The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave

It's become a 4th of July tradition around our house that the kids would just soon skip. It's the dreaded 4th of July picture that I take every year of them wearing their red, white, and blue. You wouldn't believe how many shots it takes to get a good picture when I'm trying to photograph four kids at one time. And the longer it takes, the more restless Eli gets and the more fake Emily's smiles become. I can usually count on Alyssa and Michael to always be smiling, but when we're finally done, their smiles are frozen onto their faces. Oh well, 20 years from now when the kids are back home looking through photo albums, they'll be glad they had a picture-crazed mom.

Why Stars and Stripes?
Stars are considered a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.

Why Red, White and Blue?
While the flag's colors did not have a specific meaning at the time, the colors were significant for the Great Seal of 1782.
White: Signifies purity and innocence
Red: Signifies valor and bravery
Blue: Signifies Vigilance, perseverance, and justice