The Macs » Blog

red, white, and blue giveaway

It’s time for the FIRST EVER 
GIVEAWAY
Because you have supported our new store so amazingly,
Because it is fun to get free stuff,
And because we love you,
We are having a PATRIOTIC giveaway.

I come from a very patriotic family.
My dad graduated from the Naval Academy.
He served in the Navy until I was two.

I traveled all over with my parents.
I was even born in Japan while my dad was stationed there.
My parents always taught me to appreciate this great country we live in.
They taught me to be proud to be an American.
I have always loved the 4th of July.
So, we have been sewing and sewing all things red, white, and blue.
We are getting ready to stock Cora’s for the 4th of July.

This week we are giving away three things:


1.  One of these two lovely red, white, and blue Cora dresses (your choice).

2.  A red, white, and blue girl’s shirt.

3.  A flag onesie.
To enter the giveaway, leave us a comment telling us:
1.  A 4th of July family tradition
OR
2.  Your favorite 4th of July memory
Ok, ladies.  I know you all like to win free things.  If you have never left a comment before, now is the time!  Comments will be accepted from now until Friday at 6pm (central standard time).  We will randomly select three comments.  Winners will be announced on Monday. 
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  • PamperingBeki - Yay!!!

    Adorable things!ReplyCancel

  • These Are The Days - Let me start by saying I LOVE YOUR DRESSES!!!! Okay now that that’s been said….my favorite 4th of July memory……

    In 2007 my husband was sent to Iraq for 6 months, he was a firefighter in the Air Force. Of course he left in May and was gone all summer long. My girls were 2 and 6 months old at the time. Needless to say it was a bit crazy at my house. 🙂 But my husband was able to call on the 4th of July and chat with me and the girls for quite awhile and that made my whole summer!!! To see their faces light up at the sound of his voice was too much. And then to watch the fireworks and spend the day with the rest of my family completed the picture. I was and still am so proud of him for what he did, even though he’ll never admit it was a big deal. 4th of July has new meaning for me ever since then. Erin M. (These are the days)ReplyCancel

  • Emily M. - What a great idea! We live in the best country in the world, and it’s important to honor the freedoms so many have sacrificed so much for.

    Growing up, my neighborhood used to hold a 4th of July parade. Every kid would decorate their bikes with streamers, balloons, noisemakers, flags, and all sorts of other patriotic paraphernalia. Adults would bedeck wagons and strollers for young kids to ride in. Everyone would don their red, white, and blue clothes, and, on the morning of the 4th of July, we would all gather in the neighborhood cul-de-sac to start the parade. A local fire station would send a truck and some firefights to be our grand marshalls, and we would all proudly march the four streets of our neighborhood. Every home would have a small flag by the mailbox, and those older folks that lived in our neighborhood would sit on their porches and wave as the thirty or forty kids and parents would march by. We made a giant loop and ended up back in the cul-de-sac where everyone enjoyed watermelon, lemonade, and hot dogs–an all-American 4th of July meal! we looked forward to the celebration all year!

    Jess: you and your sweet Cora continue to be in my heart and prayers every day. We may never meet, but I thank God every day that you’re in my life.

    Emily M. PratherReplyCancel

  • Robin in Benton - Love these they are so cute!!!!! Guess when you put them out there I’m going to have buy two now – one for my granddaughter that just turned one year – and one for the new one that is due any day!

    Every year we go to Burlingame KS where my husband’s aunt and uncle have a place out in the country. Pretty much all the family is there – and lots of friends too! There’s fried chicken, ham and usually barbecued brisket too along with potato salad, cole slaw and lots of other good things! Then when it gets pretty dark we take all the kids outside and with some adult (?) supervision they get to set off fireworks. It’s a great time spent with family!

    Hugs to you, you’re in my thoughts and prayersReplyCancel

  • Polka Dot Moon - How wonderful!

    Wonderful family, wonderful memories, WONDERFUL YOU!

    I’ve been trying to purchase one of your dresses for my wee one and am ALWAYS too late! Thanks for the opportunity to win something from Cora’s Shop.

    We think of you daily,
    DeniseReplyCancel

  • The Gava Family - I have read your blog for some time now and I have never commented because I just don’t have the words. I admire what you have done and I think of you and your beautiful family often.
    I love all the dresses you have made, so cute!

    My favorite thing about the 4th is that it is my wedding anniversary (well actually on July 3rd). This year we will be celebrating 10 yrs with family, friends and fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Jenny - Adorable dresses and shirts!!!

    Our family’s 4th of July tradition is to get together at one of our houses where everyone brings food to share. We have a big cookout and let the kids run through sprinklers and eat watermelon and popsicles outside. The kids also get to set off small fireworks and then at night all of the “big kids” (the grown men) let off their big fireworks for a great show that is all our own.ReplyCancel

  • Kelly - This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyCancel

  • Angi - I have never commented on your blog, and I can’t believe I am like one of the first ten to do so!!! You can offically say I am a serious prayer warrior of yours:) I think about you daily!!!! Your precious Cora has lit up this world in so many ways —- I know this 4th of July as I watch fireworks and eat a yummy BBQ with family, I wil be sure to remember ALL of you. Your faith is so amazing and your story has inspired me to live each day differently than I use to. Stay strong— the Lord will see you through all the craziness you sometimes feel.ReplyCancel

  • Kari - These dresses are adorable. My daughter is 12, so she can’t wear these, but we have a neighbor across the street that has a newborn baby girl. They just built their house and her husband got laid off. If I win one I’ll give it to her.

    One of my favorite 4th of July’s was when I in elementary school (I’m not sure what year it was) we went to Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. There was a small lake with a bridge that led to a gazebo in the middle of the lake. We sat in the gazebo in the middle of the lake and watched the fireworks shot off from the side of the mountain. It was beautiful! The crisp mountain air and the echo from the fireworks through the mountains was amazing! It was an old time 4th of July with icecream & games. After I got married I found out that my husbands family used to go there for the 4th of July also. We might have met way back and never even knew it! Interesting huh.ReplyCancel

  • Andrea - First time commenter here. I have followed your blog for awhile and you & your husband are in my prayers almost daily.

    I do have a favorite July 4th memory! When my husband and I were dating, he was visiting me at my parents house, and we lit sparklers out on the front lawn as if we were still little kids. We have a great picture of us hugging with our sparklers lit and it is one of my favorite pictures of all time—We were falling in love and it was just such a special time. The picture reminds me of that phase of our relationship and I love it!ReplyCancel

  • lovinsanta - So so so cute!

    Our tradition is we go to my aunt/uncle’s for a family pool party and GREAT food. Then we play outdoor games and then have our own firework display.

    Thanks.

    Heather in INReplyCancel

  • Kelly - Yea! great dresses!

    My husbands family have a bbq every forth. This works great because there are about 5 birthday’s in the surrounding weeks. So not only do we celebrate the nations birthday but half the family’s birthdays as well. My husband loves it because he always gets fireworks for his birthday!ReplyCancel

  • The Di Vito's - My Cousin was born on June 29th, My Uncle was born on July 4th, and my Grandfather(Who served in WWII, now deceased) was born on July 7. For as long as I can remember, My whole family got togther every year to celebrate my family members birthdays, and our wonderful Country’s Birthday. We would cook out great food, have a ton of Birthday cake, swim all day, and do fireworks at night. After my Grandfather passed away a few years ago, we all scattered, but I will always remember all the great times we had.ReplyCancel

  • Jill (& Bob) - I, too, LOVE the Cora dresses! My family’s 4th of July tradition is still a tradition in the making. Our neighborhood has a fireworks display and we enjoy the festivities with dear family friends who played an incredible role in forming our family through the miracle of adoption. We can’t wait to share the day with our baby girl this year! Our hearts will be with your family and many others that day, as always.ReplyCancel

  • daugherty06 - Each year for 4th of July growing up my dad’s side of the family would come over for a big picnic. His mother’s side is Italian so there is always lots of food and lots of cousins 🙂 At the end of the night my dad, cousin, and uncle would put on a fireworks show they’d prepared to mesh with the music they jammed. It’s always a fun time and now I’m happy to share these memories with my children.

    I stumbled across your blog right around February. I haven’t stopped praying about your family since. Your story has truly touched our family and made us closer to God. Our family structure is closer than ever and I thank you for sharing you story with us. May God Bless You Eternally!! Much Love from our family to yours!

    Jill
    jilldaugherty03@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • The Wildes - Some of my best childhood memories are of the 4th of July. My grandparents took my sister and I to the local carnival by their house for the 4th one year. I was probably 7 years old, my sister 10. My grandpa had what seemed like endless quarters for us to play all of games. We got to that one where you toss rings trying to get them to land over a coin, and then you win that coin. The game was sponsored by the local VFW. Seemed like easy money to me. I had about 10 rings to toss, and not a one landed covering a coin. I had tears in my eyes, and looked up and my grandpa and asked him if VFW stood for VERY FEW WIN…he stood there laughing for so long. I’m 36 now, and he’s 82, and I bet not more than a couple of months eve go by without that story being told. :o)ReplyCancel

  • Rockin Baby Ryan - You and Cora look just alike in those pics! How adorable!

    About 5 years ago my family began a tradition of a “4th of July cake bake-off”. All participants bake and decorate a one-of-a-kind 4th of July festive cake. At our 4th bash we have a big taste test and vote based on looks and taste. Needless to say, we have plenty of dessert (for about a week!) Last year we had 8 entries!
    The winner receives not only bragging rights but also a trophy of Uncle Sam they keep in their home for the next year!
    It is a fun way to have a little competition and see how creative everyone can get. This last Christmas my mother in law informed me she already had her idea for this year!

    Thank you for being such a wonderful inspiration in your walk with God throughout your toughest time.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - My favorite 4th of July memory will always be watching fireworks from on top of the elevator at the farm with Chris.
    The dresses are so cute Jess!!

    Jodi HarderReplyCancel

  • C. Beth - I grew up in Arizona where fireworks are illegal. I moved to Texas, and imagine my surprise when ordinary citizens were putting up fireworks that looked like the ones our city would do! I guess everything’s bigger in Texas.ReplyCancel

  • Tyler and Gillian - My most vivid 4th of July memory was shooting off fireworks at my grandparent’s house out by Grace Community Church and one of the neighbors accidentally shot into the wheat field across the street and started it on fire. Everybody ran with whatever they had to try to put it out, but it was already too late and even with the fire department’s help, the field just had to burn itself out.

    What a fun idea Jess!! You ladies make beautiful stuff!ReplyCancel

  • Maria - My husband is in the Air Force! We don’t have a little girl yet but maybe someday. Until then, I will let my friend borrow the dresses if I win. They are super cute!ReplyCancel

  • Laura - What a great idea! The dresses are adorable.ReplyCancel

  • Our Family - The clothes are so cute… we’re big fans of patriotic things too!!

    My favorite 4th of July memories are from when I was a little girl and our family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc) would go up to our grandparents’ cottage. We would have the big meal, swim all day long, and then shoot the fireworks off the pier once it got dark. To this day, we tease Uncle Randy about the firecracker that chased him back up the pier. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Kim Q - So adorable!

    My favorite 4th of July memory is of going to the parades where I grew up, me and my 3 brothers. And of course, eating watermelon, even though I don’t like watermelon! But what would the fourth be without watermelon???

    :o)ReplyCancel

  • Anne Griffin - I think there is nothing more spectacular than fireworks. I grew up in Wichita so we had amazing displays every year and it was a really big deal for our family. Now, every time I see fireworks, it makes me homesick for my family and for Kansas.ReplyCancel

  • Ray Ray and Company - Our family always gets together for a fun (and HOT) picnic on the 4th. Fun times!ReplyCancel

  • Lollipoplin - You store is so adorable! I love the giveaway idea. God Bless America!ReplyCancel

  • Elle's Mom - What beautiful new items!

    Nothing is better then the 4th! Food, family, friends, fireworks! Such a wonderful day to celebrate with the ones you love. As a child I can remember praying that it would not rain on the 4th! I grew up in the NW and you never know what you are going to get that day!ReplyCancel

  • Heather - Oh, those dresses are the cutest.thing.EVER!

    The 4th of July is my favorite holiday of the year because it is the ONE time that my entire family gets together. Since we were little, my aunt and uncle have had a huge backyard BBQ in honor of the 4th. It has evolved SO much over the years. All of us kids have “recruited” our college friends, adult frineds, and more to join in the fun. We are driving in from Kansas, I have college friends from iowa making the trip… one year, my friend from GERMANY even joined us. That’s what a great time we have! It’s tradition for my mom to make her famous firecracker wings and taco salad every year. We start at 11:00 or so, and easily surpass that 12 hour mark! I am looking forward to seeing everyone is a few weeks! Yeah for the 4th!ReplyCancel

  • LL - Favorite Fourth of July memories are making homemade vanilla ice cream using an old fashioned hand cranked ice cream maker. I was the youngest, so I had to sit on it while my cousins cranked!

    lauramlyons@gmail.comReplyCancel

  • Mandy - Our family’s favorite 4th of July tradition is to invite all of our family & friends over for a simple BBQ & S’mores! We are able to have fireworks in our neighborhood, so once it gets dark, we sit back, relax & watch the beauty of it all! My father spent 20+ years in the Air Force & we definitely don’t take our country or our freedom for granted! Thank you!ReplyCancel

  • Lori Danelle Wilson - How Cute!!!

    Growing up we were always on the water. My dad had a boat (that he built at Berean, I might add) and every weekend we were at the lake skiing. Fouth of July weekend was always especially fun because that meant fireworks over the lake.

    For whatever reason, it doesn’t matter how small the fireworks display is, it becomes magical when seen from the middle of a lake in a boat with all the excitement lighting up the sky being mirrored in the water below.

    I’m especially excited this year as we will be taking our two girls to Table Rock Lake over the weekend of the 4th. I’m happy to share an experience that I remember and love so much with them.

    InksomniaReplyCancel

  • Molly - Our family tradition on the 4th of July is to eat watermelon and hot dogs and go to a Durham Bulls baseball game and watch the fireworks after. Hope you all are having an awesome week!!!
    ~Molly PReplyCancel

  • Shosh - my favorite 4th of july memory is decorating my bike when i was a kid. we would wrap streamers through the wheels and ride in our local 4th of july parade.ReplyCancel

  • oh, the places you'll go... - It’s so pretty Jess!!!! I’m super patriotic too and I almost screamed with delight when I saw these!!! I’m so proud to be an American in France. Love you!!ReplyCancel

  • Marla Taviano - Fireworks when I was little! But I was so scared of the loud sound, I had my ears covered the whole time.ReplyCancel

  • Melanie - I love those dresses. Everything you all make is so beautiful and such a great tribute to your beatuful baby as well as our amazing country. Tell your dad THANKS for his service!
    My favorite Fourth memory was when I was young and we had a group of friends and family together to set off fireworks as only can be done out in the country. One of the men had a bit much to drink and thought it would be funny to put a whole string of Black Cats down my dad’s pants. Turns out, it wasn’t really all that funny once the popping stops.ReplyCancel

  • Tj and Chelse - We always go to the lake on 4th of July and have a big fireworks display! One half of the group says, “Oooh” and the other says, “Awwww.” It is a great time!ReplyCancel

  • jill w - aahhhh. july 4 celebrations. we lived in the country and all of my mom’s family lived in the city, so they would all come to our house for fireworks, food, and fun !! cranking home made ice cream, the boys chasing the girls with sparklers, and the big boys setting the wheat fields on fire !! ooppss, that wasnt a good memory ! but we always had family over and i so miss those days..

    thanks for the opportunity to win an adorable dress, for a good friend of mine who lets me play granma to her baby girl..

    still praying for your hurting hearts.

    jill in wichitaReplyCancel

  • Julie - What a great idea!! You are so sweet!!!

    Hmmm…it’s hard to think of my favorite one, but I think it’s just one of my favorite holidays in general because it’s warm and you get to be outside and it’s one we’ve always gotten together with family.

    I pray for you every day…your Cora is so special.ReplyCancel

  • The Richardson's - What beautiful dresses!!

    My favorite tradition as a kid was getting together with family for homemade ice cream and cake while watching the local fireworks. Our town was quite small (less than 1000) and my aunt and uncle owned the only fireworks stand in town. So we would usually go to town early and help sell fireworks and whatever didn’t sell we would get to shoot off that night.ReplyCancel

  • Lindsay - We usually get together with friends for watch a small nearby parade and then later to watch fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Amanda Wheeler - Adorable giveaways!

    My husband and I love to go to the harbor in Salem, MA (winter island) to watch the fireworks. We sit on the docks and have a picnic and can see four different towns do their fireworks at the same time. It’s really cool!ReplyCancel

  • The Richardson's - This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyCancel

  • Sherree - These dresses are adorable. Our 4th of July tradition is a family bbq and fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Shannan - Such cute dresses and we pray for every day for your continued strength!
    My favorite 4th of July tradition is going to a nearby town for an old fashion celebration. There is a parade and we sit in our families yard to watch it. We have a pot luck and then walk over to the tractor pulls where it isnt rare to find a few people napping because of the “blazing” speed of the tractors. Then we walk to the park for snow cones and kids games. It is so fun, and so simple!ReplyCancel

  • Kelly - Fourth of July has always been one of my favorite holidays growing up. It is even more so now because my husband graduated from The United States Military Academy at Westpoint and served in the Army for 6 years, so I have an even greater appreciation of those that serve and sacrifice for our country. I grew up in a little town in Texas, called Belton, and we have the largest 4th of July parade in the state. We always started the morning out with a big brunch, followed by the parade. Then my dad would take us swimming, bowling, putt-putting, or to a movie. We would also always go the carnival. Then we would go to a friends house and cook out and shoot off fireworks. I have such happy memories of this holiday, and hope to recreate that for my daughter as well. Happy Fourth of July!!!ReplyCancel

  • McKenzie - How exciting! My little one is a boy, so I’d have to go with the onsie even though I ADORE the dresses!!!!

    My parents used to live on an old dairy farm and we would climb to the very top of the silo where we could watch fireworks from every surrounding little town while we shot off our own fireworks and enjoyed some summer snacks from up above the horses and pasture!

    My other memory is from when we were childless and my hubby and me used to sit on a hill in the back of his truck and just enjoy each others company while watching the fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Shelley - My favorite 4th of July memory was when I was 17 we were able to go to Santa Barbara, which was special since we could never afford that kind of stuff. And the whole beach was covered with people sitting next to each other. When the lights started, I looked around and was amazed that everyone on that beach was all looking up at the same time, and it was so beautiful to see that through all the ugly and differences we can always find a place to come together. Just like we did on Sept. 11, just like we when in the future.ReplyCancel

  • Lindsay Willman - We usually go to the lake for the Holiday weekend, but this year we’re heading up North to spend time with my husband’s family.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Those dresses are adorable!!!
    Last year had to be the best 4th of July thus far. My husband and I bought our house 2 years ago and our city has a big fireworks display which we can see from our house so all the family comes over. We all hang out and have a really good time just enjoying each other’s company. Last year was the first with our daughter (she was 2 months old. Even though she fell asleep before the fireworks I held her while they were going off. It was fantastic!
    Ashley-TNReplyCancel

  • Marie - Growing up, our 4th of July celebrations were so much fun! Our neighborhood would join together and have a big block party complete with a bicycle parade. My sister and I enjoyed decorating our bikes and riding them up and down the street.

    Love your darling dresses!
    Blessings,
    Marie
    http://emmacallsmemama.comReplyCancel

  • The Richardson's - The dresses are absolutely beautiful!!

    Our 4th of July tradition growing up was having homemade ice cream and cake while watching the local fireworks. The town we lived in was quite small (less than 1000) and my aunt and uncle owned the only fireworks stand in town. Us kids would usually go to town early to help sell fireworks and then would get to shoot off whatever didn’t sell that evening.ReplyCancel

  • amyflew - This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyCancel

  • Lil Missy - oh my, those are cute cute cute!!! I bought a Cora dress from you a few weeks ago and I can’t wait to get another one (if I’m lucky enough).

    My favorite childhood July 4th memory is hanging out in our driveway, my mom, dad and brother, and popping firecrackers. Kinda cheesey but it’s a memory that sticks with me!ReplyCancel

  • Leanne - Our family likes to have a cook out and do fire works!

    All the dresses are so adorable!ReplyCancel

  • Jenn - How fun! Our family tradition was to have a cookout and then drive to our local junior college where they had a big fireworks show every year. We would set up chairs and watch the show and it was always a great time with family and friends! Great clothes!ReplyCancel

  • Jenae - The dresses are so beautiful! We are expecting again and our baby will due in November. Although we don’t know what it is yet, Kevin is just absolutely sure it is a girl. 🙂

    My favorite fourth of July memory is going to the lake with my family. We spend the day out on the water (weather permitting) and then have a huge feast of “fourth of Julyish” style food for dinner. Kevin LOVES the fireworks, but they make me really nervous now that there are little ones around. 🙂 Overall, it is a great day to be with family and treasure the blessing of living in this country. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Mama Sons - Oh Im so excited.
    Every year we get together with our closes friends and BBQ and wait for the sun togo down and then we light fireworks for hours.. This is my favorite holiday!ReplyCancel

  • amyflew - Awww those clothes are soooo adorable. My little Morgan would love to be able to wear one of those this 4th of July in memory of sweet Cora!!

    My favorite memory of the 4th is just hanging out with family and going to fireworks. There is a small town next to where I grew up that had the best fireworks, and people would drive far and wide just to see them. My other favorite thing that we used to do was get take out dinner and then go watch the lighted boat parade on the Mississippi River while we ate. Such good family memories!ReplyCancel

  • Melissa.M.Loss - I have the most awesome 4th Memory for you! We waited so long so so long for our son we had been trying for 4 years and we lost a daughter when I was 18 weeks pregnant. So we didn’t think we would ever have more children. Then Nov 2007 I found I was pregnant! Scared is an understatement!! We had so many scares so many times they said our son wasn’t going to make it so many times they said the drieded words your losing your baby Melissa but he was tuff and after 3 1/2 months of bed rest I was ready to meet My Rainbow baby My Miracle My Son I begged god to protect him! He was suppose to be born on June 22nd but his lungs weren’t ready then again on the 29th and the 3rd I was so scared and disappointed each time. Well my doctor said I am forcing a team to work on the 4th of July you are going to have this little guy! So 4 am and the phone rings Guess who?The hospital saying they have to push my c back to 3!! So I get there at 1 and get prepped and go to the er a little after 3 and it felt like for ever but or Miracle our Rainbow baby Our son was born at 4:03pm July 4th 2008 At a perfect 6 pounds 10oz and 19 inches long At 37.2 weeks(due date was off)healthy and perfect in every way!! We love him so so much and that is the best 4th of July! Thank you!!ReplyCancel

  • The Mattesons - I absolutely love the new dresses! I have been trying to get a Cora dress, but they sell out so quickly! Thanks so much for doing a give a way – hopefully I win a dress for my little one!ReplyCancel

  • Lindsey - Everyone says they love 4th of July for the fireworks – but I love it for THE MUSIC!

    When I was about 10 years old and until I graduated high school, my family would go to our local outdoor amphitheater on the 4th: we brought picnic lunch and dinner, sat out on the grass while the San Francisco Symphony (and lots of different musical guests) played all day and into the evening. There was always lots of activities – face painting, bubble stations – and we would eat, sing, dance, and play until fireworks at 9. Then we would snuggle in our blankets while the musicians played all the patriotic classics (souza in particular!) while the fireworks went off overhead.

    The memory is especially dear to me this year, as my grandmother who created the “tradition” because of her love of patriotic music has been dying a very long, lingering death these past three months. The memories of happy, healthy times makes the process of a rather long and painful passing a little easier, remembering all the family traditions she created for us to carry on for the rest of our lives.ReplyCancel

  • Patty - So cute!

    My favorite 4th of July tradition/memory were our parties every year. My family lived a few blocks away from the High School and every year we would BBQ, swim and party with our friends and family. Then a few hours before dark, all of us (20+) would walk to the High School stadium, lay out blankets on the field and watch the fireworks show! Now that we’re all grown and have families of our own, my husband and I have started block parties on our street with our friends and neighbors! SO FUN!!ReplyCancel

  • Candice - Those dresses are SO cute!

    On July 4, 2001, my husband and I became officially “together.” We tried to get married on our anniversary three years later, but it was a Sunday. In Mexico, they won’t marry you on a Sunday, so we got married on July 5, 2004. Every year we celebrate our anniversay July 4th and 5th. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • meg duerksen - we have a block party!
    it is so much fun all day long…we party hard into the night. such a bonding time for our neighbors!
    these are all so cute! what a great idea jess!ReplyCancel

  • Chrystal J - My husband is a cop and so he has to work every 4th of July so we(Me and our 2 children) go to the city he works in and find out where he is stationed at that moment and watch the fireworks with him.That is until he gets called out because someone is acting crazy =)ReplyCancel

  • Amber - My favorite 4th of July was several years ago when my parents came to visit. We went to Chicago, saw a cubs game, went to the Taste of Chicago and stayed for the fireworks. It was awesome!ReplyCancel

  • Landen and family - Our 4th of July tradition is going camping and watching the fireworks while sitting around the campfire. It’s an awesome time!

    I love the patriotic dresses and shirts!

