Fourth of July Fun

One great thing about a holiday is that you already have a theme.  I love themes!  Themes give you color, food ideas, games and more! And, for the Fourth of July, you are about to set off some ROCKSTAR fireworks of your own!  Grab your potato salad, fire up the grill, and light the pyrotechnics, it's time for the best birthday party of the year!

We generally head down to my in-law's lake house for the fourth of July. The lake Association puts on a decent fireworks display and we can watch them from around the campfire.    We have several toddler's and some elementary children, so there needs to be a range of fun.  Also, we are down there for the weekend, so I like to have several activities.  Here are some of the ideas I have for Fourth of July fun. 

1.  Talk About It.  Don't forget the "reason for the season".  You've heard this before, don't miss an opportunity to educate your child.  There are so many wonderful resources geared toward children.  We picked these books from our local library:  Corouroy's 4th of July, Fourth of July Sparkly Sky, and Hats Off for the Fourth of July.   I'm planning on reading a book a day over the weekend, so we can remember why we are all gathered together.  Certainly, you can get a bit more educational, depending on the age of the children.  I there are a ton of word searches and puzzles available on-line.

2. Make a Craft.   There are several crafts available through Oriental Trading Company, and they are very inexpensive.  I found visors and puff star stickers for under $1/each.  This is perfect for all ages.  The kids get to wear them the rest of the summer and they block harmful UVA/UVB rays.     I also found make-your-own flag magnets are Jo Ann Etc. for 2/$1.  Kids love crafts, so why not incorporate it into your party?  The key is to have enough available so they don't get bored, while still giving them free time to play in the sand box, teeter totter, play cornhole, fish, kayak, go to the pool and swing.  

3. Have a Parade.  Have the children decorate their bikes, scooters, wagons, etc. with streamers, noise makers, flags, etc. and have a parade for all the parents.  Paper streamers are very inexpensive and don't forget about those "old-fashioned" paper-chains we used to make in grade school! 

4. Play Extreme Hula.  This is my favorite.  Get some red, white and blue helium-filled balloons from your local party store.  Get a hula hoop (players can share one or you can have one for each person playing, whatever is available).   Write different "point" denominations on each balloon (i.e.  5, 10, 15, 25...).  Stagger the balloons in the yard close enough that the hula can reach it, but spread out enough that you won't ring two balloons at once.  Each person takes a turn and tries to ring the balloon with their hula hoop.  Have someone keep score.   Now, you can vary this by either having every one throw a certain number of times, or set a timer and let people throw as many times at they want within a given time period.  It depends on the age of your players.

5.  Sing Songs.  Teach a patriotic song like: Yankee Doodle, The Star Spangled Banner, Grand Old Flag, etc.  You can also play these songs and let the children dance around.

There are so many other ways to incorporate Independence Day into your child's routine.  Use patriotic coloring pages at crayon time.  Use only red, white, and blue play-doh for the week.  Have them wear red, white or blue.  Make red, white and blue snacks or meals.   While you're incorporating these things, talk to your child about patriotism, the USA, and the Fourth of July.

And, please, don't forget that any party needs really ROCKIN' food!  I am always very flattered when one of my family members requests a dish that I make.  Especially when they tell me that they've tried to make it, but it "just doesn't taste as good."   Encore! Encore!  However, I get a bit bored making the same things.  We all have a favorite song, but every once in a while we have to change the station.

The Fourth of July is one of those times where you can have all the favorites (baked beans, potato salad, pasta salad, watermelon...), but put your own spin on it to really ROCK.  Here are a few recipes and serving ideas that will ROCK your Independence Day.  If you are having a carry-in, challenge your guests to only bring red, white and blue dishes! 

CELEBRATION CUPCAKES  (My own recipe! Enjoy!)

Description:  white cupcakes with strawberry filling, butter cream icing, with a sugared, blueberry star on top.  Sound yummy?  Here's how you do it:

You will need:

White Cake Mix 
Large Instant White Chocolate Pudding

Strawberry Pie Filling

Filling Pastry Tip
Pastry Bag

Buttercream Icing (I follow the Wilton recipe)

1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk

Makes: About 3 cups of icing

THE CUPCAKE

Use a white cake mix, add a package of vanilla pudding.

    Bake cupcakes according to package directions.

    I always set my timer for 15 minutes and watch. 

**Remember that cupcakes will continue to bake a bit after they are removed from the oven; however, if they aren't cooked enough, they will sink in the middle!**

I found these star-studded cupcake liners at Jo Ann's for $1/ 50 count. 

Double up on your liners, so the color stays vibrant.

After the cupcakes are thoroughly cooled, it's time to fill them.

     Fit your pastry bag with the Wilton 230 Filling Tip.
     Fill the pastry bag with Strawberry Pie Filling.
     Insert the tip directly into the center of the cake and apply slow pressure, filling the cupcakes.
     - I usually do a 3 second count.

