope everyone has a great, and safe, 4th!

S

Wendy Paine Miller said...

Party for us! Even bought the Tiki torches! Things are on fire at our place tomorrow! :D
Happy Fourth, Tess! I'm a die hard. Yippiekayay!
~ Wendy

MeganRebekah said...

I'm going to a local concert series followed by fireworks. Sunday it's over to my parents for a BBQ

Tess said...

Natalie - but there are no fireworks (personal ones at least) in CA. Oh well, you'll have to light a few in their honor :)

Cami - no sweat, it will run till fri (tonight). good luck!

quixotic - love the street fireworks...they're the best part of the holiday!

BJ - I hope I get some relaxing in there as well. Maybe on Sunday....

Cindy - I hope your daughter does love it. this seems to be a big weekend for reunions. have fun!

Joyce - WOW! I remember my 10 year (sorry to say it was 10 year ago!), still, it was fun. I hope you have a blast.

Yunaleska - Hello! Won't you be doing Guy Fawkes day (did I spell that right?)?? Hope it's a great weekend.

dellgirl - I want to be in your family!! How do I get to eat and not do the cooking??? That sounds so nice.

Lisa and Laura - oh, now I see how you do it. I want your parents! Sounds like great fun (till the bang-phobia hits the little ones - eek!)

PJ - very fun! drive safe and have a great time :D

Jody - That is seriously fantastic news. Here's wishing you the muse!!!! Look forward to hearing how it all shakes out.

Scott - too funny. It's the 4th of July holiday. Not the 2, 3 and 4 - lol.

Wendy - hooray for tiki torches! You're my kind of friend :D

Megan - we are doing a concert series thing tonight as well. should be great fun under the stars, eating fried chicken. hope yours is lots of fun as well!

Karin said...

Looks like the population is still following blogs :)

My hubby and I are going to the 'rents...where we'll meet up with the folks, one sister, two aunts, an uncles, two cousins, and a one-eyed dog (seriously!).

We have the beach (Ludington, MI - woo hoo!), arts and crafts fair, pie from the Grand Traverse Pie Company, fireworks, and the House of Flavors ice cream. I know...I'm an advertisement, but I love it all :)

Have a great weekend!
Karin
kvbwrites(at)yahoo(dot)com

Kelly H-Y said...

We will be enjoying our annual neighborhood BBQ and fireworks show! Very fun! Have a wonderful 4th!

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Hope I haven't missed Tess's party. Wow, a lot of people turned up.
I'm not venturing on California's dreaded freeways, so I'll stay home with friends. I'm lucky to have the city's fireworks close by--just pull out the lawn chair. The funny thing is they put the display on top of a mini-mountain in town that always sprouts a fire during the show. The firefighters are in place, just waiting for their moment. Usually, the crowds cheer louder for a hillside blaze than the show in the sky. Go figure.
Have a happy 4th, everybody!
And Tess, thanks for the note on the Irish Fig. It's a figment of my imagination. :-)

Amy Allgeyer Cook said...

Scott -- I LOVE the way you think!! And now, margaritas will have to work their way into my plans too.

I'm ALONE as I post this...no hubby, no kiddo...and I plan to spend the next two days working on my WIP, which I'm in love with and haven't had time to write on in three months.

The family will be back late tomorrow, just in time for dogs on the grill and a walk to Camel's Back Park to sit in the foothills and watch the fireworks over the river. Personal fireworks are banned here (as I expect they are in Tess's neck of the woods), but the city display is plenty fun!

Davin Malasarn said...

I'm here at work! Just for a little bit, though, thankfully. Tomorrow I wasn't going to do much other than relaxing and writing (as opposed to stressing out and writing), but on the drive in I heard about a recipe for a hamburger, so now I'm tempted to do some grilling!

Parts of California allow fireworks, the last time I checked. It depends on what city you live in.

Happy 4th, Tess!

Tess said...

Amy - No! We get personal fireworks! Not the kind you have to go to Wyoming to buy (er, not that I know where to get contraband...) but we do get a pretty good variety and we blow them off right in our street. And, I am so glad you are on a date w/ your WIP. Good stuff!

Karin - that sounds so picturesque! love it, and am sure you'll have a great time :)

Kelly - aren't cool neighbors the best?!