    Thanks for the chance to win!ReplyCancel

  • kapeck - I’m a first time commenter and I love the blog! I found you through another & have been following your journey. I admire your strength & your all are consantly in my prayers.

    Your dresses are adorable & plan to purchase some, but would love to win one of these adorable items!!!!

    I, too, am a child of a Naval officer. 4th of July has always been important to my family. One of my favorite memories is from when my family was stationed in VA & we spent 4th of July at the National Mall, walking through the monuments as the fireworks went off.

    KelleyReplyCancel

  • wee - What a fabulous idea!!! I love your items and have never been able to get onto Etsy in time to purchase them.ReplyCancel

  • Carly - I love these dresses and shirts! So cute. I guess my favorite 4th of July memory is the little parade that always went in front of my grandparents house that we would watch. Thanks for the giveaway!ReplyCancel

  • Donna - Too cute! My only girl (that has 3 brothers) loves all things frilly.ReplyCancel

  • Toni :O) - My favorite 4th of July memory is coming home the day after, on July 5th 2003 with my new baby girl. She has always been so special but after reading about Cora, my daughter will always hold a special place in my heart. Because of Cora, both my children, get extra hugs and kisses and I thank you ever so much for that. I have a deeper appreciation for my children. Oh, and we like to tell my sweet Antonina that the fireworks are because she was born! Hope this day finds things easier for you. If I win, I’m planning on giving the giveaway to my co-worker who just had found out after years of trying that she’s pregnant after a successful IVF procedure…God is so good and I just KNOW she’d appreciate this giveaway…especially since Memorial Day is when she found out she is pregnant!ReplyCancel

  • THE MCPHERSON FAMILY - Fourth of July – one of my favorite holidays! I have been wanting to leave a comment for awhile now – but never have the “right” words. I’m not really posting for the freebie – although I LOVE all your beautiful Cora dresses and such :0)

    I live 1,167 miles away from my family – When I started having my own family – it became harder to get home – especially after having triplets. We decided when our boys (the three) were 9 months old – that we were going to make the trip – I needed some of my family time. We drove the 20 hours with four small kids – and had the best time. This year will be our fourth year – of special family fun – and always remembering those who sacrifice sooo much! God bless them!

    I continue to lift your family up in prayer!ReplyCancel

  • Nicole @ BugaBoos - Adorable! My family always gets together and cooksout at my Grammas house. We usually buy up a bunch of fireworks and put on our own little show there for the kiddos! I just love it when we all get together as we don’t enough!

    Thanks for the chance to win!ReplyCancel

  • michelle - The items are beautiful!!! I hope I can get some of them before they sell out!!! on w/ the memories and traditions…
    A tradition we have is attending the parade, it is a GREAT parade w/ lots of candy to collect. I can’t say this is my favorite…but it is my most memorable 4th…last year I had my little boy the end of June and was not able to got to our usual parade. My husband decided he would still go and take our little girl…this was an emotional thing b/c she had never wanted to leave w/o me before and she was torn about what to do w/ this parade. She really wanted to go to the parade but felt bad about leaving me. Needless to say we both ended up in tears, but she went to the parade and ended up w/ 80 dum dums! She enjoyed herself and it was milestone in her growing up. Bittersweet.ReplyCancel

  • iluvorb - My favorite 4th memory is going to Myrtle Beach every year with my best friend and her family. Sadly, a few years back my friends dad passed away suddenly. I am so thankful for all the years he took me in as his “adoptive daughter” on those 4th of July trips to the beach!
    He helped make so many of my 4th of July memories!ReplyCancel

  • Kristen - First off your dresses are beautiful!

    My favorite tradition would be our July 4th family cookout! It always starts on the 3rd with everyone spending the day on the beach. Then on the 4th we cookout and eat LOTS of food!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer, Chris, and Owen - My mom used to host a big 4th of July party for her side of the family every year, and one year my great-uncle brought his “lady friend” as we call her who was all decked out in red, white, and blue. It was hysterical! Her outfit was complete with mardi gras type beads, a very ornated hat, and flagish type shirt. I miss those parties and my “aunts” style!-JenniferReplyCancel

  • The Pelts - My favorite 4th of July memory centers around the fact that my church’s youth choir used to embark on our annual choir tour during that week. My sophomore year of high school, our trip was to Canada, and due to the schedule, we were still in Canada on the 4th. That means no real “celebration”. My mom was on the trip with us as a chaperone, and she made us a flag cake with strawberries and blueberries to help make us feel “at home”. What a great memory!

    Blessings on you,
    Mary BethReplyCancel

  • mommyof2sons - My favorite 4th of July memory is spending time with our families. We usually cook out and watch fireworks. And go to the 4th of July parade. What fun! My husband was in the Navy for 5 years. So I want our kids to PROUD to be an American!!!

    Love your blog! Prayers and hugs!ReplyCancel

  • Kristi REDISKE - Ok-I think my favorite 4th of July memory was about 21 years ago we went to the Celebration at Wichita State University-We went with family-but we also took our 2 children Kristin who was 5 at the time, Benjamin who was 1 1/2 and also with us was my sisters daughter Kristi who was 5 1/2. They had alot of fun with the pre show stuff but then when the show was about to begin my husband put Ben on his shoulders-well-the flyover of the airplanes came, it was the bombers so it was really loud, Ben about strangled Mike, then Kristi ended up hiding under a blanket for the fireworks because then she was scared- the rest of us loved it, made us proud to be Americans and live in a free country and be able to celebrate and worship our God-Thanks to all those who gave their lives for our freedom. I also want to thankyou for the chance at the giveaway-its fun.ReplyCancel

  • Beth Ann - Growing up my dad’s siblings would chip money together and drive from Iowa to Missouri to buy fireworks. Then on the 4th of July we would go to my grandma’s house is a really tiny town (think 3 streets) and grill out. After dark the entire tiny town would gather on my grandma’s front yard and watch as my dad and uncles would light the fireworks off across the street at in the baseball field.ReplyCancel

  • Holly - In 2002, my bff and I went to Red, White, and Boom in Columbus, OH and we had such a good time. We ate lots of food and the fireworks were amazing!! We don’t get to see each other much now since we live in diff states but I enjoy the memoriesReplyCancel

  • Cabra Clan - So excited! I love love love the dresses!! They are always sold out by the time I know more are available. We get together at my in-law’s pool every 4th. The kids swim all day, rain or shine, and then we go watch fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Carrie - My favorite 4th of July memory is going to the 4th of July parade with my Dad’s side of the family in Virginia and then at the end of the night watching the fireworks from the bed of my Dad’s pick up truck!ReplyCancel

  • Tammie NElson - This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyCancel

  • Chris, Molly, and Baby - LOVE all the cute stuff! I have a little girl that is two days older than your sweet Cora and I’m expecting another little girl in October who we are naming after my Aunt who passed of Brain cancer. I’ve tried and tried to get a dress but I”m always too late.
    My husband is active duty Army and we are stationed at Ft. Leavenworth (not too far from you) and are moving this week to Ft. Carson Colorado. He is deploying in July for six months for his third tour.
    Every Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July we attend ceremonies and parades, even before we had our little girl. In fact I just did several posts on my own blog about Memorial Day. Anyway, I would be so honored to have my little girl wear one of your dresses or shirts this Fourth of July.
    I pray for your family daily.
    May God Bless you,
    MollyReplyCancel

  • Tammie - We attend a church retreat in Canada on the fourth of july each year. It is a wonderful way to renew faith and strengthReplyCancel

  • wicker0407 - Great idea and the items are amazing as usual! I also LOVE the 4th it holds special meaning for our family as it is also my sisters birthday. I have many memories as a child going to picnic all day and stay up late to see the fireworks. I think my favorite was last year though. My son was 4 and it was the first year he was REALLY excited for the fireworks he was able to stay awake the whole time and was not scared by the sounds he was just amazed to seee it and he has been asking for the last few months when is July 4th he vividly rememrbs it an is so excited for it again. We have started the same tradition now with our kids we head to the park where they do the fireworks we bring blankets and food and we just enjoy eachothers company and the magic of the day, can’t wait!
    Just wanted to know you are still in my prayers Always and hope each day is getting a little easier for you.
    Summer & Family in CaliforniaReplyCancel

  • Kristy - No matter where we are it’s always a family day. As a child I looked forward to July 4th more then anything during the summer. We would swim all day, eat, have some kind of competition (volleyball, badminton, etc)and then finish it all up with fireworks. That’s still our tradition today only now we all have our own kiddos and not all of our family is with us, but we always have those awesome memories together.ReplyCancel

  • Bri!!! - I left on a service mission for my church for 18 months on July 5th, 2000. That July 4th before I left was a special one because I knew it would be the last time for a while I would be with all of my family. We went to “The Stadium of Fire” which is always a special experience. It is very patriotic and inspiring. I LOVE the 4th of July and I would LOVE to get one of your giveaway items. Thank you for sharing your life with us. I often am in tears when I read your posts. You inspire me.ReplyCancel

  • Dana - Let me start by saying, HOW CUTE!!!! Those are adorable!! I guess my favorite thing about July 4th, is just getting together and being w/family.ReplyCancel

  • MariaSoleil - I really love your new dresses.

    This 4th of July is going to be special for us because my husband will be home for it! He is a Marine living at Camp Pendleton preparing to go back to Iraq. In the meantime I hold down the fort with our 3 kids.

    Your blog inspired me to start my own. *shameless plug in case you are interested – http://www.mariasoleil.blogspot.comReplyCancel

  • Katie - How cute…I love them all!

    I look foward to the 4th of July every year. It’s such a great time to gather with friends and family. I love being outside, grilling out, and of course, the FIREWORKS! July 4th, 2007 happened to be a 4th of July I would never forget….

    We are simple people, so I don’t have a big extravagant story to tell..but here it is: My favorite 4th of July memory is getting engaged while watching fireworks over the Mississippi River here in Iowa. We were about halfway through the fireworks when my now husband brought out the ring and asked me to marry him. My reply “I think I’m going to throw up!” Romantic, right? haha It was one of the most memorable and best days of my life.

    The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays, now not only because of our nation’s freedom–but also because it is the anniversary of our engagement!! The 4th will always hold a special place in my heart <3ReplyCancel

  • Shana - I, too, come from a military family – my brother is in the Air Force recently deployed to the Middle East for 6-9 months. I was born in Rome, NY while my Dad was stationed there for the Air Force (not nearly as exotic, but still patriotic!) 🙂 My favorite memories of the 4th of July date back to my teen years. My BFF (we go back 20+ years) has a birthday on July 5th so every year I spent the 4th of July weekend with her at her grandparents’ house on the beach of Lake Ontario! We’d play in the sun and sand and “boy watch” and then watch nature’s fireworks (a.k.a. heat lightening) over the lake at night. It was fabulous! Thinking back to those days makes me feel young again!

    As always, you are in my prayers! Your faith and strength have been an inspiration to me!ReplyCancel

  • Mrs. Smith - Yay! Can’t wait!

    Our family loves the 4th of July! Every year we would always travel to our family’s cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin and participate in a small town parade. We always would march in the parade together with, what felt like at the time, a hundred police cars, fire trucks, sirens and all.

    Such fun!ReplyCancel

  • Robin in Benton - Joel and Jess:

    If you ever doubt how many lives your families story has touched – just look at all the responses here – and how fast they came in after the original post. I am in awe. God has indeed used Cora’s life – and you guys – in a mighty way!ReplyCancel

  • Megan - I read your blog and pray for your family and cry with you. I’m so sorry you lost your beautiful Cora. I love what you are doing with the talents the Lord has given you. Cora’s dresses are beautiful!

    Here’s one of my favorite 4th of July memories.

    The first summer I was dating my husband, he came up and stayed at my aunt and uncle’s house in the same town. We went to watch the fireworks with all my girlfriends and went to a business park near the fairgrounds. We had a great time watching the fireworks and afterwords, we were planning on just hanging out until all the crowds cleared out. Not 5 minutes after the show was done, all of a sudden, we heard cha cha cha and felt a few sprinkles from the sprinklers. In about one second, we were all standing up, everything on our blankets was bundled up and we were out of there. So much for waiting for the crowds.ReplyCancel

  • Mama10EE - How wonderful that you are doing something patriotic! I always seem to be a day late on your etsy things, so hopefully I can win one of these GORGEOUS dresses.

    I too come from a military family. I was born in the Philippines to an Air Force fighter pilot (dad) and mom. We left Asia, traveled across the US from West Coast to East Coast, hopped another ocean to Germany, and I graduated from an international high school in Belgium in 1997. Being openly proud of our troops and patriotic is one of my “things”. My favorite 4th of July thing is something we are doing this year for the first time, and I am so excited to finally be doing it. This 4th of July my mom, dad, brother, sister-in-law, husband 3 year old daughter, and I will be in Washington DC! We are going to spend the day there and see the fireworks from The Mall that evening. What makes it even better…our dear Belgian friends are flying over to the US to spend this day with us! (of course they will be actually spending 2 weeks here, but planned their entire trip around being in DC for the 4th of July). Hopefully THIS will become our tradition, as my brother lives in the DC suburbs.

    Your Cora is so beautiful. I followed your blog for a few months before she passed away. Her birthday and mine are both in March. Even my husband, who does not normally read blogs, read yours. We fell in love with her name, and we both said that if our second child is a girl, she will be called Cora.

    Cora’s playground is such a touching way for people to remember her and a permanent place for her to smile down on. God bless you both….and thank you for sharing your story of your gorgeous little girl.ReplyCancel

  • Kat - Oh my goodness. Look at all that red, white and blue yumminess!!! I love all of it! One of our 4th of July traditions is the neighborhood parade. Everyone decorates their bikes, wagons, golf carts,strollers, dogs and wears red, white and blue. We all meet in a cul-de-sac and are led on a march down to the clubhouse by a fire engine and then everyone visits while enjoying frozen treats. It’s so fun! This year, I’ll be celebrating it in Maine with my husband’s entire family. I can’t wait.ReplyCancel

  • Brianna - Such cute things!

    My favorite and all time funniest memory was when we took a family vacation to the river and my Dad wanted to show off for all the grandkids and light off some fireworks on the house boat. (which we didn’t know were illegal) He started the fireworks off and the platform that he was lighting them on got knocked off and went into the water. They started shooting off in all different directions and into the dry brush causing small little fires. The whole family paniced and began to try to put out all the different fires before it turned into something HUGE. Everyone was screaming and going crazy. My Mom and sister froze and just began to pray. The police showed up on boat and took my Dad on the boat for questioning while all the Grandkids stood and watched and cried afraid Grandpa was heading to jail. Thank God the Police were understanding and let him go. Probably cause they got a good laugh watching the whole thing. That will be a 4th of July I will never forget. My Dad trying to be the nice Grandpa and almost starting a natural wildlife preserve on FIRE. 🙂 We didn’t think it was funny at the time but we all get a good laugh about it now.ReplyCancel

  • Angie - Those are so stinking adorable!!! Taegan would be the hit of the party in one of those special dresses!!!

    We live in Topeka, KS and I was born and raised here. We would always spend the 4th of July with my best friend and her family(which also happened to be my parents best friends). It was such a ball and we would eat and eat and eat and then shoot off fireworks. Nothing really special, just a great night of fun every year.

    My other memory is one of when I got super close with my now husband. His family always has their 4th party on the 3rd and I was out there with some other friends. I had met Justin and we were friends, but that night we really clicked and knew that there was something more! It was a night I will never forget and one that we still talk about!!!

    Look forward to the drawing:)
    AngieReplyCancel

  • Macalla Yi - Hi there! Love, Love, Love your dresses. I’ve been trying to get my hands on one for a while but always miss the chance.

    I think of you and sweet Cora often. Thank you for sharing your last post.ReplyCancel

  • Tammie Maddy - Well, Jess, your such an inspiration. I could only wish that I had the relationship with Christ that you and Joel seem to have.

    I check up on you often and wasn’t going to enter the giveaway, but you see, Kat was born on the 4th of July.

    I wanted kids from the moment we said “I do,” but Jesse had a plan and it needed to be followed. No kids until we had health insurance, steady jobs, AND a house. We talked about adopting and for some reason we could do that even if the plan hadn’t been seen to completion. We went forward with the adoption, but God was telling us it wasn’t the right time as classes got moved and canceled and Jesse’s father got very sick. I was heart broke when the little girl from daycare that I so wanted as my own was moved and adopted to someone else.

    After 3 years of marriage and one year of insurane and steady jobs we welcomed Kathryn Diane to our family, July 4th 2006, exactly one year after buying our first home. Our stuborn beautiful daughter was 2 days early and changed our lives forever. This year she will be three and wants a princess party.

    I haven’t gotten to watch fireworks in 3 years, but I’m not complaining. After seeing the things you’ve had to go throught and going through this winter worrying about my heart (have a heart murmur that was/is causing problems) I am so thankful for what I have, for whatever time God allows.

    So, I had to enter. Our first mircale was born on the 4th of July and God has also given us another little miracle, 17 months after Kat was born, who was due on Christmas!! We like the holiday thing I guess. Oh, Lili came early on the 15th so no Christmas baby!

    Tammie McDonald MaddyReplyCancel

  • The Oppold Family: - My favorite July 4th memory is July 4th 1997. My husband & I were in Boston for a long weekend away and were able to watch the celebration of our Nation’s Independence in a a historical place that had such an impact on getting us where we are today!ReplyCancel

  • Tonya - We are also a very patriotic family… Lots of military on both sides – every male until our generation, actually!

    I absolutely love that first dress! If I had a daughter, I’d buy it in a heartbeat.

    Just last night our neighborhood’s newly formed social committee began planning a kids’ July 4th bike parade followed by a potluck at our park. Should be a great way to celebrate our nation’s independence!ReplyCancel

  • Tamara - We live in Michigan and every 4th of July we travel to West Virginia (where my MIL was born) to spend a week + in the mountains! We have family come from all over the US and just spend the time enjoying our loved ones. It’s so relaxing and wonderful.ReplyCancel

  • amy - Probably my most memorable 4th of July was one that I celebrated away from American soil. I was in Peru as a leader on a high school mission trip. On the 4th, we had an incredibly fun day of celebrating our country, even though we were a long way away from it. We had festive decorations, an afternoon of games and competitions (field-day style), and a cook out with some of the U.S. treats that everybody had been missing. The fireworks at the end of the night were the highlight, though. Peruvian style fireworks are an experience for sure! They built a very large structure that all sorts of different fireworks were shot from. They also had one of the guys on our team put on a “hat” of sorts that looked like an animal and then fireworks exploded off of it while he ran around with it on his head. Being the nurse that I am, I was a little concerned that someone would get hurt, but the only damage done were a few holes burned into his jacket! It was a memorable day for sure.

    Love the Cora dresses! I don’t have children, but my best friend just had a little girl and I have been trying to buy one for her. It would be even better to win one! I am also a pediatric oncology nurse, so I feel a bit of a special connection to your little girl. I love my job and the fact that I get to love and encourage families like yours through a most difficult time in their lives. Being a believer, I feel like it is a ministry that the Lord has given me, and it is a privilege indeed to be able to lift up my patients to the Great Physician, who is able to do infinitely more than I can offer as a nurse. Love and blessings!ReplyCancel

  • Katie - Setting off fireworks with my Dad while growing up. One time we launched a faulty rocket that landed in my neighbor’s yard prior to going off. They weren’t home, and it set a small fire in their yard when it exploded. I had no idea my Dad could hurdle a 6ft fence until that evening – he hurdled it while my Mom got the hose. Needless to say, he easily put the fire out, covered any evidence with fresh pinestraw and the neighbors never knew a thing…we decided to lay off the fireworks for a little while after that 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Sharon - We are also a very patriotic military family! Love all your stuff!ReplyCancel

  • Isaac and Mommy - Beautiful Dresses and adorable things!

    My favorite July 4th memory occurred when I was about 7. Being the oldest of 11 cousins, I was often trying to get them to do fun crafts, or staging little plays…on this particular fourth of July, I had all my cousins pic up flags and we had our own little parade, singing a “You’re a Grand ole Flag.” The littlest ones obviously didn’t know the words, so they marched saying “Yeah Yeah Yeah it’s the fourth of July!” 20 years later, the Aunts and Uncles are STILL talking about it!

    I can’t wait to see your fourth of July stuff at Cora’s! What a beautiful way to honor your beautiful daughter.

    You are all often in my thoughts and prayers.
    Kate RossReplyCancel

  • Anna - One 4th of July tradition I have always enjoyed is playing sports in the backyard with our BIG family. We always get together and eat lots of food, play volleyball or baseball in the backyard, eat some more, and watch an awesome fireworks display to close the day out! It’s lots of fun. And I’m sooooo PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!ReplyCancel

  • amyrogers1 - Family, Food, and fireworks! This year we are going to a baseball game, that promises to have the biggest firework display ever, with our awesome church family.

    Thanks for the opportunity to win such cute items!ReplyCancel

  • Hailey - What a great giveaway!

    Our 4th of July tradition is the beach. We spend every 4th down there, together as a family… all 15 of us. We have so much fun. It is so nice to be able to spend that time together.ReplyCancel

  • Claudia - 4th of July is not something we celebrated in Chile 🙂 That’s where I grew up but now that I am married to someone from this country and I live here we do celebrate.

    One of our closest friends have a boy that was born on July 4th so every year we go to their house for a birthday/4th of July celebration, it’s a cookout, same friends meet every year, there are some people I know I’ll only see on this get together is fun and we look forward to play in the pool and have a good time together.

    Love the dresses and how you are using your talents 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Kristin Stegent - My dad would always give me a $100 bill. I felt rich! And he let me spend every penny of it on fireworks, which bought a lot back in the day. I loved setting off fireworks as a kid!ReplyCancel

  • Kristin Stegent - And oh my gosh, Cora looks just like you!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - The 4th of July outfits are darling!!! I too love the 4th of July – my favorite Holiday!!!

    We live away from our family so every 4th of July we travel to Nebraska to see them. They live at the lake and we make the most of it! The entire lake participates in our firework celebration. It starts early with an annual reveal of the t-shirts that have been made just for this occasion (everyone wears one!!!) Then it is off to the annual volleyball game “grown-ups against the kids” (somehow the grownups forget how to count every year:-), then it moves to a few boat rides and skiing while one of the residents serves hotdogs via boat. He cooks the hotdogs rolls them in foil and throws them from his boat for everyone to enjoy – the kids love them!!!!!! Finally the evening culminates with food – lots of it and an amazing fireworks display. The platform that the fireworks are launched from is hand painted by the kids with a large American flag and it has a flag erected on it. They float it in front of the cabin and while all of the kids sit with glow necklaces and glow suckers the older kids and parents launch the fireworks. It is such and amazing day of fun, friendship,and love.

    Happy 4th of July!!!!! and May God Bless America!!!!!ReplyCancel

  • Megan - Love the dresses they are just beautiful!!

    My family tradition is to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD (with my Grandparents who still live in Annapolis). We go out to the big rocks right by the water and the fire works are so close to that you can feel the boom from each fire work. It’s amazing!! So beautiful and even more amazing being right there where so many people graduate from the academy to then serve our Country. My Grandfather is actually a retired Master Chief from the Navy. He has a million hats that he wears that says that and you should see the recognition he gets, it’s so fun to watch and see how respectful people are to him.

    My favorite memory would have to be when we took my son who was two at the time to the same spot I’d always gone growing up to see fire works (read above) and to see the enjoyment and surprise on his face for seeing up close fireworks in the sky for the first time and enjoying them. I’ll never forget that!ReplyCancel

  • Logan and Rebecca - Thank you for sharing your story with us, and for being so honest about what you are going through! You are all in my prayers.

    My birthday is July 3rd so growing up, each year we’d celebrate Independence Day and my birthday at my aunt’s house. We’d swim, pick fresh apricots and have homemade ice cream. Then we’d enjoy the fireworks!

    Thank you for your generous giveaway. Your dresses are darling!ReplyCancel

  • Lacey McKay - Cute! I check your blog daily and am never fast enough to buy a dress so I’d love to get one for my daughter, in memory of Miss Cora!

    My favorite 4th of July memories are of lighting those worm things and throwing poppers with my cousins in small town America. I also remember one year, as a small child, my parents taking us to a golf course to watch the fireworks. I could see the reflection of them in the water and I remember being amazed by the short, perfect grass.ReplyCancel

  • Michellesayshi - We used to go to Old Navy and get $5 flag tees every year to wear on the 4th of July! Then we would go watch fireworks by the lake, if it didn’t rain. Good times!ReplyCancel

  • Team Manager - My favorite 4th of July memory is being on my honeymoon in the Blue Ridge mountains. We went to the local fireworks show. It was amazing! Best of all, I was snuggled up to my husband with a world of possibilities before us!ReplyCancel

  • Manda - 1. My aunt throws a potluck/party every year and we play volleyball and other yard games until fireworks begin.
    2. Fourth of July in Florida as a little girl. We watched the fireworks from the beach. Seeing fireworks over water is amazing, and the pretty boats against the lit up sky are even more amazing!ReplyCancel

  • The Shupe's - My favorite 4th of July memories are cookouts and watching the fireworks in Redbud park!

    Your dresses are so cute.

    1st time commentor, long time reader. I think and pray for you and your family often!ReplyCancel

  • Katie - We also LOVE your dresses! We have purchased a few through other Etsy vendors, as we are never quick enough to get to your postings!

