1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Girl. Hi. Everyone, 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: welcome to I Choose Me. This podcast is about the 3 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,080 Speaker 1: choices we make. And today we're gonna get festive. We're 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,959 Speaker 1: gonna get sparkly and just maybe a little bit nostalgic 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: because it's the fourth of July weekend. Now, Okay, I 6 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: don't know about you, but I love this holiday. I've 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: always loved the Fourth of July. It's I don't know, 8 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: there's something so American about it, so Americana, so like 9 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: days of yester year gone by, and it's always sunny 10 00:00:39,720 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: and warm, and there's the fireworks, and oh the excuse 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: to wear red, white and blue. I mean, you save 12 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: your outfit, you know that one Fourth of July outfit 13 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: you have that you're like, oh, I'm definitely gonna save 14 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: this and wear for the fourth of July. I've done that. 15 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 1: I do that, Red white and blue. Gotta do it. Today, 16 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: I'm gonna share some of my favorite summer memories, and 17 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:08,160 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about how holiday tradition shift as 18 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 1: our kids get older, and of course I will share 19 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:15,960 Speaker 1: how I am choosing myself this holiday weekend. So grab 20 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 1: your iced tea. Actually grab your sun tea. Did you 21 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: ever make sun tea? You know when you put the 22 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:22,119 Speaker 1: tea bags in the water and you set it out 23 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:24,039 Speaker 1: in the sun for a few hours. Oh, it's the best. 24 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: So grab your sun tea, get comfy, and let's just 25 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: light up this episode like firecrackers. Okay, first, I'm going 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: to tell you what I love most about Fourth of July. 27 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 1: Ever since I was a little girl growing up in 28 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: the Midwest, it's always been just a huge gathering of family. 29 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: And when we lived in the Midwest, we had so 30 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: many relatives, so many cousins, so many aunts and uncles, 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,640 Speaker 1: and we had the farm where everybody would come and 32 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: everybody would bring food and would be a giant like 33 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: picnic table put together with the red, white checkered tablecloths, 34 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: and it was just the best time because it was 35 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: summery and you just felt free. Some of my favorite 36 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: memories of fireworks in general, because I don't know, I 37 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:22,920 Speaker 1: forget a lot of things, but I can remember a 38 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: lot of fireworks shows. I think, you know, the bang 39 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: and the sparkle of it all really has an impact 40 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,080 Speaker 1: in my brain. But there was one year when I 41 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,920 Speaker 1: was in Illinois and my sister and I were driving 42 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: and the fireworks started going off, so we literally pulled 43 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: the car over, went out into the middle of a 44 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 1: field of grassy stuff, like hey, put down a blanket 45 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: and laid and faced up under the fireworks. The biggest 46 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: fireworks I've ever seen, and it was so magical. It 47 00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: felt like you were, I don't know, in another world 48 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: and it was so glorious. Another time I remember a 49 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,919 Speaker 1: really cool Fourth of July was we just were in Pennsylvania. 50 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: I was doing QBC, so it wasn't that long ago, 51 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: and we came across this like county fair thing and 52 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 1: we just spontaneously went and we had the best time, 53 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: petting the cows and seeing all the award winning fruits 54 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,360 Speaker 1: and vegetables, and there was this great fireworks show and 55 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 1: we sat like on a little hill and it was 56 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: front row fireworks. Just small towns, so good, so good. 57 00:03:35,360 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: I think I loved the food the most. When I 58 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: was a little girl, I you know, I would eat 59 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: burgers and my dad would grill, and there were hot dogs, 60 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: of course. And the thing about pot looks that I 61 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: love is everybody brings their best, you know, they bring 62 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: that one dish that they're going to make and everybody 63 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: loves it, so it's always full of asserole dishes upon 64 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 1: casserole dishes of your favorite things. I think one of 65 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: the things for me is obviously potato salad. That is 66 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: a winner. My mom always made the best potato salad. 