Mix your icing, and frost your cupcakes, as desired.  I like to pipe my icings on.

Place your iced cupcakes in an air tight container and store them in the fridge while you make the cookie toppers.

COOKIE TOPPER

You will need:

Your favorite cut-out cookie recipe  (mine follows)

Small Star Cookie Cutter

Blueberries

White or Blue sugar sprinkles

This cut-out cookie recipe has been in my family for years.  So long, the index card is yellow and has remnants of cookies past.  You know it's good!

1 C       butter, softened

1 1/2 C confectioner's sugar

1           egg

1 tsp     vanilla

1/4 tsp  almond extract   (if you don't like almond, substitute vanilla)

2 3/4 C flour

1 tsp     baking powder

1/4 tsp  salt

Cream the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together  until smooth. 
Add remaining ingredients. 
Chill, in air tight container, for 1 hour

Use confectioner's sugar to flour your working space.
Roll chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out your star shaped cookies.  I used the star from my Pampered Chef Creative Cutters set.

Place your blueberry in the center, pushing down gently, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake, ungreased cookie sheet, 350 degrees, 8-10 minutes.

Cool thoroughly.

To finish, just stick the two lower points of the star into the frosted cupcake.  Assemble cookies just before serving because the buttercream will soften the cookie.

I am also serving up good ol' fashioned caramel corn, but I'm putting a ROCKSTAR twist on it by serving it up in paper cones that are sized just right for little hands!

CARAMEL CORN  (on behalf of Karo)

Cooking Spray

4 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter OR margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract

Spray a large shallow roasting pan with cooking spray. Add popcorn and place in preheated 250°F oven while preparing caramel.

Mix brown sugar, corn syrup, butter and salt in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.

Boil 5 minutes WITHOUT STIRRING. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla.

Pour syrup mixture over warm popcorn, stirring to coat evenly.

Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and spread on foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray.
Cool; break apart. Store in tightly covered container.

PAPER CONES
Heavy Card Stock
Scissors
Double sided tape
Other embellishments, if desired

I located the template for the cone on the Internet.  Just google "Paper Cone Template".  I previewed the templates by searching "Images" and clicking on the picture of the template that met my needs.

Start by tracing the template and cutting out your cone.  I shaped mine in my hand before adding any adhesive, so I could see how it would line up.

I added ribbon to the inside of mine, so it would hang out the hole in the bottom of the cone.

Apply your double sided tape to the side of the cone that will end up on the inside of your cone.

Wrap the cone and press the tape down securely.

Add a second piece of double sided tape to secure the edge of the cone that ended up on the outside (so it doesn't stick up).

Add any additional embellishments to the outside. 

Fill your cones and enjoy!   Here's my finished project.  Display them in a deep container or punch two holes on opposite sides of your cone, string a ribbon through the holes, and hang them for display as well.

Here are a few more recipes you might like to try for your Independence Day party.

RED WHITE AND BLUE POTATO SALAD  (courtesy of the Recipe Girl)

PATRIOTIC PASTA SALAD

STAINED GLASS JELLO   (the Food Librarian used purple and yellow, but use red and blue for the 4th!)

PRETZEL SPARKLERS  (use white chocolate and red and blue sprinkles)

Color tint milk, use strawberries and blueberries on top of ice cream, make blueberry pancakes and have strawberry syrup and whipped cream, make sugar cookies and sprinkle them with red and blue.  (Make them all star shaped for a really great display!) 

I HOPE YOUR FOURTH OF JULY ROCKS!!

Summer Fun

Summer is filled with so many wonderful sounds and smells: chlorine, lemonade, charcoal, freshly cut grass, flowers, children laughing, sprinklers.  The list is endless.  With all the fabulous things Summer brings, you would think that occupying your children (or other people's children) would just happen.  Riiiiight.  Sometimes, the thought of entertaining your own child/children for hours a day, for days and weeks at a time can be somewhat daunting.  I'll just say it: my kids get somewhat annoying when they are bored.  That's not really how I envisioned my first Summer as a SAHM.

My husband's financial brain and my type-A personality can be a lethal combo.  Most of the time it works pretty well, but sometimes it's a bit challenging.   (I want to sell out arenas, but my manager has me playing county fairs.)  I am often challenged with finding new and creative ways to ROCK.  I need to be the best mom I can be on a budget that satisfies my need to be an over-achiever and solidify my career as a stay-at-home-mom and, most importantly, makes my fans applaud.

One of my favorite sayings is "Lack of preparation on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine."  As parents, we quickly learn that taking the time to prepare is very important.  It keeps the everything in tune.  I also believe that you can't plan everything.  It's fun to improvise and it's also important for our children to be able to bob and weave, ebb and flow.  If things are too structured, they are less likely to be able to handle change successfully....and, what's the one thing that's constant? 