    Our 4th of July family tradition…

    Every year for the 4th of July, since I have met my husband 6 years ago, we go to Cape Cod. He is from the area and we love going to the ocean. Well, luckily for us, our families have always gotten along, so for the last 4 years, my whole family and my husbands whole family all go to Cape Cod and we have the battle of the “hometowns”. I am from Ohio, and we think we have the best food, so we bring ribs (from Montgomery Inn) and yummy corn on the cobb. My husbands family also thinks they are the land of the best food and they make a lobster bake and we all dig in and enjoy the goodies with friends and family and tell hometown stories. We then head down to the harbor to watch the Fireworks together!

    This year is the first year that we will be bringing our daughter Avery and introducing her to Cape Cod and all of our family traditions that we share!

    You, your husband, and Cora are always in our thoughts and prayers. Your strength is amazing and I love what you have done with the playground and all of your etsy makes!ReplyCancel

  • shalen - your dresses are adorable… i have so enjoyed following your story from afar. such an inspiration in the midst of difficulty that i cannot even fathom. thanks for sharing your life and your adorable dresses with us all!ReplyCancel

  • Little Dude's Mama - My husband’s birthday is the 4th of July, so the holiday is always extra special. Last year, we took our then-6mo. old swimming in a lake for the first time AND she crawled for the first time. On her Daddy’s birthday! It’s a 4th of July I’ll never forget.ReplyCancel

  • Christina H - Our July4th tradition is to head off to the beach and watch these amazing fireworks. We hang out there all day with friends and family grilling and swimming. Its a blast!!

    Your whole family continues to be in my thoughts and prayers. I stumbled upon your site accidentally and couldnt stop reading about your precious sweet daughter. I cried and cried then hugged my 8mo as tight as I could. Life is so very precious and it cant be taken for granted. Hopefully Ill catch your store with some dresses in it so I can actually purchase one! They sell out so quickly! WTG! 🙂

    God Bless!ReplyCancel

  • the heller family - I love everything in this giveaway!! My favorite thing about 4 th of july is the food. I love deviled eggs, cookouts, and apple pie! Making me hungry just thinking about it! I love our country and those who fight for our freedoms as well.ReplyCancel

  • Stephanie Heintz - My family grew up in Florida and every summer we would go see the fireworks at the coast in this little town called Cedar Key. Fireworks over the ocean was the most amazing thing to me. I loved it and it has become one of my favorite memories.ReplyCancel

  • A Mother's Nature - sA 4th of July family tradition for our family is a huge BBQ with all our family. Like you, our family is very tight knit and the MOST IMPORTANT in our lives.

    So 4th of July is a time to gather in support of each other, our community and our freedom. We love to set of fireworks and JUST BE TOGETHER.

    I love your handy work and hope I am lucky enough to win one of the beautiful dresses.

    Thanks for reading!!

    StephanieReplyCancel

  • Instant Family of 4 - Our tradition is simple but I love it. We always have a big cookout with family and friends and then we all watch fireworks together. I wouldn’t have it any other way.ReplyCancel

  • Barclay Kathryn - Love a good contest! My favorite 4th memory is heading over to a family friend’s house in Glenview every year. Have great food and then head over to the local park for an amazing firework show to a live orchestra. The host would always pack us kids fun goody bags, glow necklaces included! She has since passed away suddenly from a heart attack, so I sure miss her and those great memories! : )ReplyCancel

  • JenniferNe - The Fourth of July to me always has been a special day. We celebrate as a family. That day everyone is together to remember all of those who have worked so for our Freedom. Now that I have children we continue the tradition. We eat, play and watch the fireworks together. My daughter said just yesterday that the 4th of July is her favorite holiday. Why? Because everyone sings “I am Proud to be an American” My husband was in the Army for 4 years, discharged for medical reasons, he would have been a lifer if not. Both of my nephews are currently serving. Mike is Afghanistan and Jimmy is just finishing basic training. God Bless!ReplyCancel

  • ran shae - oh, i am lovin’ those dresses!!!

    i think my favorite 4th memory was the first i spent with my husband, 10 years ago! nothing really unique or amazing about it, except i’m just a major romantic and i loved laying there beside him on our blanket, in the high school field with 90% of the rest of the townsfolk watching the fireworks as they lit up the warm july night sky…ReplyCancel

  • blessedmomto7 - Seems like our 4th is always spent on the farm… WHEAT HARVEST is usually in full swing so my in-laws usually come up to help and we grill out. There is nothing like that day. Then we usually head in town (with or without daddy-depending on whether he is done cutting or not) to watch fireworks! We usually stay in the care since I have 6 little ones 😉 HUGS!ReplyCancel

  • Laura - I, too, just love your dresses and especially love buying things that are for a wonderful cause.

    My favorite 4th of July memory was watching fireworks on our front lawn with all of our family and friends. We lived in a small town on the Mississippi River and our house was across the street from the river where they would set off the fireworks so our front lawn was the perfect place to enjoy the show!ReplyCancel

  • Christy - Your dresses are adorable!!
    I have a ton of excellant 4th of July memories but I’d have to say I just love hanging out with family & celebrating the 4th.ReplyCancel

  • Ohtobebeautiful - That is so neat that you were born in Japan!

    I guess my favorite 4th of July memory would have to be in 1994. It was the very last one I had with my uncle who passed away 4 days later at just 24 years old. I just remember his laugh and how much fun we had watching the fireworks that year and I was so lucky to have been there with him.ReplyCancel

  • vanessa - i got engaged on the 4th of July, so that is my best memory!!ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth - My nephew loves fireworks. A couple years ago when he was two he said he could hardly wait for night time when we were going to go work the fire. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Amanda - My nephew graduated from the Naval academy two years ago! Go Navy!!

    I would also like to say that you are in my prayers =)ReplyCancel

  • Becca - My favorite 4th of July memory? My husband and I found out that we were expecting on the 3rd of July. We went over to my mom’s house for a cookout on the 4th and surprised her with the news by handing her a stack of photos, with a photo of the positive pregnancy test mixed in. When she got to that photo she flipped out! She was SO excited. We were definitely celebrating that year 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Andrea - My favorite 4th of July memory is from 2006. My husband had finished up his 6 year requirement with the US Army a year earlier and he was going to college (actually still is!). We went to Wichita to be with family for the weekend. On the spur of the moment we decided to go to a Wranglers game (baseball for those that are not from Kansas). When we got there we noticed a UH60 Black hawk in the parking lot(hard not to notice). My husband was with a medivac unit in the Army which uses Blackhawks. So, since we were familiar with them we went over to see who was there that day. It was actually the National Guard Unit out of Topeka/Salina. We currently live in Salina where he is attending school. On a side note, when my wonderful hubby decided to get out of the army and go to school I knew deep down it would not be forever. I knew that day he would probably sign up for the guard so he could work with his first love again–helicopters. During half time that night the black hawk was part of the program and landed on the field. It was amazing to see his face light up! We were all pretty emotional, as we had just finished 4 tough years of many months of separation due to the war. This was his first 4th of July in the US with us in several years. By October of that year (4 months later) he had joined the guard unit we met that memorable 4th of July.ReplyCancel

  • Bais Family - The year that my husband came home from being in Iraq for a year.ReplyCancel

  • Lauren - You guys are so inspiring and I think about your family often. Our favorite tradition so far is going to the top of our parking deck in Birmingham, AL and watching the fireworks show from the top of the mountain!ReplyCancel

  • jwhitacre - Wow…love giveaways!! Thanks so much!!!

    My favorite childhood memory is by far driving to the mall parking lot and watching the fireworks on July 4th…we never had a lot of money growing up so these were the kind of things we had to do…and now I look back and realize what an awesome tradition it was!! I plan to keep this tradition with my kids!!ReplyCancel

  • Danelle - What a great give away!! Thanks,

    Our typical tradition, pre-kids, was always to go watch the fireworks over the lake with my 2 sisters and brother and their spouses. However, now that we have little munchkins to go with us now–the crowds have gotten too much to handle–so we always have a cook out with the entire family and let the kids roam at their will. I enjoy all the new changes and transitions that we undergo with all the added neices and nephews, and thank God that we have such a large family to enjoy every year at our July 4th celebrations.ReplyCancel

  • Mammy - It is a tradition at our house to have a picnic outdoors on the 4th. We serve charcoal grilled hamburgers and homemade ice cream to our entire extended family. Then we grab lawn chairs and get ready for a fireworks display. It’s the most fun we have all summer!ReplyCancel

  • Stacy - Oh how adorable. I truly truly look up to you guys and your faith in our Holy Father that we serve.

    My fourth of july memory is one of the last memories made with my 16 month old daughter Bethanie. We always go camping at the lake, and it was her first time to go!! I was so excited for her to go and continue the tradition that had been passed on since I was a kid. She was our only child and the only grandchild and I knew that my parents would enjoy spending the time with her. She was able to see her first set of fireworks, and go to her first 4th of July picnic. This was my daughter’s last 4th of July as she passed away 17 days later, unexpectedly in an accident. Every July 4th we honor her at our family camping trip and remember the memories that we have of her that special year.ReplyCancel

  • Sharla - Wow, cute stuff! My favorite fourth of July tradition is probably not unique, but my husband and I have yet to go to the trouble to make homemade ice-cream. I love the sound of my parent’s old ice-cream maker, my dad yelling that he needs salt for the ice and the kids all gathering around with a spoon when it has been called officially done. Everyone loves it fresh – I love it the NEXT day. Either way, it’s something I associate with the 4th of July.

    God Bless America and everyone that fights for our freedom!ReplyCancel

  • The Rouse House - Every time you upload to Etsy my google reader notifities me, albeit a little late! I’m watching for some burp clothes for a baby gift, but I’m excited for a chance to win something from Cora’s shop for my little girl!

    Our family traditions on the 4th of July are very basic but include all the best things…Family, burgers on the grill, family, watermelon, family, fireworks, family, fun on the slip’n’slide, family…Like I said, all the best things!

    You continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Much love from this mommy’s heart to your mommy’s heart.ReplyCancel

  • h&b von frinkenhagen - Cute, Cute, Cute!

    My favorite 4th memories are all the same, involving family and friends having a bbq/cookout, kids running around through sprinklers, “flag” cake, and of course, fireworks! Makes me happy just thinking about it!ReplyCancel

  • Stefanie in Birmingham - Jess,
    You don’t know me but I have been following your blog. You story has touched my life and little COra was so sweet. I have tried every time to buy a Cora dress for my 2 year old little girl and every time they are sold out!! Which is a good thing. I love the Fourth of July. I am from Alaska and it is day light all the time then and we would have a neighborhood BBQ and play all night. Baseball, water balloon fights. It was so much fun. I know live in Alabama and miss those times with my family as they are still in Alaska.Your family is always in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you so much for sharing your story.ReplyCancel

  • Trisha - I don’t have any little ones right now to wear the clothes but I can’t resist sharing.

    4th of July is my absolute FAVORITE holiday. I love Summer, BBQ, Fireworks and the USA. My husband and I have known eachother since we were 12 but starting dating on July 4th, 1990. Then we got married on 4th of July weekend 1995. I always deck my kids out in the cutest 4th of July outfits I can find (usually Gymboree) and we spend the day at our community parade and picnic. The fireworks are my absolute favorite. When my kids were little, they were scared. I’ll always remember holding their ears so that they could enjoy the visual without the scary sounds. Last year I didn’t enjoy the holiday. I was mourning the loss of my son. It was a miserable day watching everyone celebrate when our hearts were broken.

    This year, I can’t wait. I already have my kids outfits and I’m planing on hosting my very first party since Nate’s death last March. It’s going to be a very healing day for me. I’m looking forward to it.

    Still hoping that we can connect.

    TrishaReplyCancel

  • Mindy M. Harris - Oh, how awesome of you to do a giveaway. All of the prizes are awesome! Can you momma give a sewing class? I would attend! I am inheriting my husband’s grandma’s sewing machine! (Also, I’ve been praying for you all; Julie J. is a dear friend of mine!)
    My favorite 4th of July memory involves my 2 sisters…we loved smoke bombs & would run through them, pretending to be the Wicked Witch of the West! I did it again for “old times’ sake” in 2003, and a piece of the bomb landed on my arm. I had to cover the scar on my wedding day, 16 days later!ReplyCancel

  • Kristin - I just love the dresses that you all make!!

    My family and I spend every 4th of July in the Florida Keys. We spend all day fishing and snorkeling. In the afternoon we take all of the kids to the sandbar and let them run and play. We grill fish for dinner and stand out on the deck watching the fireworks (reflecting off the ocean) all around us from the different hotels. It is always a perfect day!ReplyCancel

  • Sarah - I must say…I’ve never won a thing before in my life, so I thought I’d give this a chance! I absolutely LOVE the 4th of July dresses!!

    My fondest memories as a child are going with my parents to pick out the fireworks. I was always so excited to get the snaps and sparklers! I also loved making a mess with the black snakes with my brothers! We would participate in the towns activities (going to the parade and water fights and such) and then bbq with friends. We always ended the night by lighting off the fireworks.

    I’m so proud to say that I have passed some of these memories on to my own children. They love to go and pick out snaps and sparklers and love going to the parades! We have started a tradition of bbqing with friends and lighting fireworks as well! I love watching their faces as the fireworks go up in the air. I just hope that I’m giving them the same fond memories that my parents gave to me!

    Thank you for this great opportunity!!

    Still praying for your family in Nebraska…

    SarahReplyCancel

  • Ashley - Your dresses are AMAZING! My prayers are with your sweet family.
    My favorite tradition is we always go to the 4th of July parade and stand up for the flag it makes me so proud to be an American and have others who fight so we can be free! I love a parade!ReplyCancel

  • Marsha - Oh my goodness…..I LOVE those dresses. I have always loved being an AMERICAN! My granddad and my husband both served in the military. Our family is always supportive of the military and we attend rallies to support our troops! God bless America!

    My favorite 4th of July memory is watching fireworks and having a cookout with family and friends.

    Continuing to keep you in my prayers. Love and prayers!

    Marsha in VAReplyCancel

  • krueth - Oh wow! What adorable clothing…I would love to win that darling dress for my 2 1/2 year old granddaughter…SOOO CUTE!
    Growing up we had a big ole 4th of July picnic at the lake and then we would go to a reservation about 20 miles away and have the best time watching the Pow Wow and the fancy clothing they wore and the dancing they could do~~It was fantastic. Also, my mother was SO very patriotic, growing up whenever THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER came on we were all required to stand with our hand over our heart till it was finished. Till the day my mother passed away she was so very patriotic, in fact at her funeral her grandchildren, who number 28 sang “Proud to be an American”. It was wonderful. I love our Country and am so proud also to be an american as we all should be. Thanks for the contest, I believe this is the first I have ever signed your comments section.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I love your cute dresses!

    My favorite memory is from when I was little. My family lived in a cul de sac where all the neighbors would all sit out & we’d set off fireworks. It was a special time of year for all the neighbors to get together.

    Jess, I’m Andi Sands best friend from Seattle – I’ve been updated on your story from the beginning – I have constantly been praying for you!ReplyCancel

  • lindsayw4 - This year we will be welcoming my husband home from a 4 month deployment, it’s a perfect day to celebrate their homecoming and their service! And my 2 year old is so excited to watch the pops (fireworks) with her Daddy.ReplyCancel

  • Lodmell House - I absolutley love the dresses. My daughters would love it!
    4th of July has always been a family holiday. We have a family reunion with fireworks and everything. This is why my husband and I got married on July 5th. We turned the family reunion into our rehearsal dinner, a barbeque on the family farm.
    So the 4th is a very special holiday for our family. It will different this year without my brother, who is now in the marines and is stationed in Japan.ReplyCancel

  • Kendra - Forgot to leave my name for the above comment Kendra – kksco@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • Micah - Oh. My. Goodness. This is the cutest stuff ever. Really. I thought you really outdid yourselves with the H.B. Pop Garden fabric (a favorite!), but this stuff is just adorable. My birthday is the 4th, so needless to say, it has always been my favorite holiday :).

    It was so good to read your update below. I know it’s hard to write, and be really honest about your feelings, but I wonder all the time about how you are really doing. When people say you’re doing great, it’s because you are living and breathing, and for those of us who haven’t been through it, we wonder how you can continue doing those things after such a tragedy. You are still in my daily prayers, and I know that it is only by the grace of God that you will make it through.ReplyCancel

  • Betsy - What a great idea!

    While growing we used to always spend the 4th of July with my moms entire family. During the day time we would have a picnic and then at night we would all travel downtown and watch the fireworks together. Great family memories!ReplyCancel

  • Lori - Those dresses are adorable! You have such an eye for what looks nice together.

    Favorite July 4 memory – I was in Atlanta on vacation with my family, and we were watching a 4th of July parade. Near the beginning of the parade, there were about 25 people carrying this massive American flag. When they went by, the wind caught the flag and blew it upwards, and I was sitting on the curb, and I looked up and all I could see were the stars and stripes with the sun shining through. It was so beautiful and it reminded me of what our celebration was all about.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - My favorite 4th of July moment happened on July 4th, 2006. That was the day my beautiful baby girl, Ella was born.

    Melissa (from Canada)ReplyCancel

  • Micah - That photo of you on your daddy’s back is priceless. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • amy - first off…i love all your stuff. please keep making them! i swear working with your hands helps to heal your hearts! 🙂

    and secondly, my favorite 4th of july tradition is homemade icecream and watching fireworks in our jammies. THE BEST!

    much love, from the jupins!ReplyCancel

  • kristin - I love your dresses! I want a Cora dress so badly and they always sell so quickly I’ve never been able to buy one.

    So far, my favorite 4th of July memory is pretty simple. We were at Myrtle Beach and my now 9 year old was 4 at the time and had never really experienced fireworks and the smile on her face went all the way to her eyes. You could see the reflection of the fireworks there and it was such a beautiful moment.

    God Bless, Jess!ReplyCancel

  • Melissa - So adorable dresses, and I love the pics you posted of your family. Hmm…when I younger and lived at home my parents worked for a firework company so on the forth they would hold a huge party for the whole subdivsion and let of fireworks….the real deal fireworks and my Dad allowed me to let off some of them. Being right in the action was amazing.

    Now we have a 8 month old daughter and it will be her first 4th of July so it is time for us to start some traditions of our own…I think fireworks may freak her out at this point so we will do those when she is older, right now I am thinking just family,fun and food.

    I have bought 2 of your burpy clothes and they have been put to good use – pucked on many a time! :o)ReplyCancel

  • The Meineckes - My favorite 4th of July memory/tradition is going to Kansas to my in-laws house(we live in Texas), cooking out, making home made ice cream and watching fireworks with the whole family.

    Thanks for continuing to bless me by your amazing strength and faith in our Lord. Still thinking about and praying for you everyday!ReplyCancel

  • Sherry - Favorite tradition: sitting in the church parking lot with my husband, watching the fireworks being shot off at the lake across the street.

    Super cute stuff!!!ReplyCancel

  • Don, Aimee, Kaitlyn and Kysen - Wow…what cute dresses! To pick just one 4th of July memory was really tough! My birthday is on July 1st so it always seems like the birthday festivities trickle into the 4th! LUCKY ME!
    My most favorite 4th of July memory actually just took place last year. We were in the process of moving to Colorado and we had always heard that Estes Park had a fabulous 4th of July fesival. We had really never brought the kids to Estes Park (they were 20 months and 6 at the time) so we decided to give it a shot! All I have to say is wow! So many people celebrating the fact that we live in a free nation! That evening we took the kids to the fire work show on Lake Estes. As I gazed at the fireworks being lit up, it would brighten up the mountains in a way that I could not describe in words. Mountains to me are such a majestic thing anyways, but to see them in this kind of light, was even better. I always would tell my 6 year old that God carved each and every mountain by hand so that we could know how majectic He is! Kaitlyn looked at me that evening while the fire works were still going off and said, “Mom, God is shining his light down off that mountain!” Wow, what a comment by a 6 year old. I think that fireworks are representing God’s magnificant light in each of our hearts and the mountains are a symbol that helps me realize that we are not grand, but our majestic God is grand enough to put such beauty in our lives! The 4th of July is such a patriotic day in each of our lives that would not be possible without the freedom we first recieved from our Father suffering on the cross for our sins!ReplyCancel

  • mrstolli - My favorite 4th of July memory was last year. We spent it with lots of wonderful people from our church. My daughter really enjoyed swimming with her friends and eating lots of ice cream and watermelon. I can’t wait for this year!ReplyCancel

  • Michelle - You make ADORABLE clothes. If my hubby was employed I’d be buying things like crazy! 🙂 I’ve been following your blog & praying for you since my friend Andrea shared your story w/me! May you continue to feel the peace and strength that only the Lord can provide in times like this! Thanks, Michelle
    (sunkistmas [at] gmail [dot] comReplyCancel

  • Steph - July 4th, 2002 was the day before my son was born and it was a day that I was so completely scared, nervous and every emotion running through me. My family and I built a big fire and roasted marshmallows and hot dogs. So now every year we do the same thing to not only celebrate the fourth of July but my son’s birthday!! My little girl’s birthday is July 17th so she thinks its her party also!!

    Also, this is a great idea!!ReplyCancel

  • Susan - So cute!!
    We love taking our 3 kiddos to the town park for the bike parade (they decorate them and then ride around the track!) followed by watching the fireworks at night!
    My daughter was born the night before Cora…we think of you guys every time she wears her Cora dress!ReplyCancel

  • morgan823 - Oh my gosh those are precious!! I want to enter to win. Everytime I try and get something from the store it’s gone already. 🙁 I’m not fast enough. Every 4th of July we (my family and extended family and friends) head to the lake to enjoy it. We watch fireworks on the water and cookout. I love it!!

    MorganReplyCancel

  • Kelly - I have been reading your blog for some time and I think of you often 🙂
    That being said – I love these dresses and I hope that if I don’t win one I can get my little fingers on these hot numbers.
    My husband and I are both from Canada and have been living in the US for 5 years. So the 4th of July has been something newer for us. We have some friends who live on a lake and we typically go to their home for a bbq and then go out in the boat for fireworks. It is a great holiday which brings a very proud feeling to be living in this county. Thanks for the giveaway!ReplyCancel

  • Danika - My favorite 4th of July memory/tradition is doing sparklers in the backyard with my parents. Those were the only ones we were allowed to do and that were legal in our town. And of course the traditional neighborhood potluck BBQ. Nothing fancy, just good food and good fun!

    Your clothes are adorable! Thanks for the opportunity to win some!ReplyCancel

  • Big W - My favorite 4th of July memory was made last year. When I found out I was pregnant the previous October, I calculated that my due date was the 4th of July. My doctor calculated it to be June 30th, but I really hoped for a 4th of July baby anyhow. As some mild complications arose, my doctor started recommending an induction. I resisted, feeling that everything would turn out as it was meant to be. Finally my doctor insisted on an induction on July 3, and said she hoped the baby was born that day so as to AVOID the holiday birthday. Well, the labor progressed and I finally started to push at 11:50 p.m. on July 3rd. When the baby was born, my first question was, “Is it a boy or a girl?” It was a boy! (We already had a little girl at home, so we were really excited to welcome a boy.) My second question was, “What time is it?” It was 12:01 a.m.! We got our 4th of July baby by 1 minute! For the rest of my life, it will be my favorite holiday, and my special guy will always have fireworks on his birthday!ReplyCancel

  • Jamie - what cute dresses!

    my favorite 4th memory is hand’s down last year. my husband’s birthday happens to fall on the 4th (i know lucky huh) and we’ve always had a huge celebration to honor our freedom in this country along with his birthday. last year was a bit different though as our daughter was born 3 months prematurely in march. no big party was to be had, no huge fireworks celebration. instead, we decided to take adali out and about for one of the first times since being home from the NICU. a special onesie was bought (that she immediately threw up all over), we went out for a small family picnic and watched the fireworks from afar. it may not have been the big affair of past years but it was by far the most special. watching my daughter, that had fought 2 long months for her life, fall asleep next to my husband that night made me believe that it had all been worth it. makes me smile just thinking back to it.

    ps…you are always in my prayers…ReplyCancel

  • Kari J - They are sooo cute, that is for sure!!

    My favorite 4th of July memory-
    I have so many it’s hard to choose just one but truthfully it also links into the tradition we had we I was little as well. I have loved the 4th of July as long as I can remember and this is why:
    Every year on my dads birthday day, June 27th… the first day you can buy fireworks in Kansas… we would go down the road and stock up on every firework that I wanted. As I got older they of course got more and more dangours aka FUN!! Then you had to sit and wait. BUT the next fun time came on July 3rd… we would go down and buy streamers, flags, any kind of 4th of July decoration you could think of!!! Then that night all the neighbor hood kids would come out with their bikes and decorate them for the next day. The next morning was our annual Colins Park Parade, we would stand in line and ride our bikes around the park… along with fire trucks, kids in wagons, dogs dressed up, every thing you can imagine in a small parade!! After that we would have a block party, all the families would come out to bbq, talk, watch the kids to make sure no one got hurt! That night we would all walk, together, down to Washburn University, lay out blakets and set up chairs.. eat snacks and wait for dark. As dark set in we would watch the fireworks and listen to the music. As soon as it was over we would all walk back home, set off more fireworks, and after a long, long day… say goodnight to all our friends and neighbors and call it a day. I was very lucky to live in such a great neighborhood growing up, I still talk to a few of them, many years later but those 4th of July’s will always stay fresh in my mind and I hope that some day I can give my own children these kind of memories!