Tricia - I grew up in CA where the city put off fireworks on a little hill that caught fire. It was Thousand Oaks. Ah, good times...good times...

Davin - will you let us know if the grilling turns out a cool new recipe? I bought a grill for my hubby 3 years ago and he has used it exactly zero times. It's me who does it all. Oh well, can't win them all. happy 4th!

Unknown said...

I'm going to figure out how to get rid of a diaper rash (not for me) and then we're heading to a barbecue where all the guys will proceed to eat and drink too much too fast and then we'll all be asking each other for Tums. Can't wait!

Elana Johnson said...

I'm around! We're going to do fireworks in the street after dinner. Just us. We're boring. No, really, what happened is, I don't want to go out of town--again. I want to sleep in my own bed for more than two nights. So while the rest of our family is in Logan doing fireworks, we're here, chillaxing and doing our own thing.

Selfish? Absolutely. But it'll be fun!

Liana Brooks said...

Our cooking group is hosting a BBQ with sprinklers and water fights for the kids, lots of fresh summer food on the grill, and fireworks after. We're looking forward to going and buying the fireworks tonight!

Michelle D. Argyle said...

WOW. LOTS of Die Hard Friday people here... I'm one of them! I'm planning on going to a party tonight at my parent's. Then just relaxing the rest of the weekend. :D

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

I have no idea what I am doing the Fourth yet. Might try and check out some fireworks if they don't get rained out like the weather people keep predicting... so we will just have to see.

And yes, fireworks are legal in Tennessee, in fact there is a HUGE fireworks store right off the interstate, not too far from my house, that is open year round!

Unknown said...

FIRST: there are way too many of us online today. Shame on us!

Second: MEMEMEMEMEMEMeeeeeee. Okay. I am going to spend tomorrow really LOOKING at and really TALKING to my children. Revised all week and all they got from me were a few "umhummm's" and "Sure's" I said yes to professional highlights in the already dyed teenage girls hair for goodness sake! SO I will be fully engaged with them. I think my Tess got a tooth and grew a few inches!

Danyelle L. said...

The fourth is going to be reserved for cleaning, while the Beloved Spouse Creature takes the Chipmunks to see the fireworks. Every since getting migraines, fireworks have fried my eyes. :(

Tess said...

TEW- here's the best diaper rash secret my mommy years have taught me: Bag Balm. Seriously, its in a green tin, stinks, but works wonders. You can get it at Longs or any drug store, really. Bag Balm. Get it!

Elana - chillaxin...that's what makes you so cool :)

Liana - sounds like the perfect, all American time. Very fun.

Glam - that's a beautiful drive up the canyon you will have. here's wishing you no traffic :)

Kate - year round fireworks? Man, thats incentive enough to move to Tenessee!

Suzanne - yes, quite a bunch of us here today. What fun! Tess grew an inch? How come I feel so connected to that little darling? Precious. Have a gr8 weekend w/ your kiddos.

Danyelle - so sorry you'll miss the fireworks. Wishing you a peaceful evening and a clean house :)

Petula said...

Hi! I saw your comment on dellgirl and thought your profile picture so fab that I had to pop over. I'm glad I did because I get to enter this awesome contest (I am addicted to books!).

Let's see... what will I do tomorrow? Well, I'm about to check to see where the best, most convenient fireworks will be. GA does allow them, but I think on a limited basis, but I don't light them in the street. It actually irritates me when folks go out at midnight and sound those things off. The only thing I can think about is, "If you wake up my children!..." I'll also relax and read... hopefully.

Have a good weekend.

Tess said...

Petula - welcome! don't worry, we're done with the firecrackers by about 10pm. At midnight, I'm asleep.

lotusgirl said...

Oh boy, they definitely allow fireworks here. We will go to the fireworks show that the pros put on though. We are grilling hotdogs and hamburgers. I'm making my famous potato casserole and my MIL is making deviled eggs and baked beans. We have a watermelon for slicing and ice cream. Yum! Hanging out and chilling. There may be some book reading betwixt and between, but I'm not going to hold my breath. It's a family-palooza tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

Oh man. I'm a loyal Friday commenter but alas, I wasn't able to get here on time. =[ Sorry. Have a great 4th of July weekend!