67 00:04:12,400 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: And the other thing I loved so much was the 68 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 1: Fourth of July cake. Have you guys ever made like 69 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: a pudding cake right in a rectangular pan and then 70 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: you poke the holes in it with a wooden spoon, 71 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,240 Speaker 1: and then you put the pudding on so it like 72 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: seeps into the cake so it's super moist and yummy, 73 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: and then whipped cream icing, and then you decorate the 74 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: top of it with red and white and blue sparkly 75 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: things and it looks like the flag and it's such 76 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: a memory of mine. I feel like I've got to 77 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: make that this weekend. I gotta do it. But now 78 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: as a vegan, it's a little more challenging, but not 79 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: really because there's garden burgers. I know that probably doesn't 80 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 1: sound that good to you, but if you're a vegan 81 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: and you miss hamburgers, a garden burger kind of tastes 82 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,279 Speaker 1: like a hamburger, at least in your mind. You really 83 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: try to make it taste like a hamburger. And the 84 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: other thing is the hot dogs they make fake what 85 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: are they called, well, fake hot dogs. I can't really 86 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: think of anything else, but they are just like hot 87 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,320 Speaker 1: dogs now, so I don't even know what's in there. 88 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: I don't want to know, but it looks like a 89 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: hot dog and it tastes like a hot dog, so 90 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: it must be a hot dog. You can really make 91 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 1: anything vegan if you just use the right substitutes. So 92 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: we make potato salad every year. We use vegan sour caream, 93 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: we use vegan mayonnaise, and it's just as delicious and yummy. 94 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: So maybe try it, like give cutting out dairy a 95 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: try this Fourth of July weekend and see if you 96 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: feel better. I think you might. As the girls get 97 00:05:53,080 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: older and we are celebrating as a family, still it's 98 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: always the best. Just getting everybody under the same roof 99 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:07,279 Speaker 1: is such a monumental feat. I feel like, so when 100 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 1: that happens, I'm so so happy. But what's been happening 101 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: lately as the girls have gotten older, we will spend 102 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 1: the day together in barbecue or whatever and hang out outside, 103 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: and then the girls usually peel off and go to 104 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: their own parties or whatever their plans are, and I 105 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: just lay at home and worry about them. No, Dave 106 00:06:27,360 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: and I have found the perfect place in our house 107 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:36,600 Speaker 1: to watch fireworks from our bed. It is so crazy, 108 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: you guys. I figured this out because I went to 109 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: bed early before fireworks one year, and I was laying 110 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: in bed, and all of a sudden, I just started 111 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: to see this amazing fireworks show out our window, like 112 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: a little bit in the distance, but you could see 113 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 1: it perfectly from our beds. So that is Dave and 114 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:57,279 Speaker 1: My favorite place to watch fireworks from our bed. I 115 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: sort of wish I could go back to the way 116 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 1: it was when I was kid and do Fourth of 117 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,800 Speaker 1: July like we used to do it. I know, we 118 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,839 Speaker 1: would go to the lake and we would just camp 119 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: out and dog our boat like tie it to a 120 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: tree and just hang out in lawn chairs, and you know, 121 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: eat fresh tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob. Oh. I 122 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: can taste it now, the tastes of summer. Very excited 123 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: about that. But it just seems so simple and so 124 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: American and so free. I want to go back to 125 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 1: that because things are different now, you know. For a 126 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:44,600 Speaker 1: lot of people, especially this year, everything is different. But 127 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 1: actually America is turning two hundred and fifty years old 128 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: next year. So this year we're two hundred and forty 129 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: nine years old. Noxture, You're going to be two hundred 130 00:07:56,240 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 1: and fifty years old as a nation. And it makes 131 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: me feel like going back and looking at how it 132 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: all started, you know, and the history of America and 133 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: the Fourth of July and how it turned into what 134 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:17,600 Speaker 1: it turned into. It's really interesting. I love history. So 135 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: anytime you can kind of look at the past or 136 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: make sense of the present, I'm into it. And one 137 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: thing I know about the Fourth of July this year 138 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,679 Speaker 1: and every year moving forward, is that I am going 139 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 1: to take a moment to choose myself. I am going 140 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,200 Speaker 1: to take a nice bath, I'm going to lotion up 141 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: my body. I'm going to do some stretching, and then 142 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 1: I'm going to get in bed and I'm want to 143 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 1: watch the fireworks from my bed with my husband. Happy 144 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,559 Speaker 1: Fourth of July everybody. I hope whatever you're doing, however 145 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 1: you celebrate it is the best of the best. I 146 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 1: love you, and stay safe.