    Thanks for putting up the contest and bringing back such great memories!! You’re still in my prayers!

    -KariReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I never win anything, but I will still keep trying!

    A favorite tradition for us (my husband, me, and our 5 kids) is to camp out for half the day and get ready to watch fireworks. We pack snacks, a cooler with food, and plenty to keep the kids occupied. The sounds of excitement and screams are worth every minute as our kids see the first firework. They are so amazed by them. I love to see their faces and smiles. Fireworks are something that never get old.

    Perhaps one of my little girls would be so lucky to be sporting one of those adorable dresses on the fourth as we wait for the fireworks. I do hope they have fireworks in Heaven!

    Susan WilkeReplyCancel

  • jennifer rogers - i love all of your things and I can never get to etsy fast enough to get any of them!

    I would have to say that my favorite July 4th memory would have to be July 4th 2005 it was the last July 4th that my Dad would be alive for. I just remember him being so goofy and happy and playing with all of the kids and then it started to rain before we had time to light off all of the fireworks so the girls stood under umbrellas and the men all stood in the rain lighting the big fireworks off and my dad was right there in the middle of it. I just remember this as one of the last times that I saw my father so happy.ReplyCancel

  • Laura Ann - THank you for giving back…I would love to win one of these little treasures for my baby girl.

    My favorite 4th of July memory is of my Best Friend getting married on the water with lots of fireworks. It was beautiful.ReplyCancel

  • ccsandberg - I love your dresses. My favorite memory was 4 years ago this 4th of July when I got engaged to my hubby! I was so suprised and now every 4th of July I love remembering that day as we watch fireworks. God bless you and your family!ReplyCancel

  • Rachel - Like others I’ve been trying to snag a dress for some time now but I’m always late! Your dresses go so fast!
    My favorite thing about July 4th is my wedding anniversary. We were married on the 5th. So the 4th holds a special place in my heart. 2 favorite memories of the 4th are the day before my wedding, the whole wedding party went swimming together, and the first 4th as a married couple, we went to our town’s fireworks display. We sat in the back of our truck and enjoyed just holding each other and watching the fireworks.Work schedules don’t let us do that much anymore. I’m always proud to be an American but days like the
    4th, Memorial day, and Veterans day I really like to give thanks to all the men and women who have fought to give me and my family the freedoms that this great country affords us! Your blog is so inspiring to me. You and Joel are in my prayers!ReplyCancel

  • Chasity - My favorite memory would be the summer my entire extended family was at a local lake to watch the fireworks display, and the dock collapsed due to the unusually large amount of people on it. The water was shallow, so no one was hurt, in fact, my mom stayed in her chair and simply held her coffee cup above her head so she didn’t have to sacrifice her caffeine intake for the evening.

    Your dresses are beyond beautiful.ReplyCancel

  • Polka Dot Moon - Oh my gosh! I forgot my favorite thing about the 4th!

    Family BBQ’s and dippin’ in the pool! It’s wicked hot here in July 🙂

    DeniseReplyCancel

  • Ashley - One of my favorite memories of 4th of July is my younger years, growing up always going to the lakehouse w/ my family and riding jet ski’s all day long, being gone for hours on end! Those were the days, I miss those so much.
    I love your blog and have prayed for you and your family and think of you often!
    I love all of the dresses you make as well!
    Ashley
    ashleyandcraig@msn.comReplyCancel

  • The little things - I actually just stopped by to let you know that I was thinking about you and thinking about sweet Cora today! I hope you guys are taking it easy and cherish those sweet memories that you have of such a beautiful girl. I think of her all the time!

    My favorite 4th of July memory.. I know I do live in canada now, but have only lived here for 4 years and am America, so hopefully I can enter! Anyway, As child i loved when we were on summer holidays and would get to catch the fireworks show some pleace else besides our small home town! I think Redmond oregon is my favorite from my memeory!ReplyCancel

  • Team Martins - These are so gorgeous, and I love the patriotism behind it all!

    Favorite memory…
    Being little and camping out in my parent’s big field… waiting for the neighbors to do their fireworks thing, so we could ooh and ahh over the beautiful lit up night sky. And the burgers and dogs and homemade potato salad didn’t hurt either!ReplyCancel

  • Jaclyn - ok, i am so glad you are doing this because I have tried to buy a dress everytime you have stocked the store and everytime you sell out before i even find out new things are listed. They must go FAST because i am always, always on my computer 🙂 !!!!
    My most precious 4th of july memory for me is from back in 1999. My boyfriend was leaving for marine corps boot camp on the 5th of July and we new things were about to be REALLY tough. We sat outside and watched fireworks, enjoying being together for one last evening before our worlds would never be the same. Since then we have married and have two beautiful children. I don’t think i will ever forget that evening.

    I have been following your story but don’t think i have ever commented before. Cora is so beautiful and she was so blessed to have a mommy and daddy that love her so much. I am excited to see what beautiful things our Father has in store for your sweet family….ReplyCancel

  • heicoc - I love your dresses, but I never make it to the shop in time to get any!! It would be great to win one!!! Maybe you could do a tutorial on how you make them – they are so beautiful.

    Anyhow my son’s birthday is July 1, 1997 so I would have to say my favorite memory around the 4th would be his birth. We celebrate his birthday usually on the 4th also, which is always fun. Most years when we are not on vacation, we head to the beach and watch fireworks from there.

    Thanks for your blog!

    Heidi
    heicoc@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • amanda - My favorite 4th of July memory was going to the Fort Vancouver fireworks show, with my husband (although we weren’t married then, we were newly dating) My favorite tradition is to make a flag cake every year.

    Beautiful clothes!! My girls would love them.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Your dresses are SO sweet.
    My favorite memory is as a child lighting sparklers with my Dad and five siblings on the 4th of July.

    Thank you for this contest.
    God bless!ReplyCancel

  • Joni - Love the dresses. Favorite Memory of July 4th is the year we threw a 90th bday party for my grandma.
    Joni
    lookin4ws@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • The Mershawn's - Ha! I’m comment #205:). A little slow you think?! That’s a lot of people….

    Since I have had such a terrible time trying to BUY a dress:), I’m so in for winning one! Woo-hoo!

    I love the 4th of July for watermelon, swim suits, the smell of grilling out, banana pudding, homemade ice cream and fireworks. And, because there’s not another holiday in the summer, it makes it all the more grand. Plus, I’m a proud American girl, and it’s good to remember where we came from and how truly blessed we are.

    Thanks Jess & Jess’ mom! Great idea, and even greater clothes:). Still praying for you guys….
    AmberReplyCancel

  • Jennifer Carter - What cute dresses and shirts!!

    Our family tradition has been to go to Dairy Queen and get some ice cream before the fireworks. Then, we’ll go and stake out our spot and wait for the fireworks to begin. I love watching fireworks so I anticipate it every year.ReplyCancel

  • The Hams - My favorite 4th of July memory… My father was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and all of his family lived there. He later joined the Air Force and was stationed at Bolling AFB in Washington, D.C. when I was born. We lived there until I was 5 and every year we would go downtown and celebrate the 4th on the front steps of the Capitol – listening to the concert and watching the fireworks explode over the Tidal Basin of the Potomac River. It was beautiful and so wonderful to be able to be able to celebrate our nation’s independence in the capital. As I was growing up, we would go back every few years, but then life got busy and now we can’t ever all coordinate a trip together. Every year we watch the Capitol 4th on t.v. and wish so badly that we could be there in person again.

    Praying for you!
    Iana HamReplyCancel

  • Shelby - Every year for the 4th of July we always had sparklers. I am one of three kids and I just remember getting so excited for night to come so we could get them out and wave them around!ReplyCancel

  • Taryn - My Favorite 4th of July was when I was about 9-10 years old. We had the annual 4th of July neighborhood party at our house. We had lots of friends, food and fun. We also played in the pool all day. We ended the day with an awesome fireworks display. Looking back at pictures brings back such wonderful memories.

    Everyday your sweet Cora is remembered and loved by so many. God Bless! TarynReplyCancel

  • The Jones' - AWESOME!! I love these dresses!!

    Our family tradition has always been to travel to my grandparents home. All our family goes and it ends up bein about 40 people. We have a huge barbeque and my Papa always tells us stories about the war…always learn something new. Tha evening my uncles all go out and get bookoos of fireworks and we have a huge show! Always a lot of fun!

    My fav memory is a new one. It is not really a favorie bu more of a very memorable one! Last Fourth of July was my son, Cooper’s first as well as his first sunburn! I felt horrible and drenched him in aloe for days! He never peeled (my hubby insisted he was only pink from the heat)Needless to say we had fun!!ReplyCancel

  • Darby - Oh Jess… what’s not to love!! The food, the family, the fun, the sun, the baby pools and watermelon… I love it all… especially our country!! Thanks for the opportunity to win!!ReplyCancel

  • sarahross - That baby picture of you looks so much like Cora!

    My husband and I met while working at a summer camp. We both spent many summers there and now every fourth of July we have a reunion at our cabin at the lake with our camp friends. It’s always such a great time and full of wonderful memories.ReplyCancel

  • The Woodards - My favorite memory is getting together at my grandparents’ house to have our annual Fourth of July picnic and then shoot fireworks that night. My grandparents are very special to me so I will always remember getting together with them! Both of my grandfathers were in the army and one served in WWII. He was even shot in the leg while serving.
    VERY cute clothes!ReplyCancel

  • MarlaJen - My first comment!!

    So beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • Amber - I want to start off by saying that your faith is so amazing! It is so great to see God working in your lives…even though it is not what you had planned. My best friend lost her baby a year ago and I’ve experienced 2nd hand with her how devestating it can be!! Your story has touched so many lives and we all appreciate you sharing your story and God’s journey in your lives with us!

    My favorite 4th of July tradition: July 3rd a bunch of college friends always get together and BBQ, catch-up with life, and shoot off fireworks…we have a great time! We then spend the rest of the evening taking in the Sterling 4th of July festivities!!

    Amber
    Hutchinson, KSReplyCancel

  • Heather's Home (aka Chez Hez) - So cute!

    I’m quite sure I won’t win, but I’ll tell you a favorite thing about the 4th of July of mine: My birthday is on the 1st and when I was little I always thought they were letting off firecrackers for my birthday albeit a little late. 😉

    But, some of my favorite things/memories these days are lemonade, sticky fingers, smelling my daughter’s hair as she sits on my lap and she smells a bit of sweat and a bit of sweet, bug spray, sparklers, and dirty toes. Yup, that’s my summertime/4th memories in a nutshell.ReplyCancel

  • nessadee - Fireworks!! I loved all of the lame fireworks like the tanks and the little parachute men that came out of rockets.ReplyCancel

  • Gale - My favorite 4th of July memory is always hanging out my American flag to proudly wave over my home and then on to the local 4th of July Parade…complete with horses, mules, lawn mowers, tractors, kids on bikes, well, you could say it is quite rural. Then, my whole family comes together fro a picnic, homemade ice cream and fireworks. A truly GREAT tradition!ReplyCancel

  • Kendra - last year was fun–watched a movie with our extended family outside with a projector!ReplyCancel

  • Jessica - The best 4th of July: 2003

    My Marine left for Operation Iraqi Freedom in March of 2003. Our children were ages one and three. I did not think I would see him for a year. His deployment ended much sooner than expected and he flew home on July 3rd. On that 4th of July, I had a renewed sense of appreciation for our country, our marriage… and the goodness of the Lord in bringing him home safely!ReplyCancel

  • Krystle - My favorite 4th of July memory was when I got to go to Disney World when I was younger. So magical and SO fun. I hope we can do that for our daughter one day 🙂 I love the dresses. Beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • The Snyders - Hi Jess and Joel,

    Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday so it’s hard to pick my favorite memory. So, I’ll tell you my favorite tradition.
    Every year the neighborhood I grew up in has a parade around the park. We always dressed head to toe in red, white and blue, decorated our bikes also and walked in the parade. Then we would have BBQ with all of the neighbors on our block and us kids would shoot of fireworks for hours until our parents dragged us inside.

    I still think about you guys a lot, especially since my daughter is about the age Cora was when she got sick. You are still in my prayers.ReplyCancel

  • JJC - i’ve wanted to comment for awhile but just haven’t even though i’ve been following your family’s story for well over a year. i have a little girl, emory, that was born just 3 days before your cora. she is our first baby just like cora is for your family. on emory’s birthday, march 2, i thought of you and prayed for you, even though we’ve never met. i think of your cora so often. maybe it is just because their birthdays are so close together.

    i would love a cora dress…whether i win one or if i can be quick enough to buy one on etsy. 🙂

    praying for your family each time i look at emory.ReplyCancel

  • Erin - I don’t want to ‘win’ a dress, I want to BUY one!!! However, I’m always a couple hours late and your store is already empty!

    Some of my fav memories of the 4th are simply spending them on my parents’ farm where I grew up. You could see fireworks in a 30 mile radius (yes, we live in about the FLATTEST area of Kansas!). It was so much fun to see fireworks going off in the distance from every direction!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - Celebrating the 4th is such a fun time with food, family and fireworks! I come from a small town in Mississippi. My favorite memory from the 4th is going to our hometown fireworks show. We’d sit out on blankets and wait until it got dark so that we could see the fireworks display. Always fun to see friends from school and socialize!

    We are so blessed that we live in our great country. And we should never forgot the men and women who fought, are fighting and will fight to protect the freedom we so often take for granted!!ReplyCancel

  • Jess - My husband is in the military. By far the best 4th of July’s that I have had have all been since I have been married to him. The military bases seem to put on the best fireworks and they have cannons and do all kinds of things to honor America. It just gives me goosebumps every time.

    My favorite was the 4th right before he deployed way back in 2005. I remember laying out in the parade field on a blanket and watching the fireworks with him. It was so much fun.ReplyCancel

  • Miranda - How adorable!!! 4th of July is my favorite holiday!
    The dresses are beautiful!! As well as the shirts, very cute.ReplyCancel

  • Erica - I love it. One of these days I’m going to be able to buy something from Cora’s before they are all gone. They sure do go quickly.

    My family has always loved spending the 4th at my grandparents farm. We eat way to much, laugh way too much, and get to see various towns displays from their farm. It’s always something we enjoy and just thankful we will get to be here this year.ReplyCancel

  • Miss Em - What a wonderful give away!!!! I grew up where the 4th of July was always our family vacation. We took our camper to a local lake and camped out for a week with friends and family. Those were my best childhood memories and there were so many of them. I looked forward to the 4th of July every year. Since I moved away the 4th is not a big deal. I hope to make it one for my little ones.ReplyCancel

  • Laura - Ex. Dir. - Awww – wow – Cora really looks like you did when you were a baby. Your family remains in my thoughts and heart.ReplyCancel

  • Jason - traveling to iowa to visit family, eating watermelon and playing travel games the whole way there and back. and, of course, enjoying fabulous fireworks with loved ones.
    i love the 4th of July, too!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Our family tradition is to have a big BBQ every yeat. We grill out and have a pool party. Afterwards, we all go see the big fireworks display in town! Love family traditons & I love your dresses!!

    -Brittany Stubbs
    Porter,TXReplyCancel

  • Ashley - We live in Florida about a mile from the beach. Every year on the 4th of July, we get a hotel room at a beach resort. Our kids spend the day on the beach and in and out of the pool, and since they are little we can use the room for naps, cooling off and rest. Then we watch the fireworks on the beach and spend the night at the hotel so we don’t have to fight the traffic that’s leaving the beach after the fireworks! It’s a really great family day!

    I’m sure you hear this every day, but you are an inspiration.ReplyCancel

  • ashleyjnc - Every year we always get some sort of take out/picnic style and go to Johnson City TN to watch the pepsi fireworks show set to music, we usually bring chairs and hang out and eat.ReplyCancel

  • Tammy - I have been thinking of you often since I found your blog thru Etsy. I pray for you and your husband and family.

    My favorite memories are simple ones. My family of 8 would barbeque. My dad and brothers would set off fireworks and my sisters and I would play with sparklers. I’m just thankful that we had each other.

    I’m sure I will have new favorites as my girls grow and we make new memories.

    Thanks for sharing your life and the life of Cora with others.ReplyCancel

  • Audrey - First let me say that wow, I see Cora so much in your baby pictures!

    Second: My patriotic memory? It’s really hard to choose one because having served ten years in the military, every single one that I celebrated while I was in seems to be pretty memorable.

    Honestly, it’s a toss up between my first 4th being in the military, the 4th I celebrated while overseas in the sandbox, and the first 4th I celebrated the year after my daughter was born. So I guess I will have to elaborate a bit on all three.

    My first 4th of July being a soldier fresh back from basic training was the summer of 2000. I remember spending it near my hometown in the park watching the fireworks. It’s tradition for the city to put on a huge standing display dedicated to each of the branches of the Armed Forces with their respective songs playing in the background. When the Army’s came up, a huge green tank made out of fireworks, it was clear to me then as I stood shouting that I was embarking on a long road, unknown to me of what was to come of my military career. I was young, naive, and very HOOAH! gun-ho about serving and wanted to be the best that I could be. And I wanted to make sure that I was doing God’s will throughout the course of my career because I knew (and know now still) it was Him that directed me to that chosen path and supported me throughout the many times I thought I’d never get through basic.

    Fast forward four years to The 4th of July I spent while stationed in Kuwait for OIF. That whole year was tough, especially since I spent my first wedding anniversary on the plane getting there. We were in the middle of the desert living in a small 8-person tent knowing there would be no fireworks for us that year. My husband sent me sparklers and I was planning on running off into the abandoned allied forces part of the camp to use them, but unfortunately we had a surprise inspection and they were confiscated by my first sergeant. Still, as I sat that night, it dawned upon me that again, I was where I was for a reason and serving during a very important conflict that most people will never understand aside from what they see on tv. Though we weren’t in immediate danger being in Kuwait rather than “up north” in Iraq, we were supporting the troops doing the actual fighting and I felt important in some tiny way.

    In 2008, my daughter was getting ready to celebrate her first birthday in just over a month. I remember putting her to bed and going out and standing on our front porch trying to see some of the fireworks that was being set off around our city. As I stood in the dark, I could hear the background of my tv (the annual showing of the fireworks from Washington was on). I recall not feeling like a veteran but at the same time feeling like I had a renewed sense of why I was wearing the uniform. So my daughter doesn’t have to. I serve so she doesn’t have to and can continue to enjoy the freedoms that I was enjoying right at that moment. I also knew that it was going to be my last 4th in uniform as I was set on getting out at the end of the year. I wondered what kind of things I would tell my daughter when she was older about my time in the Army. I wondered if she’d ever be proud of me. I hoped that I could instill in her a sense of pride in America that I still feel even now and the respect that I feel for those still serving.

    I salute you and your family. It’s awesome to hear that you were a military brat (for a short time at least).ReplyCancel

  • Amy - Last year we spent Fourth of July at my parent’s beach house and we watched fireworks far off in the distance all along the horizon. It was incredible. I hope to make that our new tradition! Thanks for the fun giveaway!

    amykpaul AT gmail DOT comReplyCancel

  • michele - I love your dresses! I have been following your blog since the prayer requests for your family went out.

    My favorite 4th of July memories are of the recent years we have spent at my in-laws lake house. We sit on the boat and watch the show, but earlier in the day is my favorite. The neighborhood puts on a little parade of its own with all of the kids! We end in a cul-de-sac for cookies and lemonade.ReplyCancel

  • lindsay - I just started to read your blog and I love the dresses, so cute!! I am currently 30 weeks pregnant with a girl and I can’t wait to get a dress to dress her up in. Unfortunately everytime I log onto etsy your sold out. 🙁 So maybe this is my chance….;)

    My favorite July 4th memory is when I was growing up. We were on our way to my grandparents house for dinner before the city fire works show and me and my mom were stuck in traffic. We ended up getting rear ended, luckily we were okay. But once we got to my grandparents the firt thing my grandma asked were “Are the pies okay?” this made my mom so mad. We still talk about her worrying about the pies and not us. But overall it was a great July 4th complete with food and firworks.ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer Grant - 1st time to ever write a blog, ever! My friend Gillian Giles (who is the one who introduced me to your family) would be proud 🙂

    Favorite 4th of July tradition- stay near home, enjoy the festivities of your home town! Lots of watermelon, cake and meat on the BBQ!

    Even though you don’t know me; know that I am praying for you. God is the Great Redeemer, Comforter, He is the One who gives and takes away. Isn’t awesome to know that our lives are in the Creators hands!ReplyCancel

  • The Brack's - Growing up we always went to Lake Eufala and would either float on rafts by the dock or idle out on the ski boat or house boat and just hang out and watch the fireworks that our friends would set off. There are always fireworks going off in all directions so the whole skyline is lit up in all directions. That all was after having a big family cookout and a flag cake too of course!ReplyCancel

  • Cupcake Mama - Such cute things! I heard about your family from a friend at church – Travis and Kyndra Brown.ReplyCancel

  • Tara Provence - adorable!

    okay, so my dad is a farmer in texas and i grew up on a farm in the middle of a cotton field. every fourth of july we go out to my parents for the whole day. that night we eat hamburgers, hot dogs, fruit pizza and homeade ice cream. then that night we all sit outside in our lawn chairs and watch my dad and grandad (and some of the kids) pop fireworks. from the front porch we can see the big fireworks show in the town closest to their house – which is like 15 miles away. so we oooooh and awwwwwe over each and every spectacular firework until late. i love the 4th.

    and i love those dresses… so stinkin’ adorable!!!ReplyCancel

  • Amber - I love your post! I serve in the military, so I really appreciate it! Growing up, my church always had a big picnic on the church lawn and then we would all watch the fireworks together. I loved it!ReplyCancel

  • Carrie - How sweet! I love them all and wish I could sew! Everytime I go to the etsy shop your all sold out so congrats on that! Our 4th of july tradition is a bbq with ribs and ofcourse the cake made with strawberries and blueberries like a flag and then we all hope on the boat to view the fireworks on the lake. It has to be one of my favorite holidays!!ReplyCancel

  • forever folding laundry - These are adorable!

    On the 4th we have a parade on our street and all of the kids decorate their bikes and trikes and ride down the street. Then we block off the street, gather in our front yards, and have a block party. So fun!

    ~KeriReplyCancel

  • deyoungsters - my favorite 4th memory: I used to compete horses when I was a little girl, and one year my sister and I decked our ponies out in red, white and blue ribbons and rode in a 4th of July Parade. We felt so patriotic! Afterwards there was a carnival, cookout, and fireworks show! Best 4th of July ever. 🙂

    oh yay, everything you make is so adorable! I have my fingers crossed!ReplyCancel

  • motherof3 - Beautiful dresses! My daughter Abby loves hers! My favorite July 4th memory was celebrating it at our family cabin in Canada. We had a shore picnic on an island in the middle of the lake. Then did sparklers. We kind of looked funny because we were the only ones celebrating it there. 🙂 AndreaReplyCancel

  • A Fun Family - I always love the big family get togethers we had (and still have now with my own kids)when I was growing up. We often drove all the way up the East coast from Florida to Maine to be with extended family on the 4th. I love to remember the big fireworks and cookouts and patriotic music! My husband is in the US AirForce so this tradition continues to be a family favorite for my kids as well.
    May God continue to have grace on our country and may He truly Bless America.ReplyCancel

  • Katy Frame (Kate Creates) - Every year on the 4th of July we just get together with our family and friends and have a barbecue and fireworks (typical, haha!). 🙂

    I love your dresses and your blog! I have been trying each time to catch when you list your dresses when they are listed but i’m too slow I guess! 🙁 I’d love to win! Keep up the great work! You and your family seem to be amazing people!ReplyCancel

  • Suzy Q - Our newest 4th of July tradition, since we moved to the Washington DC area, is to walk down to a park by the Potomac River and watch the big fireworks display at the Capitol lawn. We get a great view of the fireworks without all of the traffic and people.

    Love the dresses and the 4th of July theme! I am guessing the pics are of you and your parents…very sweet!

    Thinking of you often,
    SuzanneReplyCancel

  • Stewart Family - These dresses are oh so cute!!

    My family is very patriotic as well. My husband is in the military and we strongly support and love this country. Growing up we always had a huge family gathering…complete with yummy food, fellowship, and fireworks.

    When I married and we moved off due to the military I carried on this tradition with our “military family”.

    This year my kids and I are home so we will get to celebrate with our family again…minus ONE very important person. My hubby, who is in Iraq right now and will not be here in person. So, this year will be special and bittersweet too!

    I will hoping to get my hands on one of these dresses. It not only would be cute for the 4th but for daddy’s homecoming in August too!!ReplyCancel

  • Jaime - Adorable dresses! My favorite thing is to make a white cake and do a pattern of the flag with strawberries and blueberries!

    jaime_reanne@comcast.netReplyCancel

  • The Perfect Trio - I just love the 4th! We too are a military family. My DH is in the Army…

    He can home from a 16 month deployment in 2004 just before July 4th. The coming home celebration was the most moving event I think I’ve been to…ever! I am so proud of him…I’m proud of every soldier, sailor and marine who fights for our country!!

    jakemelissajakea@aol.comReplyCancel

  • DollBaby - My favorite memory was that when I was little my family would go to visit my daddy’s family for the 4th of July. We lived 3 hours away from there so didn’t get up there too much so we always looked forward to the 4th of July. We would have a cookout with our family and then my parents would take us to watch the fireworks in the old Hill’s parking lot. It was so much fun. Simple but memorable.

