My 4th of July memory:

When I was probably in first or second grade, we bought three fireworks to set off from our deck. One was one of those innocent worms that just roll around on the ground. The other two were ones that shot up and let off sparks for the whole ascent.

Mom and I stood in the doorway for the first of the two exciting ones as Dad carefully lit it and ran back to join us. We waited, waited, waited, and finally realized that it was a dud. That meant all of the 4th of July rode on the last firework.

To make up for the dud, we went and turned off every light in the house. Again, we waited in the doorstep as Dad carefully lit the last firework and ran back to join us. Except, as the fuse went closer to the firework, the firework fell over, pointing straight toward the house.

We had enough instinct to get out of the way as the firecracker erupted, but no one could act fast enough to prevent the firecracker from heading straight into the house. Mom and I ran into the kitchen, and I'm pretty sure I screamed continually as the firecracker let off sparks for the whole ascent around the living room. It hit the corner of the room by the ceiling, ricocheted into the breakfast bar, then landed pretty close to the door it entered in.

There were scorch marks where it hit, but we still had a house. We could hardly do anything after, due to laughing too hard. That was the last time we set off fireworks from the deck.

Another 4th of July mishap:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVPzFFP5Fzc