Happy Birthday America and Ellie!

Today's the day for celebrating our country's 250th Birthday.  The U.S.A. is my cup of tea!

I began my morning with a red, white and blue breakfast!  Blueberry green tea is in my cup.

Our youngest granddaughter, Ellie, turns 14 today also.  She just returned from a historic vacation with her dad and I'm anxious to hear all about it today.

Way back in 1963 [when I had just completed my sophomore year of high school] I went to Washington D.C. with my parents and have a photo of my Dad and me standing on the Capitol steps.  Jeremy replicated that photo with him and Ellie on his recent trip, saying the railing project in the background had been completed.  ;-)  Little did I realize that 63 years later I'd have a son and granddaughter standing on the same steps.  How quickly time passes and history repeats itself.

They covered a lot of historic territory [four states plus Washington D.C.] on their trip and sent a few pics along the way.  I'll hear more details and see more pics later today when we get together to celebrate Ellie's birthday.

~ Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. ~

~ Mt. Vernon in Virginia ~

 U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  Ellie's standing by 'Navy Bill' the goat mascot.

 Where's a picture with a Naval Cadet?  ;-)

~ The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ~ 

~ Independence Hall ~

At one point in Jeremy's career he was a high school history teacher so I know he enjoyed every minute of this trip and I'm sure Ellie did too.

I'll share more pictures tomorrow of her birthday celebration.  We're hoping Mother Nature will be kind and hold off the predicted thunder storms because it's an outdoor party.  I'm all ready to go, wearing my patriotic 'Spilling the Tea' T-shirt.

How are you spending the holiday?

P.S.

Jeremy texted after I published this post asking if we wanted to see his recent trip pics on our TV screen before going to the gathering, and we said yes.  What great pics of a trip neither he nor Ellie will ever forget. Before leaving he wanted to take a picture of his dad and me standing behind the patriotic grouping on my dining room table. I had more fun changing and rearranging it before the 4th ever got here.  I put some things on a nearby cabinet too.

And Mother Nature didn't hold off the rain.  We had two downpours that sent everyone running for cover.  Many in our area are without power since Friday.  Fortunately, we still have power at our house.