    The dresses are adorable. And can I just say I have tried to buy a dress for awhile now and I’m always just a little too late and they’ve all been scooped up. So thanks for the chance just to win one!ReplyCancel

  • Jana - I follow your blog weekly – praying for you and your family. Cora’s story and her life has touched me deeply – I am more prayerful and I appreciate my children that much more.

    Our family tradition is to watch our local 4th of July neighborhood parade just down the block. Its wonderful. We dress up in red, white and blue and enjoy all of the fellowship. This year I think we will join in and be in the parade 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Adorable dresses!!! The 4th of July is my very favorite holiday! Mostly because, as I child I always thought the whole country was celebrating mine and my brother’s birthdays! I am a July 2nd baby, and my brother is a July 7th baby. We ALWAYS celebrate our birthdays together on the 4th…to this day. We even received a big box of fireworks every year as a gift to shoot off. What a fun time! And, when I hear “Proud to Be an American!” set to fireworks, well…I couldn’t feel more blessed to be living in such a great country.

    Have fun with this giveaway! What a great idea! Blessings to you guys. I love the way you have honored your precious baby girl!

    Chasity SchulerReplyCancel

  • Jon & Sarah - These dresses are just too cute! My favorite memory, so far, is our 4th of July last year. We are missionaries in Japan and we celebrated with fellow missionaries, from America and Australia…so funny, this was the Australian’s first 4th of July to celebrate! We had an evening picnic at a local park. We had a fruit flag cake and even splurged to buy a $25 watermelon! My five year old just reminded me the other day that we had watermelon at that park last year. She even remembered!ReplyCancel

  • Allikaye's Mama - I love those dresses! Awesome! My fave memory is going to the parade in the morning…barbecue…water balloon fights…then fireworks…good ol fashion fun!ReplyCancel

  • Cindy - I have been looking for the perfect 4th of July dress for my daughter whose name is Liberty, no less!! This would be perfect!!!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - You never cease to AMAZE me…
    Our family tradition is of course for the family to all get together and celebrate..we grill, do fireworks and before we eat we say a thanks of prayer to ALL of our service men and women, past and present..I am so very thankful for this wonderful country that we live in.

    KimReplyCancel

  • Rory and Jess - gorgeous, beautiful things! I hope to win one…and can’t wait to see the beautiful playground. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Mission of mamahood - I love your dresses – they are adorable!

    My favorite fourth of july memories are simply the family backyard get togethers, with cookouts, games, and of course fireworks. It is such a time to enjoy the summer and to remember the blessings in your life.ReplyCancel

  • Heather - Well I have tried forever to buy one of your dresses. I seem to miss you stocking them every time. I do love them though.

    My fourth of july memories are probably not as big as some but I just know that at our house it was all about fighting and yelling and mind games and trying so hard to please my dad and never really doing so.

    But he loved the forth of july. So it is one of the few holidays that nothing went wrong. He would shoot fireworks and cook out and we would do sparklers and all was just happy. For that one night we were a normal family. A functioning family.ReplyCancel

  • Emily @ Little Home - Some of my favorite 4th of July memories are from pool parties at our family’s friends’ house growing up!ReplyCancel

  • Jonni B. - I love the things you are making to honor Cora’s memory. I read your posts often and wish we would have had a chance to get to know each other better while you were at Slate Creek.

    A favorite 4th of July tradition happend when I was little…My birthday is the 4th of July and as a family we would always go to the drive-in in my hometown. There would be a movie and fireworks…

    It would be a great tradition to continue as Erik’s birthday is also the 4th, but there just aren’t many drive-in theaters around.

    Have a blessed day!
    Jonni BrownReplyCancel

  • godfrey - I LOVE the Cora dresses!
    We have a family tradition of getting together at the lake with my husband’s family. We grill out and just spending quality time together. It is so nice to see all the children playing and visiting with family we do not often see. We are so blessed to live in such a wonderful nation, full of men and women that are willing to give their lives so that my family and I are able to be together without fear.ReplyCancel

  • Coleson's Blog - Lovely items! We are expecting our second baby july 6th and everyone is pulling for the 4th–patriotic family! I told them I’ll see what I can do! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • angie c - How cute! Love the fabric!

    Favorite memory–we spent many 4th of July’s at my aunt and uncles farm in Iowa–where most fireworks are not allowed– shooting off fireworks we drove to Missouri to buy! And then when it got late enough, from a bluff on the farm, we could watch the “big” fireworks show from three different surrounding towns at one time! It was so great to sit there with my cousins and see all that at one time!

    hugs to you!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Awesome idea!!
    My favorite 4th of july memory. When I was a kid we went to festival on the 4th and 1 game i played was find the quarters in the flour. They would drop quarters in a big container and you had to stick your hands in there and try to pull out the quarters, but they were too slick from the flour. It was so much fun. I remember doing that after 35 years.
    Thank you
    Joanna Rummel Knoxville tnReplyCancel

  • JulieA - Jess — You and your family are amazing. We have been praying for you since we heard about sweet Cora. I roomed with Esther Harder in college, and I know your sister-in-law Leah, because I work at the KS Heart Hospital.

    A favorite memory of mine is simply being with family on the Fourth. As kids, we used to decorate our bikes and ride them in our neigborhood’s parade, complete with a real firetruck leading the way. Now with children of my own, the parade is fun in a different way.

    You all are in our thoughts and prayers… what a witness to Christ’s love you have shown throughout the past several months!ReplyCancel

  • Brian and Karen - This is my first time commenting. I have been praying for you all.

    My favorite 4th of July memory would have to be July of 2006. I lost my husband to cancer on June 19th of that year and was really feeling overwhelmed while the rest of the world went on around me. 4th of July that year, I traveled to DC with my 2 sisters and 1 brother (plus spouses/significant others); For the first time, I was the only single one. But it really was a wonderful experience to be with my siblings and celebrate this great nation that we live in. My late husband was proud of his country and would have loved the fireworks in DC that year. Great memories! God is so good!

    I pray that the Lord continues to heal your heart. I have never lost a child, but after losing my husband I have learned that God uses time to help heal the brokenness we feel; however, true healing will never fully come until we are called Home and reunited with our loved ones.
    God Bless!ReplyCancel

  • Liz from WI - I love the picture of your mom and dad –your mom is still as beautiful now as she was then….and you (as a baby) and Cora look so much alike!

    Favorite Memory

    Our town in WI canceled their July 4th parade, so we held our own…and so many people came to watch the police had to block off two intersections!! I was the Queen for No Apparent Reason–but got to ride in a real convertible!ReplyCancel

  • Joanna - Those are just beautiful as are all the dresses and little shirts. I have yet to get my hands on one for my little girl, so I’m crossing my fingers tight!

    Our tradition…It’s a southern tradition of BBQ ribs, sweet tea, water melon, potato salad, corn on the cob, etc…We stay in the pool all day and soak up the sun…We then load up late that afternoon and head to the beach to watch the fireworks! Done it every year for years.ReplyCancel

  • MomMom - Great idea! Also, you are on my mind and in my heart so often—especially when I see your blog and the picture of that precious little Cora. I know the pain must be almost unbearable but thankfully you have your faith in God to carry you.

    My favorite memories of 4th of July are the ones I’ve spent with my family watching fireworks and being thankful for the freedom we have in our country. I, too, came from a very patriotic family. One thing that I am constantly reminded of is that freedom doesn’t come without a price. I reminded our grandchildren when we went to Washington DC that blood had to be shed for freedom that we enjoy in our country and blood had to be shed for us to have the freedom we have in Christ—the ultimate sacrifice. Those are my thoughts and memories of the Fourth of July.ReplyCancel

  • nikki - I’m so excited everything is so cute that ya’ll make! My favorite memory is from July 4, 2004….I had graduated from high school that year and had been dating the same guy since I was 17, we live in FL so we went to St. Augustine beach for the day walked around the old part of town, ate at a nice restaurant, took the horse and carriage ride of the city and then after a major rain storm in the late afternoon we watched fireworks over the water. It was during the fireworks that he popped the question 🙂 4th of July is always a sweet celebration for our engagement I love having the holiday to mark that time in our lives!

    tan_0924@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • GAMZu - I don’t think I have commented before, but I read your blog regularly. I just had to comment to tell you how much you (as a baby) and your sweet Cora look alike!

    I had to go back and reread the post because I thought that was a picture of Cora in the backpack carrier.ReplyCancel

  • Shelly Primm - Your dresses are SO cute and how thoughtful of you to do a giveaway!

    One of my favorite memories of July 4th is spending the day at the lake with my family then going downtown (Charlotte, NC) to see the fireworks. We would bring a big quilt and spread it out on the side of the road waiting for the fireworks to begin. After the show, we would go to Dairy Queen to get ice cream at 11:00 at night. That was such a treat for us!

    Hope you are enjoying your summer! Take care!ReplyCancel

  • The Langes - First off, I think Cora’s Playground is an amazing idea! My favorite memory of the 4th of July is spending it at my small towns annual bash. There were big wheel races, frog jumping contests, craft fairs, parades, carnival rides, dancing in the park and the evening was finished with beautiful fireworks. In my mind nothing beats the 4th in a small town!ReplyCancel

  • gwswenson - What a lovely post. YOU were an adorable baby!

    We have a family tradition of going to the firework display at our local town beach. To me it’s a beautiful way to celebrate…always breathtaking.ReplyCancel

  • William, Megan and Avery - My favorite 4th of July memory? Let’s see… I think I’ll just go with funny!

    I was probably 4 or 5 (but definitely potty trained) and we were sitting on the grass ready to watch fireworks over the Arkansas River in Little Rock, when i had to pee… BAD! We had to have been really far from any bathroom, because my mom made me pee on one of my baby cousins diapers! It’s crazy that I remember that so well!! 🙂

    Oh, and my family makes fun of me because I involuntarily jump/twitch every time a loud firework goes off. No joke. Every. Single. Time.

    MeganReplyCancel

  • Meghan Byrd - My favorite 4th of July memory is on the Potomac Rive July 4th 2002. It was the 1st July 4th after 9 11. My parents were up for a visit. We were stationed on Bolling AFB in DC (Dh is Navy). It was a prefect evening. It rained a little prior, but let off just in time for the fireworks display. I remember that night like it was yesterday. My oldest 2 were 5 and 2 1/2. They loved watching the different fireworks in the sky. The main reason I remember this July 4th so well, is because it was the last holiday I had with my dad. He was killed in a car accident 14 days later. I now have a painting in my house that has the Washington Monument with fireworks above it. Every time I walk by it– It reminds me of that perfect night back almost 7 years ago.

    My dad also was in the Navy (back in the 60s) and I have been married to a Sailor for the past 11 years. GO NAVY!!!ReplyCancel

  • patti@badmouth.net - my favorite 4th of july memory is sitting with my dad (who went to heaven when i was 9 years old) in our front yard and lighting sparklers. the cool old fashioned kind that were metal. i still love sparklers and light one for him every year.ReplyCancel

  • Sarah - Every 4th of July we meet my large family down town Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho for a fabulous parade. I love this time with my family.ReplyCancel

  • Wendy Lierz - Leave it to you to think of others….

    My favorite memory of 4th of July happened years ago, when I was a kid. Living in the country, we always watched the nightly firefly display and caught our fair share. It was nothing for our dad (my sister and I) to go fishing all day on the 4th. This one particualar year, we were so excited for him to come home from fishing so we could begin our 4th of July fun. We gathered on the back deck just waiting for dad to come out and show us all the fireworks he gathered on his way home. Much to our surprise, he forgot, by the time he remembered, everyone was closed. He met us out on the deck and said “are you ready” which we squealed yes. He said “okay, now watch closely. See that! Oh, there it goes again!” Laughing as he was saying it, we soon caught on that our fireworks that year, were put on by our nightly fireflies. To this day, when our children talk about how bad they have it….we laugh and say “oh yeah, well when I was young, we had to watch the fireflies on the 4th of July for entertainment!”ReplyCancel

  • Emily Wallace - My favorite memory was one 4th when I was growing up. There was a huge lake made by a dam close to us. We loved the fireworks down there. My memory is so simple, but it’s my favorite. My sister and brother and I went down to watch the fireworks. I just remember the sun going down, the people milling everywhere, the anticipation… We watched the fireworks, broke glow sticks, and enjoyed ice cream and each other. It was awesome!

    And, we’re still praying for you and your family!!!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - adorable. i always love to see what is new on your site!
    i just love the 4th of july esp. b/c family is together and there is lots of picnic food which i LOVE!
    thanks
    laura
    lauramarzen@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I love your dresses! Praying for you and your sweet family.

    Our new favorite tradition is to get together with our neighbors and have a huge block party. We didn’t have too many traditions when I was growing up, so I am looking forward to many parades and firework shows, decorated flag cakes, etc. in the future.

    Thank you for such a great contest, and for being a wonderful inspiration!ReplyCancel

  • Piper - I love your dresses! Praying for you and your sweet family.

    Our new favorite tradition is to get together with our neighbors and have a huge block party. We didn’t have too many traditions when I was growing up, so I am looking forward to many parades and firework shows, decorated flag cakes, etc. in the future.

    Thank you for such a great contest, and for being a wonderful inspiration!ReplyCancel

  • starnes family - You have a real talent for these darling clothes.

    Favorite 4th of July…..our last in Denver when my sister was still able to visit (now cannot due to her heart condition and the altitude). It was a treasure!ReplyCancel

  • jen k - What an awesome giveaway! Our fourth of July tradition consists of going to the coast with my whole family, renting a huge house on the beach and having a seafood feast followed by fireworks on the beach. It’s fabulous!ReplyCancel

  • Ryan and Shannon - How cute! My favorite 4th of July memory happened right after I got married. I spent the 4th with my parents, my 2 brothers, and my husband. My parents bought small pools, sponges, and baseball bats, and we played “water baseball” using the pools as bases and the sponges as balls. Although we were all adults, we played like little kids all day long!ReplyCancel

  • Courtney Kay - LOVE THE DRESSES!!!!! My fav. 4th of July was the year we had a float for church for the parade. We had a work day at a parishioner’s house who had horses and I got to assist my sister’s sister (adopted, long story, horribly abused)to ride a horse for the first timeReplyCancel

  • Heather - My mom always tells the story about me when I was 6 days old on the 4th of July. I was sitting in my seat on the kitchen table of my grandparents house and the fireworks were very loud. My brother 4 @ the time was crying and I was sound asleep in my seat like nothing was going on!! I guess they say babies can sleep through anything!!LOL
    Love your dresses!! My heart goes out to you! Your family is in our thoughts and prayers!ReplyCancel

  • kbaitinger - Those are just beautiful!!

    Our town hosts a 4th celebration the weekend before the 4th, and it is in the park right across the street from our house. So, it is nice to just be able to sit in our driveway and watch the fireworks!!

    Thinking of you and praying for you daily!ReplyCancel

  • Katie - Praying for your family.ReplyCancel

  • jenni - What beautiful dresses! Just gorgeous!

    My husband is a youth pastor and does an inner city mission trip that always falls over July 4th. Our youth group takes the kids that they are ministering to that week and have their own little version of a 4th of July celebration. It is so precious to watch these children be a part of a larger family…everyone eating and laughing and enjoying each other. I love it!

    I am praying continually…that He would continue to give you strength for each day and cover you with His love!!ReplyCancel

  • HD - Love love love the cutie patootie dresses! Would love one for my almost 12-month old:)
    My favorite 4th of July memory was quite a few years ago….11 to be exact. My now husband took me to PA to meet his extended family. They have a HUGE family reunion every 4th of July, and since we are from TX we don’t get to attend very often. But I got to not only see PA for the first time ever, but I also got to meet my husband’s aunts, uncles, cousins, greats…good company, yummy food, beautiful surroundings…It will be hard to beat that wonderful 4th of July experience!ReplyCancel

  • Julia - My big chance to finally get a dress!!!

    My favorite 4th memory is a recent one – a couple of years ago we went to Brevard, NC with my side of the family. We didn’t know it but, like many small towns, Brevard does the 4th in a big way. We found out there was a bike parade so we ran out to Walmart (don’t all good stories include Walmart?) and bought streamers and balloons and decorated our bikes. We had so much fun.ReplyCancel

  • Lauren - Hi! I just happened by your blog today and wanted to ask where in Japan you were born? My dad was in the Navy as well and I grew up on the naval base there (Yokosuka) – moved there when I was three and graduated HS. Just thought it was neat, so I figured I’d ask.
    I’m fairly new to this blogspot business but look forward to possibly getting to know you. I hope you don’t mind but I skimmed through some of your recent posts and I just want to tell you that I so admire your strength and courage. My heart is heavy learning about your precious Cora and I’m so humbled by the grace you and your husband are showing through your grief. Our God is with you, as I’m sure you know, and please know I’m praying for you.ReplyCancel

  • Unmistakably BLESSED - My Cameron-girl would LOVE one of your dresses . . . I keep trying to buy, but these other mommas keep beating me to etsy! I’ll keep trying!

    Favorite Fourth of July . . . Not sure! Favorite tradition would be strawberries, blueberries and cool whip. Simple pleasures, courtesy of our stellar soldiers!ReplyCancel

  • Chens - My favorite 4th of July memory is one of two.

    1) As a child we always got together with family friends who lived on a lake, grilled out, and had a great time. Overall — that is a pleasant memory.

    2) In May 2007 my husband, a commander in the Navy reserve, was activated. We relocated from WI to the DC area. Our first summer here we lived in downtown DC — two block off of the national mall. So on the 4th of July we were able to walk 5 minutes to the mall and watch the fireworks being shot off over the reflecting pool. Very neat experience. We only live 10 miles from downtown DC now but traffic is crazy so I doubt we will try to go back for the fireworks anytime soon — glad we had the chance in 2007.

    I love your dresses!! I am expecting a baby girl sometime in the next few weeks and would love a tiny 4th of July dress for her!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer Faulk - Those are adorable!

    I’ve commented before, but it’s been a long while. My favorite 4th of July memory was from 2007. We were living in Okinawa, Japan where my husband was pastoring an international church. Most of the church members were US Marines stationed on the island, and we all got together and had a huge cookout at the parsonage to celebrate the holiday. Our oldest daughter was a few weeks away from turning one, and our youngest daughter was a few weeks away from being born. (She’s a Japanese-born American just like you! 🙂 We had so much fun, and it was, ironically enough, the most patriotic July 4th we ever had, even though it was half a world away. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • mandi @ it's come to this - Those are adorable!! Cora’s picture looks so much like that one of you with your Dad … the round cheeks are the cutest:)

    When I think 4th of July it’s so unpatriotic, but the first thought is a date with my now husband – we had only been out a couple of times but we went to see fireworks in the square. I’m guilty of getting excited about get-togethers & grilling, but I wish our country did better at celebrating the real reason for 4th of July & Memorial Day!ReplyCancel

  • dmeryan - Your dresses and other items are sooo cute. I know that Cora must be so proud of all the things that you have accomplised with this labor of love. Her playground is such a beautiful way to celebrate her life. And you have touched so many lives by your faith and sharing this journey – thank you!

    As far as a 4th of July memory, this one is from my childhood. I grew up on a beef cattle farm and we always had a huge garden. On the 4th of July we had to harvest all the potatoes (you know how the work is never done on a farm!) – but then came the fun! We would swim in the pond and as soon as it got dark we would shoot off lots of fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Ethansmom08 - LOVE THE SUPER CUTE THINGS!!!

    My family 4th of July tradition is a simple day at the pool or beach with lots of family and friends, followed by a huge picnic dinner and to top it off – beautiful fireworks over the water! And…don’t forget sparkles for the little ones…simple and fun!

    God Bless the USA,
    SaraReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - When I was a kid, my whole family would BBQ, play outside, etc… but at dusk we’d all head out to the front lawn of my grandparents’ house. The city park was across the street, just past the HUGE hill/lawn of the church. My Grandpa would even let me and my two sisters cozy up, blankets and all, in the back of his pick-up truck. THEN, we’d rotate fireworks as they shot off… like, “Nichole this one’s yours. Jessica (my sis), your next”, and so on. It was so exciting to anticipate what kind of firework would be next for me… like it was made just for me! 🙂 (I liked the gold ones that fell like pixie dust!)
    Those times were some of my fondest memories with my family!
    HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY TO YOU AND YOURS!!!
    ~Nichole in TulsaReplyCancel

  • Amy - The dresses are so cute and I can’t wait to get one for my little girl…my little boy needs a shirt to match (they are twins! )
    Favorite 4th Tradition:
    Every 4th of July my family gets together and hosts an all day event…for the entire city (it really is true). My family lives in a small town. We grill out all day and everyone brings a dish, then at dark my uncle has a fireworks display and the ENTIRE town comes to watch! So much fun!ReplyCancel

  • Christie - I love 4th of JUly. It’s a great reason to get together with family and friend. Grill and have a barbaque.After dinner we sit out on our driveway and watch fireworks. This will be the first time my 2 year old daughter will really understand fireworks and i can’t wait.ReplyCancel

  • Natalie in NJ - My favorite 4th of July memory is very easy! I found out I was pregnant July 3rd 2007, and announced it on the 4th! Your Cora has been such an inspiration to me to never take a second for granted.ReplyCancel

  • Lindsey Claassen - My favorite July 4th memory is how much my dad loves fireworks. He absolutely turns into a little kid in a candy shop each year as he walks through the tents of fireworks. He loved purchasing TONS of fireworks and making the evening into a big to-do for us kids. As we got older I thought it might slow down and that he’d only done that b/c we were kids but he only seems to get worse each year. : ) I love to see him describing all he’s bought and asking everyone which one’s they want to light. And, he always saves a few back to shoot off a couple weeks later for my birthday!ReplyCancel

  • Angie - My favorite 4th of July tradition is grilling with friends and then when it gets dark, we go out onto our front lawn to watch the fireworks. We live in a small TX town, and the fireworks show is put on across the street from our house in the High School football stadium. We didn’t know it when we bought the house, but it has been a lot of fun over the past 5 years. I look forward to it every summer!ReplyCancel

  • Colbert Family - 4th of July memory…
    When our first born who is now 5 was a year old, he was in a parade with my parents. We were so excited (and kind of nervous) while sitting and watching the parade, waiting for them to walk past us. By the time they walked past us, Jacob (our son) was sound asleep in his stroller. It was a cute memory for us as we sat with anticipation to see his face when he saw us sitting there anxiously waiting for him and then when he finally did reach us he was fast asleep 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Phillips Family - This is the first time I have signed your blog, but I pray for you often.

    Since both my husband and I are in the Air Force it means a lot to us. It’s a day to remember, and pray for the families who have loved ones lost. But, we usually have a BBQ and have fun with family and friends topped off with an evening of fireworks. Last year I returned from a deployment in Jan and 3 days before I came home my husband got tasked to deploy. So, I came home and 2 months to the day he was off and it was my turn to care for my kids. It was a HARD year last year for our kids. It gave me a new appreciation for the men and woman who have made the ultimate sacrafice for this great nation.

    God Bless you
    KatieReplyCancel

  • Lindsey - Aww the dresses are darling! First off I want you to know that I pray for you daily. The strength that you have is amazing and Cora lives through you!
    I have two nieces, 9 Months and 23 Months, that are the loves of my life, blonde with blue eyes and their sparkle and daintiness reminds me so much of your Angel in Heaven!

    We live on the “third coast” you know…TEXAS! Every year possible we make our way to Port Aransas “Port A” and watch the fireworks over the water. It is BEAUTIFUL! We will usually make it a day, stay on the beach and camp and do some shopping. By saying “We” I mean as many people from out family and our friends as possible. It is Lovely!
    This is such an awesome idea and really promotes the cause!ReplyCancel

  • Marcie - First of all, I’ve been trying so hard to get my hands on one of the Cora dresses. And these patriotic dresses are soooo cute. So if I don’t win (and it looks like my chances are pretty slim) I may have to resort to making my own! 🙂

    4th of July memories:

    Growing up, the 4th was a big deal for my family. We always went to my grandparents’ house in Eureka, KS and all my cousins and aunts and uncles would be there. That was back in the days where fireworks were illegal in most towns, but legal in Eureka. We’d shoot off parachutes, roman candles, jumping jacks and anything else we could find in the sack of goodies. We would also find old flower pots and cans and things that we could put a bunch of firecrackers in and shoot off at once. Oh….good times!!!

    Now I enjoy getting together with family and eating good food. Watching the kids shoot off firecrackers in the street. Decorate the porch and the kiddos for the holiday.

    Next to Christmas, I think it’s my favorite holiday.

    May God continue to bless you and your family.

    Marcie @ Life is GoodReplyCancel

  • Mandy - I loved the summer we rented a cabin in the Ozarks with my family. We spent the weekend in the pool at the resort (it was huge)!, but the thing that I thought was really fun was we walked to the little general store on the corner and scooped up EVERY 4th of July decoration we could find (even the cheesy ones) and decorated the cabin… ah, memories.ReplyCancel

  • Anne - Super, super, super cute dresses! I hope if you make some for sale I can snatch one up!! Thanks for your time with this – such an honor to Cora and a reminder for all of us of her. So special….

    Favorite memory – of course the local parade! There’s nothing like decorating your bike, wearing head to toe red, white, and blue, and thinking all of the crowds are there for YOU! I am excited this year for my own kids to create a parade memory!ReplyCancel

  • Beth - The dresses are so cute! The shirts, too!

    I love cooking out with our neighbors on the 4th, and letting the little kids light up sparklers and the big kids (husbands) shoot off Roman Candles and “fireworks.”

    I grew up riding on my Dad’s boat to the Naval Academy in Annapolis and watch the big fireworks from the boat. Pretty unique, but I still love the small festivities on my quiet street.ReplyCancel

  • Robin Cotton - WE GO up to Lake Winfield Scott, it is up in the Blue Ridge Mountains close to our home. We take a huge picnic and spend the day on the beach at the lake with family and friends. There is an awesome dock on the lake and we spend the afternoon having diving competitions and who can make the biggest splash. We then closeout the evening at the nearby Woody Gap School watching fireworks . Heaven on Earth .ReplyCancel

  • Rebecca - I too, am super patriotic. I even have a red, white and blue star tattoo on my big toe! I LOVE all things America and all things red, white and blue. The 4th of July is the best holiday!

    I have great memories of just spending the 4th of July with my family. Backyard baseball, parades, swimming, sparklers, hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, and fireworks!ReplyCancel

  • Anna - Every July 4th growing up my Mom would make a yellow cake and decorate with it white frosting and blueberries and strawberries in the pattern of the flag. We would also go to the parade in town, and then to the fair grounds for the fireworks, we’d lay on our blankets and pig out while watching the WORST fireworks ever. I guess that is what happens when you live in a small town. But we always had fun.ReplyCancel

  • Kathy - Love your dresses- what a great giveaway.

    My favorite July 4th memory was watching fireworks on our boat with our 7 month old son, who we had just adopted from Russia 1 month earlier. It was his first July 4th and he was a new citizen and we were a famly!
    KathyReplyCancel

  • Mindy - I love all your new patriotic things! How cute! Can you make one in BIG girl size (adult)??? Anyway my best 4th of July memory was last year. The kids and I did all kinds of fun projects, even made our own shirts, made a fireworks project, a red, white and blue drink, walked to look at all the flags at our town cementary, and watched fireworks, or course. It’s all on my blog here http://murray-triplets.blogspot.com/2008/07/firecracker-day.htmlReplyCancel

  • dawn - Love the dresses — and I love how similar you and Cora look as babies!

    We have family all over the place and these days, seem to spend the 4th somewhere different each year. However, when I was really young (and still had my mom) we camped all summer long. When the 4th finally rolled around, we’d put pants on for the first time in weeks, tons of bug spray — and head into town to sit by a lake and watch fireworks. The mosquitos were brutal — but I loved that night. 🙂 I lost my mom pretty young — but I think those memories will last a lifetime.ReplyCancel

  • Debbie and April - We love to watch fireworks at my parents house with the kiddos:) Hugs to you!!

    AprilReplyCancel

  • Deborah - The dresses are beautiful!

    My favorite 4th of July tradition is the fireworks. When I was in college, a group of us would meet on the shores of Lake Michigan to watch the Chicago or Evanston fireworks every summer. I’m a small town girl, and it was always amazing to me to see all the people come out. I’ve enjoyed sharing fireworks with my kids.ReplyCancel

  • Kendra - Every summer we would walk to the Missouri River with our blankets and treats, lay out wherever we could find a spot and watch the fireworks over the river. It was always gorgeous and my sister and I would pick out the best single firework. And of course how can you watch fireworks without saying “ooh” and “aah” to every single one 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Debbie S. - My favorite 4th of July tradition is every year we go to a BBQ at my oldest sons friends house. All of his buddies are there and they play wiffle ball and football until the local fireworks start. We are able to see the display from the yard and the boys always sit on top of the fence and watch. I love seeing all twelve boys enjoying the fireworks and just being together. I think we’re helping them create some pretty terrific memories…our boys of summer!!
    I have been following your blog for a long time. Your faith inspires me. I love that you have put your energy into raising funds for a playground..I can’t think of any better way to honor Cora. I love the dresses and have been trying to buy a few for a long time but always miss out! Hopefully I’ll win one 😉

    Debbie S
    http://www.sdcbbc6.blogspot.comReplyCancel

  • Heather - The picture of you and your dad was really cute!

    I don’t remember any specific favorite 4th of July memory – but love being with family, eating lots, homemade ice cream, wiffle ball, parade, rodeo, and big fireworks.

    Wamego, KS has the most amazing fireworks display in the state and that is no joke! You won’t believe it till you see it!
    Heather WomackReplyCancel

  • The Fisher Family - What a great idea! It looks like you received many responses!

    When I was younger, we would get together on my dad’s side of the family every 4th of July. The kids would go swimming while the adults interact. We would play games and shoot off the little fireworks. As the sun set, we would head to Haysville for their annual fireworks show.

    Over time, the family stopped getting together. Two years ago, I decided that I wanted my children to have wonderful 4th of July memories, so we hosted my dad’s side of the family together. It was neat to see the family come together again and share memories. We have been going on to 3 years now, and this year we are going to add relay games and so forth.

    God bless..ReplyCancel

  • Darlene R. - My favorite 4th of July memory is from when I was a little girl. We used to always go out to my parents friends house and swim, cookout and do firework. It was always so much fun!ReplyCancel

  • Tami - Oh my gosh! Those are stinking adorable dresses! I don’t ever comment, but how could I resist those adorable dresses! =)
    I’ve been following your blog since the day your precious Cora went to be with Jesus (I found your blog from Bring the Rain) I also lost a little girl, although we lost her the day she was born, but I can understand some of what you are going through. I love how you have invested your time and energy into such a wonderful fun project! Very inspirational.

    1. Family tradition: We spend 4th of July with my parents and my brother’s family…picnic during the day, then attend the community fire works at a park in the evening.

    2. Favorite 4th of July memory: When I was little (i.e. 6-10 yrs old), we would watch the fireworks from up on top of a hill with several other families from our church. As each firework went off, all my friends and I would yell at the top of our lungs silly things like: “Jesus rocks!” and “satan stinks!” and “God rules!” and “The devil drools!”
    Silly, I know. But we sure had fun. =)ReplyCancel

  • JAMBA - I love your dresses!! I have 3 girls and have serious shopping issues.

    Growing up, I lived in neighborhood that was very close knit. Every year, for the weekend closest to the 4th of July, we would all caravan from Houston, TX to New Braunfels, TX for a weekend of river rafting and friendship. We went every year for 15 years. We had talent shows, tube decorating contests and a fried chicken dinner night. I will always treasure those years of fun.ReplyCancel

  • McArthur - Hi,
    I am actually a dual citizen – officially live in Canada, but my mom’s side of the family is a lot like yours – grew up in a airforce family, lived in Japan and all over. Anyways, we would often be in California visiting our grandparents over the 4th of July holidays, and I remember always going to see my grandpa in the parade and then later going to the fireworks, which were always better than we had at home!ReplyCancel

  • Molly - I love your dresses and I am never quick enough to get them when they come into the shop! Thanks for the chance to win one!ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer W. - Best memory… laying on top of the car watching the fireworks in the sky with my dad. He’s been gone 15 years now and I still miss those nights.

    That picture of you and your dad is beautiful. You look so much like Cora 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Anna Marie - Our tradition is to go to a friend’s house out in the country. Several families come so there are a lot of fireworks. We have lots of different food. There is a pool and lots of room for the kids to run. I love it!ReplyCancel

  • Christina - You all are too sweet! A nice memory of the fourth of July is from last summer. My oldest was on my mother-in-law’s lap watching fireworks and she said she wished she could always be a kid so that she could sit on her lap and watch fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • Bethany - OH MY GOODNESS!! These dresses are simply ADORABLE!! All of it is! Your stuff seriously sells SO quickly that I have no chance whatsoever of ever getting in on anything!!

    My favorite memory from the 4th? We ALWAYS went to Sonic when I was growing up, got drinks, and drove out of town just a bit to watch the fireworks. We have kind of started the same thing with our two little ones now…getting drinks and parking somewhere to watch the big show!!ReplyCancel

  • Gene and Annie - I love the 4th of July and all the memories that go with it! Some of my best memories are of my hometown where everyone gets together at the Highschool and watches them. I always get to see people that i don’t normally get to see anymore and it is just fun to watch kids play and run around!

    The dresses are so cute!ReplyCancel

  • Kirsten R Anderson - My favorite memory is from one I was just a little girl. It was during one of the summer Olympic games that 4th of July. My parents drove my brother and I into town to see the fireworks which we loved! I had been so excited for the fireworks this year-singing and dancing, just thrilled. My brother and I had matching red, white, and blue Olympic style warm up jackets that year. However, it was so cold that year! Everyone froze! To stay warm we were wearing our thin little jackets and had to cuddle under blankets with our parents. My parents divorced about a year later and it was just a wonderful moment for my family.

    I also want you and your husband to know that I have cried and prayed for Cora. She is so beautiful and such a blessing. I can’t understand it, but I hope He grants you peace and love. You are such an inspiration. I cannot even imagine your pain, but your faith is amazing.

    Agape.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I will keep it short…

    Our family spends every 4th in Frisco, Colorado. Parades, popsicles, firecrackers and family! Can’t beat it!

    L KellyReplyCancel

  • Ruthie - I love the clothes you make! So adorable.

    Since moving to a new town about four years ago, my husband and I have started hosting 4th of July for our family picnic. Our parents and my aunts and uncles, cousins, etc. come down to our home for a cook-out, and the best part, the Annual 4th of July Balloon Festival! We live about 1 1/2 blocks from this huge field, called the Balloon Field, and about 20-30 hot air balloons fly in and they have all this fair food and exhibits and games and little booths selling glow in the dark necklaces, etc… It is so fun and seeing the balloons is so awesome! We finish the day out with a great firework display done about a block from our house, the other direction, at the local high-school. I love this small town I’ve come to settle in!

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    RuthieReplyCancel

  • Karly - PICK ME! PICK ME! PICK ME!
    I LOVE THE FOURTH OF JULY… I LOVE THE FIREWORKS AND THE BBQS AND I LOVE LOVE LOVE CORAS DRESSES!
    (OR AT LEAST LET ME BUY ONE… EVERYTIME I GO THERE EVERYTHING IS OUT OF STOCK… BOO!)ReplyCancel

  • THE ZELLERS - Hi Macs!

    Can’t wait to see Cora’s Playground when it’s done! The equipment you chose is perfect and will be SO MUCH fun!

    LOVE the dresses… all the dresses. My favorite 4th of July tradition is attending our city’s 4th of July parade. We live in Wimberley, Texas, a town of just over 3,000 and our parade is VERY small town, Mayberry, family-oriented, and patriotic. The little league teams squirt water guns, the local politicians throw candy, our volunteer fire department shows off all the shiny trucks, and every year a young girl rides her prize longhorn! Talk about America at it’s best! It’s not to be missed!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Cute, cute dresses!

    We struggled with infertility for 8 yrs but always knew we would be blessed with a child(ren) someday and never lost hope. One yr my dear husband stopped by the mall and purchased a red, white and blue baby outfit (gender neutral)for the 4th and just randomly gave it to me. We weren’t expecting or anything, but he is very patriotic and LOVES celebrating the 4th!

    Anyway, fast forward 2 YRS and TWO adopted boys later…I pulled out that little outfit and my youngest (3 months old at the time) fit perfectly into that outfit.

    It was a precious moment and we had so much to be thankful for.

    Thank for you blessing us with your heart and your sweet dresses. God Bless you and your family!

    Marianna in KYReplyCancel

  • beth - Wow… look at all these comments for you to read! ~ I don’t want to be in the giveaway, our kiddos are older & I would Love for a younger kiddo to get the chance to wear your Lovely clothes! Just wanted to share our 4th of July memory! ~ Sad beginning, Happy ending… My Grandmother passed away on the 4th of July, it had always been a time of Celebration for our family as well, until that day. We got together & began sharing our memories of Grandma & decided that we wanted to rejoice in our memories & stop feeling so sad… so we decided everytime we see fireworks to smile & remember Grandma. So now anytime I see fireworks… I smile & remember Grandma. Looking up in the sky, seeing fireworks, & imagining she is smiling down on us from Heaven.ReplyCancel

  • stellafide - Gosh, all such pretty things! Cora sure has talented mama/Grandmama team! The whole family gets together for 4th of July–my mom is one of 7, all 14 aunts & uncles and 24 grandchildren all gather at Uncle Tim & Aunt Donna’s farm for splashing in the creek, horse rides, games, and lots of pie eating. What a great time to celebrate the freedom we enjoy. God bless the USA!ReplyCancel

  • Kimberly - My favorite 4th of July memory was watching my 2-year old son (last year) for the first time loving the outside watermelon and fireworks!ReplyCancel

  • Becca - Thanks for the opportunity to win some of your precious dresses. It will remind me to pray for your family every time my daughter wears her dress! Thanks for sharing your difficult story as an encouragement to all of us that we too could get thru this if the Lord gives it to us.

    My younger brother is in the Navy and I have a new-found appreciation for our freedom and the price it truly costs us to have that. Praise God that we live in the USA, at least for now!

    My favorite July 4th memory is going to my grandparent’s house who live on a golf course in Arizona. We would take sparklers onto the 8th green and run around after dark and watch all the fireworks shows in the different areas of the city. We could see about 8 shows from their vantage point and I’ll never forget them! I can’t wait for my 3 year old to see fireworks for the first time this year.

    beccaneck at yahoo dot comReplyCancel

  • Kelly - The dresses are absolutely adorable!!!
    Anyway, my favorite 4th of July memory has to be last year. It was my twins, Miley and Irelyn’s very first 4th of July. Miley and Irelyn were born 11 weeks premature and we count our blessings that we had come so far. As a new mommy to twins I was so incredibly excited to show the girls off. We had been nervous in the past about taking them out. They dr said to try to keep them home after they came out of the Nicu, and now the ban was lifted :). We wanted to take the girls to the local Jamboree. Mommy searched everywhere for cute outfits and matching hair bows. (I don’t like them to match..they can be similar, but not the same :)) Anyway, after finding the perfect outfits we went to the in-laws house to eat first. Being a new mommy I didn’t realize that the girls would never actually be awake to go see the fireworks. So, we stayed at the in-laws and let the girls sleep. We know that this year the girls will be much more aware. And, we are ready!!
    Thank you so much for allowing us to read your blog. Cora was a beautiful baby, and she remeinded me so much of one of my twins, Miley Paige. She will always be in our hearts.ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - Adorable dresses! Keep hoping I can buy one if I am ever fast enough! My oldest daughter was born on the 4th of July sixteen years ago this year so that is definately my fondest July 4th memory. Praying for your family each and every day.ReplyCancel

  • Brandi - Our 4th of July tradition is to walk over to the city park, and the kids participate in the children’s activities. In the afternoon we go swimming, then off to a friend’s home to watch the fireworks from their driveway. A fun day!

    Love your dresses and shirts!!!ReplyCancel

  • Corinne Doughan - Hmmm … I come from a broken home (my parents divorced when I was 5), so holidays were always hard.

    But, our church family always had a church picnic on the 4th of July. We’d play games, go swimming and of course eat lots of food and then we’d end the night laying down on the green grass looking up at the fireworks in the sky. It always felt like a big family reunion. I guess those were times when I really understood what it meant to be in the family of God.ReplyCancel

  • Christina - By the way, those pictures are wonderful!ReplyCancel

  • Brenda - The 4th of July is, hands down, my favorite holiday. Yep, even more than Christmas. Even though I live in a big city now, I grew up in a small town in the Midwest and look forward to taking my girls back to my hometown every year, just for the 4th of July!!! The good ole fashion hometown parade with decorated bikes, the lemonade, ice cream, fireworks and on and on. I LOVE everything about it. Just today I was shopping for their ‘special 4th of July outfits’ for this year. (I have a 4 year old, and an 8 month old). No luck. Such cute, cute dresses you and Grammy have made. I hope, hope, hope I can catch a dress this time (I am always too late) Anyway, we still talk about how Cora ‘was sick and had to go be with Jesus to be all better’ all the time with our 4-year old. We have a picture of Cora (that we received with an item we purchased through Etsy) on our refrigerator to be a constant reminder of how precious life truly is. I hope you are able to find some peace and happiness in your hearts this 4th of July.ReplyCancel

  • Megan - First, beautiful dresses! I have always loved the Fourth of July, I always get chills listening to the national anthem right before our town’s big firework show. My favorite memory is from last year, my daughter’s first…we packed her up and took her to the field near our house to watch the big show. We didn’t know if we would be leaving early or if she would get scared, as she was only six months old. We sat together cuddled under a blanket and she stayed still and watched the whole thing. It was so neat to hold her as she watched her first firework show to celebrate our independence.
    Thanks for the giveaway!
    I continue to keep your family in my prayers.ReplyCancel

  • Jenn - We always love to have homemade ice cream. My favorite memory is the first year I tried to make the homemade vanilla ice cream and I left out the vanilla! Ooops!ReplyCancel

  • Aiden's Mommy - I love your blog and continue to check on you and pray for you often. What a lucky girl Cora was to have a mommy and daddy that loved her so much.

    My favorite memory of the 4th was when I went to stay with my brother in Oregon. My niece and I sat on the roof of his house and watched an amazing firework show while we ate red vines. It felt magical because we were surrounded by trees and felt we were the only people around and then bam, beautiful colors would explode in the sky. It was like a dream!ReplyCancel

  • Aiden's Mommy - I love your blog and continue to check on you and pray for you often. What a lucky girl Cora was to have a mommy and daddy that loved her so much.

    My favorite memory of the 4th was when I went to stay with my brother in Oregon. My niece and I sat on the roof of his house and watched an amazing firework show while we ate red vines. It felt magical because we were surrounded by trees and felt we were the only people around and then bam, beautiful colors would explode in the sky. It was like a dream!ReplyCancel

  • Marisol Avendano Avila - My favorite 4th of July memory is packing in the station wagon with all my cousins and siblings to go watch the fireworks display.

    Thanks so much for you kindness and for being a shining example of true faith in God. You are an inspiration to us all.ReplyCancel

  • Jane - wow these are beautiful. what is the fabric in the second dress – it’s stunning!

    janelockrey(at)gmail(dot)comReplyCancel

  • Julie @ Joy's Hope - Such cute and sweet dresses!!! Such a generous giveaway. Wow. My favorite 4th of July memory was growing up my best friend’s birthday was on the 4th. Each year we would go to Angel’s stadium to watch the baseball game and then the fireworks after. So simple, but those are the things you remember.ReplyCancel

  • diana - Look at all of these comments! Nice. 🙂

    Our tradition is heading to our local park and watching fireworks. Sigh. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • L ~ S - The giveaways are adorable! My memory is that my family would always attend a church picnic and play baseball or volleyball the whole day…my Canadian friends would come join in the fun also. Once it was dark, we would all shoot fireworks off together or go watch them at the ocean…I will miss it all this year, as I now live in Belgium, but I plan to have my own party here!ReplyCancel

  • Tami - Fifteen years ago – on July 2 – Chris and I were married 🙂 So, we were actually on our honeymoon on the 4th of July! One of my favorite 4th of July memories is that year! Chris is *quite* the pyro and couldn’t imagine not shooting fireworks off, so we bought up a TON on the outskirts of KC (our honeymoon destination) and shot them off in a park near the Plaza. I am pretty sure it was illegal 😉 That was a blast! But the best part of that memory was starting my married life with my best friend.
    Thanks for the chance to win an adorable little Cora-something…ReplyCancel

  • Christa - I love your dresses! 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays!! I love to celebrate with my family and also teach my children the meaning behind it. I’m not sure if I can pick just one memory, but I sure do have a great time every year. We usually hang out by the pool and bbq and then my husband puts on a fireworks show for everyone. The kids love it! Then we watch the local fireworks by a fire outside. Can’t wait for this year!ReplyCancel

  • Lindsay - Our 4th of July tradition in the last 5 years has become a family trip to King’s Island. It has been so much fun having a few different friends every time and adding our babies as we go. Last year I went 7 months pregnant ( I wouldnt advise it!) And this year my Hudson will be going to ride along. We love spending the fun time together and enjoying an amusement park at the same time.

    Thank you for all of your entries. They have been so uplifting and inspirational. Your blog has opened my eyes and pushed me closer to our Lord. Thank you again! I have not been able to get my hands on any Tripp Tee’s yet but am looking forward to another opportunity hopefully. 🙂 God Bless!ReplyCancel

  • Annie - A favorite 4th of July Memory:
    Living in Florida, we’ve always celebrated the 4th around the water. Either in Cedar Key, a small gulf coast fishing community on the west side of our county with the best fireworks ever over the ocean… or for the past 7 or 8 years, at the beach…there’s nothing like fireworks over the water… just LOVE it… growing up, our family’s reunion was always the Saturday after the 4th, so for many years the 4th was filled with lots of out of town family! Great times, and great memories…ReplyCancel

  • Kelly - My favorite 4th of July memory is when my husband and I would take his kids who were around 8 and 9 at the time to their grandparents place on the water, and they’d all have a blast lighting fireworks when it got dark, and our Australian cattle dog, Sassy, would be right there with the kids, she wasn’t afraid of the fireworks and would run after them…once even burned her lip a little! We could never get over how fearless that dog was! Also, we’d always have a great feast that day at my inlaws…
    that was 18 years or so ago, but the memories still linger on!ReplyCancel

  • The Van Ordens - I love all the things you make. I have never been able to get on Etsy before they are all gone! My favorite family tradition for the 4th is a family cookout complete with watermelon and home made ice cream! Yummy!ReplyCancel

  • Becky Wilkinson - I have loved reading all these posts. I have 2 young girls and think this is the perfect place to find the perfect 4th of July tradition. Some great ideas. So far we just have a family picnic and shoot off fireworks. Our girls still are not excited about the noise that comes with fireworks, getting better though.

    As a young girl myself we always
    went as a family and bought a large box of fireworks and always with the same family we would go to the local fairgrounds and shoot them off. And lets not forget the yummy picnic before hand. Lots of fun memories!!

    From our family to yours, we hope you have a great 4th of JulyReplyCancel

  • kennedyeatworld - The dresses are adorable 🙂

    My favorite 4th of July memory is when pretty simple… we were in our backyard with sparklers and my dad was dancing around with a sparkler singing the OU fight song. It’s a perfect memory of him and of our family having fun.ReplyCancel

  • Townsend Crew - Wow! This invitation really brought us all out, huh! I don’t have any fantastic traditions for the holiday, but I’m amazed at how similar your baby picture is to Cora’s. Both beautiful girls!

    Continually thinking and praying for you and wanting to hunt down the fool who is in charge of stamping those darn certificates and excuse me, kick their a** for you.

    Always in our prayers,
    Kate & family
    LaGrange, ILReplyCancel

  • Jacque - Favorite memory is my dad running around outside our lake house with lit roman candles in his hands. Def not safe but hilarious when we were kids.ReplyCancel

  • Stacy Lord - Is that you on your daddy’s back? Wow, the picture of Cora and baby Jess are identical.
    Growing up, our fourth of July tradition was small, but fun. We always had sparklers at dusk before the big firework show in our hometown. Then we would drive down by the river to watch the big show. We would listen to the radio show that went along with the display. Then afterwards, we went out into the country and set off the stash that we had purchased earlier in the day. Usually bottle rockets, black cats, fountains, and once in a while, for a real treat, we would buy one really big firework. That was it, but it was a great time.

    Jess,
    I check your blog all the time and continue to hold you and your family in my heart and mind. I pray that you and Joel are wrapped in the love that is sent your way each and every day from your family, friends, and stragers all around the world. God Bless you.ReplyCancel

  • Kendra Howze - My family has a cabin on Council Grove’s city lake…it is such a great weekend w/ bbq, skiing, laughing, and of course watching the guys attempt to put on a firework show!ReplyCancel

  • Team Hyde - Your dresses are so stinkin cute!!!

    My favorite 4th of July memory would have to be last year as it was my due date! Watching the fireworks and wondering if all their popping was going to make me “pop”!ReplyCancel

  • Megan (mommyesquire) - My favorite 4th of July memory was announcing my pregnancy on the 4th of July in 2007.

    We are at a high point in our County and from our house we can see fireworks from may neighboring towns. I love to watch them all from our deck – they are often at or around the same time of night too and there is something really magical about themReplyCancel

  • Amber - Our 4th of July tradition is that our family and friends all get together at Weatherby Lake, everyone brings food, we swim and play the day away. When it gets dark we all go sit by the lake to watch fireworks from the dam, and everyone eats a Tootsie Pop! I’m not even sure how the Toosie Pop thing started, but it’s definitely part of the tradition!ReplyCancel

  • lil miss' mama - I adore your shop and your creative dresses! I pray for you all every day and pray especially that the Lord will so richly bless you in the months and years ahead.
    My favorite fourth of July memory is this: My husband and I got married on July 3, 2004. It is my family’s tradition to run this huge road race in Atlanta where we live called the Peachtree Road Race (it is the world’s largest 10k!). So even though we got married the night before, my husband (such a trooper!) and I got up very early on July 4th and ran the race! I can’t say that I ran the best time I ever have in a 10k that day, but we sure had fun! My bridesmaids made me a little veil to wear while we ran! It was crazy and we were exhausted, but glad we did it before we flew off to our honeymoon!ReplyCancel

  • Bethany - My favorite 4th of July memory was last year. I was due with our daughter on June 30, so she was already five days late and I was pretty miserable.

    Someone told me the fireworks scared their first-born out of them, so my husband and I packed up and went to the waterfront of our local lake to watch/listen to the fireworks. Aside from the mosquitos, we had a lovely time talking and watching families that we hoped to be someday.

    Of course, it didn’t work – my daughter wasn’t born for another 10days (15 days late), but we had a wonderful time nonetheless.ReplyCancel

  • Whitney - My most fun 4th was when I was a teenager…we camped out on Main Street in my itty bitty town and shot roman candles at eachother. FUN!!ReplyCancel

  • Lacie and Stephen - My 4th of July memory didn’t happen with my family, but rather my neighbor’s family. I was at their house babysitting a lot when I was younger. It kept me out of a vilotale home situation. One year, they needed someone to help with their youngest who was a little over a year old at the time. They invited me to go with them! I was so excited. We went to the Branson area and had a blast! We went to Silver Dollar City. We went on a boat ride on the lake. We had great food! Then on the 4th, we went to a secluded cabin just over the border into Arkansas. We shot off fire works and had a great time! This was the first time I had seen the huge fireworks being shot off so close by! It was a blast! From that year on, MY family has spent a little extra to get the fireworks that shoot up into the air. I love inviting my own family over for grilled hotdogs and hamburgers. Then watching everyone’s fireworks and shooting off our own!ReplyCancel

  • Erin - Oh so exciting!! I am also from a military family…I remember every year on Memorial Day and the 4th of July, my Dad would hang the flag that covered my grandfather’s grave. I always thought that was more special than keeping it in a box. My hubs is in the air force, so these holidays are special to me even more…..we had our first kiss on the fourth of July!!ReplyCancel

  • Ann - The dresses are adorable! We are praying for you!ReplyCancel

  • Michele - ADORABLE pieces…again!! Hopefully I’ll catch the new batch before they’re gone. 😉 I guess I was SO lucky to snag a dress from your very first listing!

    Is it okay to say that I’m thinking our most memorable 4th will be this year!?! It will be our first year home after living in Germany for the last 2 years. We just happen to be be flying home on July 1st, just days before the holiday!! I’ve always had a sense of pride for our country, BUT never as much as this year. Cannot wait to be HOME!! God Bless your amazing family!!

    MicheleReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Yay!! Everytime I go to Cora’s everything is already sold! I’m sure Cora would have looked adorable in all of these clothes! I still pray for you and your family daily. We just had friends that lost their little girl Sunday. She would have been 6 months old on Monday. How my heart continues to hurt for you and your family. Seeing that you are able to keep going through this time is an inspiration. You are stronger than you know! May God continue to bless you with a strong faith in Him.
    Rhiannon in IndianaReplyCancel

  • Bridge - Last 4th of July was the first one I was away from family. I decided to spend 10 weeks working with the organizations Signs of Love in La Ceiba, Honduras. The organization works with the Deaf there. I was staying with the 12 year old deaf Girl the organization has taken in. We celebrated 4th of July by attempting to light off sparklers from the gas burner stove top (probably not the smartest idea in the house), cooked up Honduran food, but to really celebrate we ended up watching Legally Blonde 2: RED WHITE AND BLONDE!!!!!!! HA!

    You’re blog is such an inspiration. Your family continues to be in my thoughts and prayers. Continue to cling to the Father and find sweet rest in his arms.ReplyCancel

  • Christian Carroll Stewart - My favorite memory is camping with my family on the lake. We did it every year and I look forward to one day camping with my own children!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I have a daughter Cora, she just turned 5…you continue to be in our prayers! My memory…My husband and I always try to find a parade on the 4th, and do a picnic lunch. After having kids, we decided to continue the tradition. Our oldest daughter cried thru the entire parade, we took turns holding her in the car with the radio up so she couldn’t hear/see the commotion. Awful! The next year was the same, and the next year we had 2 kids, the they both screamed bloody murder thru it all. 2 years later, we had 3 children, 2 cried, 1 very nervous, and my husband and I just sat and laughed thru much of it. This past year, my 2 oldest enjoyed very much, and my youngest discovered the candy that was thrown out…ah, peace and quiet 🙂
    Continued prayers, Tressa E. & familyReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I love your dresses and it seems I always check your site too late to get one!

    Growing up my grandparents had a cabin on a lake and every 4th of July, everyone would decorate their boats and have a parade around the lake!

    marcie_anne99@hotmail.comReplyCancel

  • Susy M. - What beautiful things. I love the 4th of July because I was born in Cuba and came to this great country when I was 3 monhts. No where in the world would I have the freedom to love the Lord. In Cuba, my family has to hide to go to church. God Bless the USA and this great country of ours.ReplyCancel

  • ryanne - How fun! I love the sweet little dress that I purchased with your first sale. I was your fifth customer.
    So far my most memorable 4th of July was two years ago when I invited over fifty people over for a BBQ. I bit off a little more than could chew.ReplyCancel

  • Tara - Oooh Oooh Oooh!! I love them! So cute and patriotic…I have been looking for something for my little ones and haven’t gotten anything yet….Maybe I will win! 🙂
    Blessings,
    Tara <>< ReplyCancel

  • Lesli - These are sooo cute!! If I do not win one I am definitely buying one!! Well, If I am not too late that is!!
    When I was little, I just remember going to the fireworks.
    Now that I have children, I always take them to the local parade and we have a cookout with our family.

    I really enjoy your blog, you are such an inspiration to me and many others. May God continue to bless you and your family.ReplyCancel

  • Beckie - My favorite 4th of July memory is when we took off from Florida around 7:30pm and we flew across the country to California and I got to watch all the fireworks across the country the whole way home!! 🙂 We landed in LA around 9:30pm. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Dena Koehn - Fireworks!ReplyCancel

  • Kenzi - This is my first time to leave a comment but I have been following your blog. Your story has touched me and you are always in my prayers. I have a 10 month old son and can not imagine what you had t o go through.

    My favorite 4th of July memory is when my husband proposed to me 5 years ago. 4th of July is the day before my b-day, and he told me he wanted to give me my b-day present. We ended up having to go to his Grandma’s house to feed her birds, and he decided he wanted to give me my present there (he chose to do it this way so I wouldn’t guess or see it coming:)). When I opened up my gift, it was a new bible. He told me there was a special verse in there for me. When I opened up the bible to the verse (1 Corinthians), my ring was tied to the book mark. He gave a whole speech to me, and of course I said yes!! Afterwords we went to his parent’s house for an engagement party and 4th of July celebration! It was truly one of the most memorable 4th of July’s that I will never forget!!ReplyCancel

  • Megan F. - I’m so excited for this giveaway. I love all of your dresses, but never get to them in time to buy them. My family and I don’t have a 4th of July tradition from the past, but we are starting something new this year. My 2 sisters live in different states so this year all of us with our spouses and my parents are going out to Colorado for the week of the 4th. It’s a tiny town in Colorado that does a lot of neat stuff for the fourth so we are way excited. Plus we haven’t been all together since Christmas. We are hoping that it is a tradition that we can keep up for the years to come.

    Just wanted you to know that you and your husband are in our thoughts and prayers!

    Megan F.ReplyCancel

  • 2kids2close - What aCORAble little dresses!

    Our 4th of July tradition is – a family fishing trip! We rent 2 cabins on a private lake in Mississippi and fish, eat, play, relax and be merry all weekend! We have about 15 family members that come to stay and we have a fish fry on the 4th with all the fish we caught. It is a wonderful time to see family other than the major holidays and the kids just enjoy the outdoors.

    You are your family are in my prayers daily. I cannot imagine the emense pain and loss you still feel but please know – there will come a day when you will hold your precious Cora in your arms again! My grandfather passed away in March and one of the songs played at his funeral is “I wanna know how it feels” and it talks about walking down the streets of gold, and talking with the saints of old. It is just a joyous song! Here is a link to read all the lyrics http://www.calvinclark.com/Lyrics/I161.TXT

    In God we Trust!ReplyCancel

  • jenivana - Your dresses and shirts are so precious!

    My favorite 4th mental snapshot is my 2 kids (2 and 4) at our 4th of July parade, dancing to the marching bands!ReplyCancel

  • Courtney - Y’all have made the absolute cutest dresses. I bet Cora would be proud to have such pretty things made in her honor.

    My husband has spent eleven years in the military (7 in the Marines and 4 in the Army) and we always go watch the fireworks at the local base-which is always so crowded. Well, last year they started a new tradition at a village mall about a mile from our house. We went down there and saw the best fireworks show we’ve ever seen and it wasn’t crowded. We parked in the parking lot right across the street from where they were shooting them off. We are going back this year!ReplyCancel

  • kelly_m_peck - Love, Love, Love your dresses! What I love about the Fourth of July is being with family and celebrating this great country we live in!

    I pray for you and your family everyday! God Bless!ReplyCancel

  • Ashley Tribby - Love your dresses, and you as well as your family are such an inspiration!

    Our family tradition is that every 4th of July we go to our towns parade and then afterwards we all pile into the towns park, and watch the annual Twelve Mile Lawn Mower Race….yes you heard that correctly. Hundreds of people modify their lawnmowers so they can race it around the dirt track. Sounds funny…and is funny…but when I think of it it makes me smile because I think of family. Last year we added another member to our family when my husband and I welcomed our first baby girl, Miley into this world. She was only a couple of months old for last years race, but with her being 13 months old this year, I’m hoping she’ll find it a little more entertaining! I can’t wait for her to grow up with this tradition the way I did. Afterwards we go home and have a huge family bbq, then grab blankets sit on the front lawn and watch firewords. Best times ever.ReplyCancel

  • Holly Rubstello - I have many happy memories but really just watching the fireworks with my Mom, Dad and brother. We had so much fun. Also watching the fireworks over the beach in San Diego was nice too.

    Those dresses are too cute!ReplyCancel

  • KerryRN - I absolutely love your dresses. They are totally adorable.

    This is our 4th of July tradition.

    My brother is a Marine and my sister is married to a Marine. They are stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside. Every 4th of July our family carpools down there and we celebrate with a BBQ and a bunch of fun games. We invite everyone that doesn’t have anywhere to go. It’s so much fun to celebrate with the people who matter the most.ReplyCancel

  • The Ogdens - I love reading your blog and your etsy items are amazing!ReplyCancel

  • EF - Our family has lived in Washington, DC for the past four years. We love going down to the National Mall togtether to watch the fireworks.ReplyCancel

  • A Full House - adorable dresses! one of my favorite memories is walking over to the state fairgrounds near our home and watching the fireworks from there!ReplyCancel

  • Jessica - Favorite July 4th tradition is making homemade ice cream with our 4 yr old daughter. It’s a lot of fun watching her excitement as she learns to cook. We thnk of you daily and continue to pray, pray, pray!

    Much Love from SoCalReplyCancel

  • Mrs. - My husband’s family is famous for hosting exchange students. Once they hosted a young man from Finland for the year, and he was thrilled with the Christmas tree. He enjoyed it so much that Aunt mary Alice left it up until March…and it looked pretty bad. they threw it in the yard. That 4th of July, they burned it and gathered around, singing Christmas carols. they told the exchange student (who LOVED it) that it was an AMerican tradition, to burn the Christmas tree, roast s’mores over the fire and sing Christmas carols. We do that every year now, and we throw in a rendition of God Bless America to boot.ReplyCancel

  • Lindsey - These dresses are adorable.

    A recent favorite 4th of July memory is a family reunion/90th birthday celebration at the lake house in WI. Family came from VA, CA, NM to celebrate my husbands grandmothers 90th birthday. It was such a fun day…great company, new cousins to meet, fireworks, yummy food and a beautiful location.ReplyCancel

  • Lisa Stewart - Those are wonderful give aways!

    Our family goes to the Mardi Gras by the Lake and watches a wonderful parade. The best part is the Shriners in their tiny motor cars! We eat watermelon, salute the service men and women and wave our American Flags!
    LisaSReplyCancel

  • Vera - I’m just getting caught up on all my blogging, so wanted to tell you I love the playground equipment and I still pray for you every single night.

    My favorite 4th of July memory is kind of funny… I was about ten years old, and my family attended a party thrown by family friends, at a house built by Frank Loyd Wright in California. The city we were in didn’t allow fireworks, but these folks had some anyway – they always did (over the OCEAN, so really not a fire hazard!) but the police came to shut the party down once the fireworks started. The reason I love this memory, is that it was the first time that I realized that my parents and their friends were capable of getting in trouble too, and as a troublesome pre-teen that kinda made me happy 😉ReplyCancel

  • The Smittcamp's - How fun!! This is my first time commenting. I know, shame on me! 🙂 What a blessing your words are to so many, especially me! One of my favorite things about your journey is the relationship you have with your mom. I can completely relate to having a mom that you love to spend any day with. We are so blessed to have the best moms and to have such a special and close friendship with them. God is good!!
    You asked about family traditions…Our 4th of July family tradition is to go to my husband’s grandparents house to watch the BIG fireworks display that the school across the street puts on. My husband comes from a farming family and one of the best highlights is Grandpa’s homemade peach ice cream.
    By the way, I LOVE YOUR CORA DRESSES! Adorable! I just can’t seem to get my hands on them. Who knows…maybe now. 🙂
    Thank you for sharing your journey with all of us. Stay strong…I can not imagine how people do this life without our amazing God! Praise the Lord we are HIS!!
    ~CherieReplyCancel

  • Natalie H. - Our family 4th of July tradition when I was a kid was to have the “Grandkid Olympics”. We would celebrate at my grandparents home with a full day of swimming contests, three legged races, egg toss, etc and at the end medals would be handed out for each event. My parents currently have six grandkids under the age of three, we look forward to sharing the grandkid olympics with a new generation in a few years :)!ReplyCancel

  • Simon and Sara - Adorable things! I love them.

    My favorite thing about 4th of July is being with family and celebrating this wonderful country we live in and those who valiantly serve our country!ReplyCancel

  • Brooke - New tradition: We go to our friend’s home and they throw a big party because they live right down the street from the county ag center where the fireworks display is awesome. Our kids are all the same age and have a blast along with a lot of the young families from our large church.

    Favorite memory: We were at a cabin in Michigan. My BIL and I were making pizza crust for the 4th picnic. He kept adding flour as I mixed b/c it was so sticky. We gave up, rolled it out, put on all the toppings, cooked and served. My SIL took one bite and threw the whole thing out! The next morning she asked him which ‘flour’ we were using after noticing the powder sugar containing was drastically low!!! I thought the ‘flour’ looked funny but I never tasted to see what it was!!!

    Pray often for you!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I LOVE YOUR DRESSES and would love to win one!!

    Our 4th of July tradition involves the whole family gathering at the lake for fireworks and great food. We had a special 4th of July 2 years ago as our daughter was due on the 4th and born on the 10th so now we celebrate her birthday will all things red, white, and blue that weekend. Wouldn’t one of your dresses look adorable on her that weekend??

    I pray for your family daily and know what an inspiration you are to those around you.

    Much love and hugs to you and your family!!

    Robin

    themosts@cox.netReplyCancel

  • Gabriella - My favorite 4th of July would have been last year watching my 2 yr. old filled with excitement as the fireworks were displayed in the sky.ReplyCancel

  • Ashley - My favorite memory of the 4th, is the first one spent with my husband. We live next to a mountain and there are several “parking” places up there. We went up and watched all the fireworks going off all over the entire valley.ReplyCancel

  • John & Elisa Seaba - Love the patriotic things you made!! Our 4th of July tradition has been celebrating on the beach in Myrtle Beach, SC…watching the fireworks out over the ocean…this yr we are changing it up and going to Branson, so no beach but will still be on vacation 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Colby - Your dresses and shirts are absolutely adorable. I can never get to Cora’s quick enough to order one for myself!

    Your Cora has changed my life. She is absolutely beautiful.

    My favorite 4th of July memory was 10 years ago this year. My husband and I went out for the first time and have been together ever since. I LOVE this time of year, and thanks for thinking of such a great idea.

    We are thinking of your family every day.

    ColbyReplyCancel

  • Kristen with a "K" at the beginning and a "tEn" at the end! - My favorite 4th of July memory has yet to be made. This 4th of July my husband and I will be in Gettysburg spending our first nights away from our daughter. We are attending a wedding there on the 3rd and decided to make a weekend of it.ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - This are just so cute!

    A favorite memory would have to be the first year we had our annual Neighborhood 4th of July party. We had all type of games for the kids and one was a water balloon toss. At the end of evening when were cleaning up the firework mess etc (around 1:00 AM) Amy D found a whole cooler of waterballoons that we forgot about – so since it was adults only left – we had a hugh fight. It felt so good after the long hot day. From that evening on – every 4th after the kids are in bed and the clean up is done. Water balloons apear for the adults.ReplyCancel

  • mbarker - My family is very patriotic as well. Both my grandparents served in the Armed Forces and my brother too.

    I was born on July 8th in Tucson, Arizona. Because it is always so hot and dry – no fireworks for the Fourth of July! At three years old my family moved to a little town in northern Utah.

    Here, the fourth is the biggest celebration of the year. It always has been. I know in other areas they have fireworks for 5 maybe 10 minutes. Here they last nearly half an hour!

    Being in a new town and so young I didn’t have any friends. We moved in late May so my birthday was in just about a month. My mom told me we would have a big party with a thousand people there. I wasn’t quite sure how she would do this but I was very impressed!

    That year the Fourth fell on a week day so the fireworks would be held on the following Friday – the 7th. My mom did not tell me this. She said we would be having my birthday at the park. I wore a pretty red, white, and blue dress with a little pin that said “it’s my birthday!”

    I thought everyone was there for me! The ice cream vendors? For me! The band? For me! And the fireworks!?I had never seen anything like them – literally!! It was all for me!

    It took many years untill I realized it wasn’t all for me. I’ll never forget it though and even though we have moved menu times we keep coming back here – home. Because of the memories my husband and I share of growing up here. That is what we want for our little ones.

    You’re an inspiration to more than you know. Keep writing and we love you and still pray for you.ReplyCancel

  • Alicia - what a fantastic idea!!! The 4th of July is always my favorite time of year. This is mostly due to the fabulous weather and the large amount of time spent with family & friends. Growing up in a small town in Iowa, there was only 1 set of fireworks that would get set off each year and everyone from town would attend. There was always an all day picnic at the park that included games, food, music, and then fireworks. My parent’s lived right across the street from the park. My favorite July 4th tradition is laying out lawn chairs and blankets all over my parent’s front yard and watching the fireworks. We would spend all day attending the picnic. Then when the sun would set we would prepare the yard for everyone to watch, even other’s from town would set up a space in my parent’s yard or stop over for a burger or brat. These thoughts are many of the reasons that I currently miss living in the small town. The sense of community is always overwhelming and very comforting.ReplyCancel

  • Amy - My favorite 4th of July memory was when I was 7 years old and my mom was pregnant with my little brother. They took me out to the local celebration. I’ll never forget sitting on the blanket that night and watching my mom’s belly bouncing around as the fireworks obviously startled my brother from inside the womb. To this day he is scared to death of fireworks and he is almost a 23 year old young man! It’s too funny to think back on that night and know the outcome. Needless to say when I was pregnant with my almost one year old Brenna (6/10/08) I didn’t go anywhere near fireworks to save her the torment! 🙂 Thanks for letting me share. I really wanted to BUY one of your dresses for months now. They are a challenge to catch!ReplyCancel

  • Amy - My favorite 4th of July memory was when I was 7 years old and my mom was pregnant with my little brother. They took me out to the local celebration. I’ll never forget sitting on the blanket that night and watching my mom’s belly bouncing around as the fireworks obviously startled my brother from inside the womb. To this day he is scared to death of fireworks and he is almost a 23 year old young man! It’s too funny to think back on that night and know the outcome. Needless to say when I was pregnant with my almost one year old Brenna (6/10/08) I didn’t go anywhere near fireworks to save her the torment! 🙂 Thanks for letting me share. I really wanted to BUY one of your dresses for months now. They are a challenge to catch!ReplyCancel

  • Melody - Those are so so beautiful!! I love love love that first dress!!

    One of my favorite 4th of July memories is when I used to live in Michigan (we lived there only a short time) and there was a local carnival on the 4th. We would ride rides and eat elephant ears (which I have not been able to find ANWYHERE else since), then all pile onto our blankets for the fireworks. It was just so much fun!ReplyCancel

  • Marianne - Long time follower, first time to comment…Love your blog and your courageousness.

    We celebrate the 4th with good friends who surprised us all by getting married at our annual 4th of July party. Everyone was told to come to the barn for a treat, and boy were we surprised. Now we celebrate their anniversary every year.ReplyCancel

  • Helena - I haven’t commented in a while but do still think of you all and check back often. The 4th is really special because my first child was due on the 4th. When she had not come by then, someone told me to eat ginger snaps to begin labor. I did and my water broke the next morning and she was born on the 6th. We love the 4th, though and we eat ginger snaps to comemorate! May you have a 4th that is not too difficult and holds joy in it depite your loss. (oh if I were to win, I will be out of the country until late June and might not be able to check in till then).ReplyCancel

  • April - We find fireworks! Something about fireworks gives me chill bumps.ReplyCancel

  • Matt and Nicole - I LOVE going to see fireworks and having homemade icecream!

    I prayed for you today. I was at the grocery store where several kids and parents were collecting money for children’s cancer research. It made me think of you, Joel, and Cora. I gave a small donation and then cried on my way to my car. My husband and I read your blog and think of you often. I’ve talked to many people about Cora’s story and your amazing faith. I’m still amazed at the work God has done and is doing through your sweet little girl. You are stronger than you realize and you have been a blessing to so many people!

    Happy 4th of July!ReplyCancel

  • heather - Looks like it’s gtting a little crowded around here… the dresses and shirts are sooo cute!
    Favorite July 4 traditions are the parade (catching candy!), barbecue, fireworks (especially over the ocean, whenever possible!), and family. Cliche, but, even with the sunburn, I look forward to it every year.ReplyCancel

  • Caty R. - My first comment ever to any blog but I Love the Cora dresses so much and just want you to know you remain in my prayers.
    My favorite 4th memory is growing up my neighborhood would have its annual 4th of July cookout and all the kids would make homemade shirts. We would get our dad’s white undershirts, draw fireworks on the with markers and where them to the cookout. Something about wearing your Daddy’s t-shirt made them so special!!ReplyCancel

  • Blueangels - My Hubby went to the Naval Academy too! 🙂 We have a pretty similar picture kissing at the stadium right as his bars are being put on. Maybe oneday my daughter will share it with everyone 🙂

    One of my favorite memories is from the Naval Academy. I hadn’t seen my now DH for 2 months and I went out to visit during the summer. I only was able to see him during the fireworks. He took me to the waters edge and we sat there all cuddled up watching the fireworks over the Severna river. 🙂 The car alarms started to go off all over the place and you could barely hear yourself think, but I was just SOOO happy to be back in my midshipmans arms! 🙂 🙂

    He proposed just a few months later 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Julie - It’s so fun to see those older pictures of your mom and dad (and you!).

    Growing up we always went to Newton for fireworks and sat along the river as we didn’t buy buttons to go into the actual firework show. One year, my elementary class did a streamer routine to “I’m Proud to Be an American” before the firework show. I’m pretty sure I was amazing at it considering my awesome dance skills and smooth coordination. Ha.

    Now, we have Carlene’s family over every year to our place and have a cookout, fireworks, swimming, and go-carts. It’s a very fun time of the year!

    Love you! These red, white, and blue outfits are so adorable. I love all of them.ReplyCancel

  • Liliana M - Oh..I’d love one!!!Thanks so much!!

    My kiddos love the 4th of July!! They love the fireworks!!

    little_bitty_boutique@suddenlink.netReplyCancel

  • Kim - I write this comment with much hesitancy as I know it will bring up so many emotions that you are undoubtedly and understandably drained from feeling, but I hope that you can also find joy in it as I see Baby Cora doing the same thing in Heaven for her first fireworks show. Besides being married around the 4th of July and friends and family coming from all over to share in our special day, my favorite memory is the time we took our daughter to see fireworks for the first time that she could appreciate them. My husband and I didn’t know what to expect as our daughter is so cautious and shy about almost everything. We thought that she would be uncomfortable around the very large crowd of people assembled in the park. We thought that she would get scared from the weird lights in the sky. We thought that she would be frightened from the loud booms of the fireworks. We thought that she would cry and scream from being totally overwhelmed by it all. BUT, she absolutely LOVED the fireworks. Every time one lit up the sky, her face would light up with it. The smile that stretched across her face and the unprompted reaction of clapping and cheering, “Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!” the WHOLE time the fireworks went off will FOREVER be my favorite memory. Everyone around us would look at us and just smile or laugh and (I believe) take even GREATER enjoyment in watching the fireworks, all because of our sweet little daughter’s expression of joy and excitement. All Daddy and I could do was look at each other, beam, and smile and take great pride in our daughter. I wish I would have taken my camera to take pictures, but the memories of her smile and claps and cheers from that day will FOREVER be in my mind.

    We pray for you guys ALL the time!ReplyCancel

  • Margaret - Those are all so cute. I love the first dress.

    My favorite 4th of July memories are of our family reunions. We have them in a little town in Texas where my mom grew up. She had 15 brothers and sisters, so they are huge reunions. The ones of us from out of town stay in cabins. They last the whole week. We have cookouts, swim in the Rio Grande, shoot off tons of fire works, play basketball in the school gym, and drive to look at all the scenery (it is mostly hills and has been left alone and not developed). There are always booths set up in the town square selling items, a dance, and a rodeo. It is so much fun.ReplyCancel

  • kimmie - our family went camping most 4th of July’s and I loved this. smores around the campfire on July 4th are the best! Kimberly Waller (those dresses are beautiful!)ReplyCancel

  • Trasie Bressler - You are amazing!!!

    My favorite 4th of July is every 4th of July. It’s a reminder of what an amazing country we live in and a time to reflect on the people that defend this great nation.ReplyCancel

  • Judy - I love all three things! So cute! YOu guys are so talented!! We do fireworks on the 4th of July because my husband works for the company TNT Fireworks. It’s a great family company, although we don’t see him too often this time of year! We also never miss a parade.ReplyCancel

  • Karina - I am a Canadian so I really can’t compete in this giveaway, but those dresses are just beautiful and I am determined to get one eventually! Good luck sifting through over 400 comments to pick a winner!!!

    WOW, your post about getting Cora’s birth certificates made me cry…Still sending you hugs, you are still a wonderful inspiration for me to love my family more each day.ReplyCancel

  • Mrs. Newberry - My favorite 4th memory….when I was little we used to make homemade ice cream and shoot off our favorite fireworks. We always loved those parachutes. Usually my brothers and I spent most of the twilight our chasing parachutes. Once one went into the neighbors woods and caught fire……oops!

    What amazing dresses!!!

    🙂
    JennieReplyCancel

  • Susan E. - My favorite memories of the fourth of July are having our big cookout at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. It was always a treat to go there and be with all our close friends and family, enjoying good food and fun and of course homemade ice cream!! We still have our celebration there, and I always look forward to seeing everyone and watching the fireworks. But being with my cousins and setting off all of our firecrackers when we were kids are just fun memories.

    By the way, I received my Cora dress in the mail the other day and I absolutely LOVE it!! You ladies are doing a wonderful job, and I feel priveleged to have gotten one of your lovely dresses! Thank you so much! Much love to you and your family!ReplyCancel

  • Stephanie - Thanks so much for having a giveaway! I am always trying to buy a Cora dress for my daughter Kate but they go so fast I haven’t been able to get one yet!

    I have been praying for you and Joel ever since I heard about Cora and your family back in February. Your reliance upon the Lord and His Word is so incredible. I will continue to uphold you in prayer. I am so thankful that He is ever-present with us.

    Oh yah, my favorite 4th of July memory is…well…two…last year, a simple celebration with my husband, our two kids, his parents and a nephew…simple fireworks on our farm, simple fresh summer food, simply loving the time together. However, probably the most exciting 4th memory for me was when my husband asked me to marry him. He took me out to one of his cornfields and into the corner of the field on his 4 wheeler and there in the corner (We call it Deer Corner) was a little cove of trees and grass and tiki torches set up around a small table with two chairs. We drank Coke and he read to me from Ecclessiastes (two are better than one passage…chapter 3 I think) and talked to me about love and marriage. Then he took his guitar and sang a song he had written for me and then knelt down and asked me to marry him! After I said yes!!! we kissed and he made a call on his cell phone. I wondered who he was calling. He didn’t say anything to them, just hung up. Within a minute or two, fireworks (big ones!) exploded out of the cornfield and the sky was lit up with all the colors. Needless to say, the fireworks were beautiful but the fireworks in my heart were the brightest!

    Stephanie (Nebraska)ReplyCancel

  • Andy and Jenni - Your blog is an inspiration to us (our daughter, barely two, was recently diagnosed with a rapidly progressing, fatal disease)
    What a lovely way you and your mother have found to honor Cora. The dresses are too cute! My husband and I started dating on July 4th, so Independence day is even more meaningful for us.ReplyCancel

  • Megan - Thank you for sharing your story with the blogging world. May God continue to sustain you daily.

    Your stuff is so cute!

    My favorite 4th memory was watching fireworks in the mountains of Colorado on vacation! For a Louisiana girl it was a new view 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Mommy of the Dynamic Duo - I love your items, unfortunatly I have not been able to get anything because they are always gone so fast!!

    I love the fact that I am starting traditions with my family—4 year old little girl and one year old little boy. We spend the day together and even if it is raining we go somewhere (even if it is out curb) to see or light some of our own fireworks. Love seeing their faces!ReplyCancel

  • Amber - When I was pregnant with my son we decided to spend the fourth in Washington,DC. Walking around for 8 hours in the heat being 6 months pregnant was so hard! But by the time the fireworks started it was all worth it, my son was kicking away at the noise! You could tell he enjoyed it, even in the womb!

    Amber
    Babyksmom05@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • Jessica - watching fireworks with family is my favorite part of the 4th of july. this year will be a little different though, as we recently moved to california and are away from family. it will just be the three of us…but then again, that is “our family”.ReplyCancel

  • Kari and Robert - My Favorite things about the 4th are bbq, swimming, family, friends, and of course fire works!ReplyCancel

  • Wendy - ok! well, my FAV 4th of July memory is July, 3 years ago, my husband was right in the middle of a year long tour in Iraq. He is in the Army Reserves. He had left us in December and had only been home one day for Christmas, but had missed birthday’s and mother’s day, our anniversary, father’s day, my daughter’s first communion, and many other special days. However, he was able to come home 2 weeks for the 4th of July. It was so great! We had family come in from far away, and many, many, friends come and celebrate with us. We also celebrated my daughter’s birthday on the 4th that year. We had the house decked out for the fourth, and I felt soo patriotic that year, knowing what our family was giving up for our country. (along with many other families!). We ended the night with a big group of us going to see the firework show in the next town, and truly celebrated our GREAT country! wendyReplyCancel

  • The Kreitzer's - My favorite 4th of July memory:
    Hot nights
    BBQ
    Ice Cream
    Laughter
    Fireworks
    Friends
    Family
    and playing out with the other neighborhood kids without a care in the world!ReplyCancel

  • Sara - 458 comments!
    yikes..my odds are getting slim.
    BUT, my mom used to make matching patriotic outfits for all my cousins to wear on the 4th. We have lots of pictures of the crew in the red and whites…
    I’d love for my daughter to have a new dress for the 4th 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Whimsical Creations - My favorite 4th of July memory was the year I have birth to my son. He was born 2 weeks exactly from the 4th. I can still remember sitting there very pregnant with my parents and husband. =DReplyCancel

  • Create Joy Design Team - You do such beautiful work…I love it all!

    I’ve been reading your blog for awhile, and want you to know you are being lifted up here in Texas. As a mom, I can only imagine what you’re going through…but I don’t have the right words. Just know you are prayed for often.

    ~JaclynReplyCancel

  • Heather, Stan and the kids - my daddy also served in the military 🙂 he was a pilot. I remember going to the base one fourth of july to spend with him because he was on alert and couldn’t be home. as we were pulling in he and some of his buddies were standing there with sparklers lit and waving them at the 3 of us kids….we about broke our necks climbing out of the car so quick to go see him 🙂 it was the first time we had ever seen sparklers and he had a ton for us-AND mayfield ice cream to boot 🙂 good memories!ReplyCancel

  • Heather, Stan and the kids - This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyCancel

  • staci - I know I may be late but I just saw this aftering checking in after our super long VBS week. Those dresses are so cute.

    A favorite tradition is to get spend time with our family and watch the fireworks. We normally keep it somewhat simple and cookout and just spend time together. It is nice to just get to spend time together. We then watch the fireworks from our deck at our house because we can see them fromt he high schools display. We may try some smaller ground ones this year though.ReplyCancel

  • Jen - My favorite memories because they blend in together. My family would all gather together for the fourth of July. We would all swim and cook out all day and tell stories. My brother was in the Air Force and I had one uncle that fought in Viet Nam and a great uncle that fought in Korea, they’d tell stories from their times at war. It was amazing how we’d all come together. At dusk they’d start with the fire works, saving the best for when it got really dark. I really miss those times.ReplyCancel

  • Jen - Oh I thought of another one! After trying to conceive for FIVE years and MANY infertility treatments, on July 4, 2007 my husband and I (with God’s help of course!) made my sweet abby girl: Mylie Isabel. What a blessing! How could I forget that?ReplyCancel

  • Carrie/Florida - No story here… Just wanted to say that in the picture of you and your dad – Cora looked just like you as a baby!

    The dresses are beautiful!ReplyCancel

  • Heather R. - We do the classic All-American-Family 4th of July. Complete with BBQ, family & fireworks. The one thing we do every year without fail is get those little parachute fireworks for the kids. I had them when I was a child and it seems that every generation gets a kick out of them. You light the fuse and a parachute shoots out of a little tube about 50 feet into the air and then sails down to the ground. My kids love them!ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth - My favorite 4th of July memory was the year that my siblings and I accidentally set our woods on fire while setting off fireworks. I’m one of 9 children (7 boys and 2 girls – all with the same parents – we aren’t catholic or mormon – my dad just dearly loves children and thought it was great fun to have us all) and we loved playing with fire all of our lives – not a good hobby. We set off about 11,326 bottle rockets that night (okay, maybe a slight exageration) and our woods (we lived on a farm) went right up in flames. Looking back on it, it was quite scary, but at the time my Dad handled it with great stride. “Come on kids, grab a bucket,” while running to the woods. All 10 of us (Dad included) were able to put the fire out after about 45 minutes of heated battle…no pun intended. All of our clothes were burned and marred and we reaked of smoke for days…but my gosh, it was so much fun. Only to a kid, right? The next week we accidentally set them off in the house. Dad didn’t take that one nearly as well.

    I absolutely love your blog and find so much strength in your brutal honesty about your walk with God during this time. You have lots of prayers sent up from Atlanta.ReplyCancel

  • Nancy - Every Fourth of July we (meaning my sister and sometimes me!) get up at the crack of dawn and drive at least one or two cars down to our town green. We park right along the roadside, lengthwise to the grass/road. We then line up every beach and lawn chair we can find along the road. About 4 hours later our whole family has converged on the green to watch the annual Fourth of July parade. It is a LONG one, with lots of fun things…old bicycles with HUGE front wheels and a tiny back one, that you need a ladder to get up onto; tiny little motorized cars driving by full-sized men…full-sized men IN those cars…everyone wonders where in the WORLD are their legs? They are members of our local Shriner’s unit, those wonderful folk responsible for Shriner’s Hospital! There are lots of fife and drum corps, lots of antique and new fire engines, lots of old cars with rumble seats, lots of little kids marching, lots of politicians, lots of kids on bikes, lots of folks with dogs sporting patriotic bandanas around their necks. Often there are big wagons pulled by huge but gentle draft horses, wearing harnesses adorned with lots of bling. SOmetimes there are beautiful prancing horses. There are boy scouts, girl scouts, gymnastic schools, floats. People walk in the parade and throw wrapped candy to the kids, who scramble for it frantically. Almost always there is one kid who doesn’t get there fast enough…only to find one of us suddenly “spotting” a strategically placed candy that only recently resided in our pocket! Fourth of July is family time for us, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

    Nancy in CTReplyCancel

  • HighlandGhillie - I just wanted to say how sweet those photos are.

    I assume that is you in the backpack. What a beautiful baby!ReplyCancel

  • Paula Unruh - Jess, Those pictures of your parents were so fun to look at! It seemed like they were taken with a digital camera–they are so clear. You must have a wonderful scanner. THey look so perfect. Thanks for sharing those. You are so cute on your papa’s back!

    I think of you every time I go over to a little white shed that borders where Fred and Joel keep some farm equipment right by our house. I have a little flower garden there and it reminds me to pray for you.

    We Love you!
    PaulaReplyCancel

  • Laura - Every 4th of July we go to a friend’s cottage on the lake. We spend the whole day there, playing horseshoes, laying in the sun, playing in the water, jetskiing and boating. We all bring dishes to pass, so we enjoy lots of good food and good grilling. When it gets dark all the houses around the light light off fireworks so you see wonderful displays all over. It’s always my favorite day of the year because of all the fun I mentioned, but mainly because of all the people there I love. I hope you can have a wonderful 4th this year. Much love…ReplyCancel

  • Kelly - So cute!!! I love the dresses! My favorite 4th of July memory/tradition…well,it’s my oldest son’s birthday so there’s a lot! It’s the best day to have a birthday, especially in a very patriotic family! He’ll be 7 this year & we’re going all out (as always!) with a carnival!ReplyCancel

  • Amy - I didn’t read through all of the comments so I am not sure if this has been said before, but the picture of you (adorable) on your dad’s back and the one of precious Cora look so much alike that it takes my breath away!!

    Love the outfits, and THANK YOU for your patriotism! My husband is in the Army and we are moving to Okinawa, Japan soon. The 4th of July is my favorite holiday as well, and there is something about walking around in the heat, sweating, eating snowcones and funnel cakes, and ending the day wrapped in a blanket and watching fireworks that makes me look forward to that day every year.

    You are both still in my prayers. Hugs to you both.

    AmyReplyCancel

  • Tasha Roe - I think I found someone that loves the 4th of July as much as I do!! 🙂 It ranks right after Christmas for me for favorite holidays.
    My favorite memory has to be going to watch the fireworks in downtown St. Louis under the Arch. I grew up doing it and nothing else compares!!ReplyCancel

  • Julie Brandon - I have 4 boys and I love to dress them the same. They are 9, 7, 5 and 16 months. My favorite of all was last year. All the bigs boys had on red golf shirts with navy shorts and the baby had on a red, white and blue plaid jumper… Boys can be cuties too…ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I’m too late. I just wanted to say- OH MY! Only You and this blog could possibly get almost FIVE HUNDRED responses. Amazing. You are so loved!ReplyCancel

  • Krystal - Bummer. Missed the deadline, though I’ll share my favorite anyway. My daughter was born on July 3 a few years back, and I spent a very happy Fourth of July holding her in the hospital and then having dinner with her birthmother and some family members. On July 5, we drove our girl from the hospital to her new life with us. Now every year our family celebrates our special-delivery girl over July 3, 4, and 5. What a blessing from God!ReplyCancel

  • Kylie, Jesse and Asher - Ok so I know comments are closed and I’m so bummed I missed out. But we have a great family tradition of heading out to our friends family ranch. There are about 5 families from our church that go each year, we set out swimming pools for all the kids, ride horses, shoot guns (we live in Montana) and BBQ. To end the night we pool all of our fireworks together and sit on the front porch and watch the kids and Dad’s have fun! Happy 4th!!ReplyCancel

  • Abby - So beautiful!! Love the pics, my husband is a Navy officer.

    I can’t pinpoint one favorite 4th memory, I just love the day in general. Growing up it was the highlight of the summer and this year (for the first time since 05) we will be back in KS to celebrate with family and I can’t wait!!!ReplyCancel

  • Me - They are adorable.

    Our 4 year old niece, Carly was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma last 4th of July. Stage 4 high risk. It’s been a long hard year for their family.

    When we don’t go out to the inlaws for the 4th we attend the fireworks show that some dads put on on our street. Everyone comes out to watch the show and it’s always fun.ReplyCancel

  • barb :0) - The 4th Of July is sooooooooo important to me, as that is the day of my Dad’s birth !!!!! This year he will be 85 and we are having a huge celebration to honor him, and America!!!! :0)
    I would love to win something for my darling, new niece, her name is Cora. It would be so wonderful.
    Thank you for the chance :0)

    You are in my thoughts daily.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - My husband went to the Naval Academy and has served for 12+ years. We love the 4th of July! We are very proud of my husband and all he does for our country.
    I found your blog and have prayed for your family daily. You and your husband have amazing strength and faith.ReplyCancel

  • Jenny S. - I absolutely adore your dresses, but have a boy and don’t think he would enjoy them as much 😉
    I also LOVE you flag onesie and would like to place an order in case I don’t win….onto my fave memory.
    Every summer we would go up to our family cottage in the middle of nowhere. Come 4th of July we would decorate our bikes (we being my cousins and I) for our own 4th parade, roast hot dogs and smores by the fire on the beach, and for the grand fanale my boy cousins would unpack the huge bag of fireworks for our own personal show. It was a day we always looked forward to and memories that I cherish.
    Your beautiful daughter is always in my thoughts- I think your playground is a wonderful way to honor her memory.ReplyCancel

  • Reynolds Half Dozen - The 4th of July is always a very special day for our family one because we celebrate the memory of my late father in law who’s birthday was on the 4th of july and then my son who will be turning 7 is also on the 4th of july….We always play it BIG….We are Very excited for this year as his daddy has been deployed the past two years and hasn’t been able to be present for his past two birthdays so this year will be ever so special since out of the 6 children we have our son is our one and only boy….he feels so special to see fireworks every year on his birthday….Your clothes are absolutely fabulous and I have never seen such beautiful work…Praise god that you were given such a wonderful talent….ReplyCancel

  • Jenni - oh my- those are so adorable. your words and honesty touch my heart and i think and pray for you often.

    memory- well, i grew up living next door to all my cousins- we would have July 4th Extravaganza’s … basically put shows on for our parents. We would practice and practice… so funny now i look back at the videos! ha!

    blessings!ReplyCancel

  • Nikki and Adam - Hi. I’ve read your blog for awhile and have prayed for you and your family… never left a comment. By reading your blog, I’ve learned to appreciate my family more and to cherish every momment. Sounds cheesy. So I don’t have any specific 4th of July traditions or memories just that I can’t wait for this 4th to start creating memories and traditions with my daughter. 🙂 NicoleReplyCancel

  • Mom2Cass - Adorable dresses! 🙂
    We spend our JUly 4ths in Siesta Key Florida with family at the beach!ReplyCancel

  • Stephanie - Wow look at all the comments you have gotten. I’m too late but just had to stop by and say that I love your dresses. I hope one day that I can actually catch your store stocked and not sold out 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Kristin - Your store has been so inspiring to me as I try to get my own store going! I love everything you make!!

    We have always just loved going to watch the fireworks every 4th of July….spreading out a blanket, and watching the kids be awed over the different colors…..so fun!!ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - the picture of your mom and dad is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time…what a striking young couple!ReplyCancel

  • michele - my mother was one of the most patriotic people i have ever met. she LOVED the fourth of july! when i was a young girl i have a vivid memory of going to a mountain top in phoenix and watching with my family. my dad brought watermelon, which he cut into big slices and we ate it with the juice running down our face and arms. yum. watermelon is still one of my favorite foods.

    here’s to america!ReplyCancel

  • Robyn - We had a neighborhood parade one year where everyone decorated bikes, wagons, etc and flew flags proudly!ReplyCancel

  • Susan H. - You are too sweet. I keep trying to snag some of your beautiful work, but it’s always gone by the time I make it to the etsy shop.

    I just wanted you to know my thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family!ReplyCancel

  • Susan H. - You are too sweet. I keep trying to snag some of your beautiful work, but it’s always gone by the time I make it to the etsy shop.

    I just wanted you to know my thoughts and prayers are still with you and your family!

    My favorite 4th of July tradition began when I moved to my house almost 7 years ago. All the neighbors get together in the cul-de-sac and chat and eat. We do fireworks as well. It’s soo much fun and a great way to stay connected with neighbors!ReplyCancel

  • gatornic - Oh goody, I love those Cora dresses!! Our favorite fourth of July tradition is spending it with our church family. Our entire church gets together with big blow up slides and kid fun, square dancing, lots of food and fellowship and fireworks and a big screen outdoor movie. I can’t wait!!ReplyCancel

  • Mary - My niece Emily is in the Army Reserves and her husband Steve is in the Air Force. Right now, they are both at officer training school, Mom in New Jersey and Dad in Mississippi, and their 10 month old daughter Brigid is being taken care of by her grandparents here in Omaha. They are due to return by the 4th of July coinciding with our family tradition of an all you can eat pancake feed. What a festive reunion for all!
    God Bless America!ReplyCancel

  • Casey - Where do you get your fabric, those are some of the cutest dresses I’ve seen yet. My husband was in the Navy for 8 years, he got out last February and now works for Google, he was a Nuclear Electrician on Submarines while in the Navy. I know I didn’t make it in time for the giveaway but I just had to leave a comment saying how cute those dresses are. Keep up the work, I can’t wait to actually catch Cora’s when there are dresses in stock and get one for my daughterReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I may be too late, but I was out of town until tonight. We have not had too many traditions for the 4th, since that is the one holiday my husband always has to work. His company sponsors a HUGE 4th of July party, so they always have great things to do…but once we had more than 3 kids it was just too crazy for me to do by myself in the heat.
    For the past 5 years, we celebrate with our neighbors with a cookout and fireworks for the kids/dads. :o) It is great fun. This year, (thanks to budget cuts) my husband won’t have to work the event b/c it was canceled, so we will get to spend the holiday together. We are looking forward to it…and to having everyone matching in red, white and blue!
    Blessings-
    laura from flReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - I’ve already left a comment, but I couldn’t help but notice how much your beautiful daughter looks like you in this baby picture! Both such adorable babies and pictures!

    Blessings!ReplyCancel

  • Allen and Debby Graber - As you know, I also was born in Japan and raised there. They didn’t celebrate July 4, of course, but we would buy sparklers and snakes and light them. Fireworks at the harbour in Japan was in August for the Obon festival. I LOVE the picture of Don and Kathy!! Very sweet!
    My favorite memories are when we lived in Quail Creek and we would climb on our roof top to watch the fireworks 360! Awesome! Can’t do that on our current rooftop as you can imagine! Way to steep!ReplyCancel

  • Miss G - you and Cora look so much alike in that baby picture! KellyReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Wow, I just have to say that you looked JUST like Cora when you were a baby! (or I guess I should say Cora looks like you) Amazing!

    My family lives in SC and I live in AZ. As often as possible we all meet back in SC and get a beach house on Kiawah Island for the week of the fourth. My grandparents had a home there and we visited every weekend growing up. When my grandmother passed away in 92 my grandfather moved to Charleston (where we live). It is so much fun to go back and see fireworks and spend time with family each year. My grandfather is 86 now and his bday is July 8. I know he especially loves being surrounded by his family each year. One cool thing they have on July 4th is a sand sculpture contest on the beach. We never win, but it sure is fun designing and building something!

    I love the dresses and shirts! I continue to pray for you and Joel daily.

    Ashley in PhoenixReplyCancel

  • The Golyars - I know that I am too late to enter the giveaway…but I wanted to thank you for your support of the military! I spent this weekend with my husband of 6 years and our two daughters. My husband has served in the US Army for 9 1/2 years now and today he deployed for Afghanistan….so on a day like today, I greatly appreciate a little recognition for what my husband, his fellow service-members, and all the veterans who have served! God bless you and your family…and God bless America! Thanks!ReplyCancel

  • Farris Family - I love your dresses!!!!! Our 4th of July family tradition is going camping at the Frio River(Gods Country)near Leakey, Texas. We swim at the river, and Saturday they have a parade down town and crafts on the court house lawn. I love it, my dad went when he was a child and I was raised going and now Emma Grace will get to go! I am so excited for this year.ReplyCancel

  • savanna cahill - 4th of July….I think as a child I took this holiday for granted a bit. We always had a large family BBQ, with mouth watering summerlicious food. However, I have lived in Canada for the past 7 years, and I miss celebrating the 4th of July terribly. So, my sweet husband tries to take me state side into New York on the 4th. We go to Cracker Barrel and scope out a park to enjoy the fireworks. I find it so thoughtful of him, and it helps me not miss living in the good ol’ USA so much.

    thinking of you often, and pray that your heart continues to heal.
    In Christ,
    SavannaReplyCancel

  • Jennifer - I love those dresses~

    My favorite memory off the top of my head was a couple years ago when we got to share with family that our oldest was going to be a big brother (again) – after a miscarriage a couple months earlier.ReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - Beautiful dresses! Our favorite 4th of July tradition is to travel to our family farm and BBQ with lots of friends and family!
    -Kristy @ akwallace4@yahoo.comReplyCancel

  • Sallye - Jess,

    I love the picture of you and your Dad, and the way it falls, is right next to Cora’s picture. You two look so much alike.

    The dresses are beautiful. Wish I had babies to put them on.

    SallyeReplyCancel

  • Anna - OMG – I love those patriotic outfits. I love all the patriotic holidays as well… so proud to be an American!

    I have several favorite patriotic memories.
    2008 – We gathered with family for a bbq and fireworks. My cousins set up a “redneck” fire show with PVC pipes and gun powder… the fireworks were great, but they ended up setting 2 pastures on fire. It took about 2 hours to get them put out.

    1985ish- my family visited my Aunts family in Washington DC, and we went to a lookout for the fireworks show – Awesome. I tell my husband every year that we will take our kids there at least once for the 4th.ReplyCancel

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