Here are a number of brainstorms that I came up with to make our first Summer together ROCK.  Some are very simple, others a bit more detailed.  I would encourage you to remember my 10 Tips to Parenting Like A Rockstar while planning your activities. 

1. Make paper airplanes. Decorate them, have races, see which one goes the farthest
2. Lemonade stand.  The kids will have a blast decorating the sign, plus you can take the opportunity to learn about money and get the chance to mingle with your neighbors.
3. Play in the sprinkler.  Who needs anything fancy? Grab the lawn sprinkler and your sunscreen.
4. Ride bikes.  Pack a lunch and make it a journey. 
5. Play an old game.  Try hopscotch, 4-square, croquet, boche ball,  Frisbee, or jacks.  Kids are inundated with video games and electronics.  Take them outside and back to basics.
6. Have a treasure hunt.
7. Make a time capsule.
8. Make your own Popsicle.  I found some plastic Popsicles molds at my local Dollar General.  They also retail on-line for around $10.
9. Make your own ice cream. You don't have to have an ice cream machine.  Follow the easy steps from David Lebovitz.
10. Tie-dye.  For instructions visit Ritdye.com.  You don't have to stick with t-shirts.  Try shorts, cotton bags, or socks.  I found an interesting idea of hanging an old white sheet outside, mixing color dyes with water in squirt bottles and letting the kids spray a beautiful abstracts.  The sheets can be used for bedding, the beach, for picnics in your backyard.
11. Make a Volcano.  You can get the instructions here.  You can also take a trip to the local library and check out How to Make a Chemical Volcano: And other Mysterious Experiments.  It is actually written by a 13 year old! 
12. Have a tea party.  Don't forget the tablecloth, napkins, and cucumber sandwiches! Really get creative and have the kids dress-up in fancy hats, ties, and dresses.
13. Learn magic tricks and put on a show.  Take some time each day to learn some simple magic tricks.  On Friday, put on a show.  The kids can even make their own "magic capes" by decorating old sheets.   Here are 9 to get you started!
14. Play the recorder.   Oh, the memories.  My girls actually have plastic recorders.  I found them for a dollar and couldn't resist!  You can learn how to play some simple songs here.
15. Go on a picnic.  Visit parks in your area or throw a sheet down in the backyard. 
16. Fly kites.  If you really want a project, make your own.
17. Pick fruit.  Visit your local orchard and pick some fruit.  Not only is it good for you, but they usually have short, educational tours.
18. Visit someone.   It doesn't have to be grandma, but it will get you out of the house and moving. Go to your local library, fire department, candy factory or bakery.   You may want to call ahead to verify the tour times and see if there is any cost involved. 
19. Volunteer.  Call your local food pantry or soup kitchen and see if there is an age limit.  You can also talk to your Home Owner's Association.  Our HOA will assist elderly with yard work, cleaning, etc.  The children can help plant flowers or stain mailboxes.
20. Make a fort.  Gather all those winter blankets and put them to use.  Throw a sheet down and let the kiddos eat lunch in their "secret club house".  Let them create a password or handshake.
21. Go bowling. 
22. Camp out.  Or in, depending on the weather.  Who says tents are only for outside use.  We camp out regularly right in our living room - pop tent and all!!  Make s'mores in your oven, tell scary stories, talk about what animals might be lurking outside the tent, and sing campfire songs. 
23. Take a hike.  Pack a lunch, your magnifying glass, and a bug catcher and go for an adventure.
24. Go to the movies.
25. Create a journal.   Place some white paper between two sheets of construction paper.  Let the child decorate it.  Have the child make journal entries about their Summer fun.  They can use a combination of words or pictures to capture their memories.  You could take some old magazines and let them cut out pictures and create a collage for one of the pages.  This works great for little kids who can't write, but love to draw and color.
26. Do a science experiment.  You can find limitless experiments at http://www.kids-science-experiments.com/.  Most (if not all) of the items needed you will already have around your home.  Be sure to engage your children by asking questions like: What happened first, second, last, and why?
27. Go to the Olympics. Have a water balloon toss, egg toss, sack race, obstacle course, jump rope, hula hoop, etc.  You can make medals from construction paper and yarn. 
28. Visit another country. This trip doesn't require a passport.  Log onto the computer or visit your local library and discover another country.   Learn about it's language, food, traditions, and clothing.  Gear all of your meals and snacks around native dishes.
29. Have Theme Week.  Create a theme using animals, colors, shapes, etc.  Learn about it, create a meal and do projects centered around it.  For example: Dinosaurs.  Learn about a different dinosaur each day (where it lived, what it ate, etc.), read books about dinosaurs (one of my favorites: How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?), eat dinosaur eggs for snack.  There are a lot of fun dinosaur recipes.
30. Have a dance party.  Turn the music up and dance around!

Don't forget to check the zoo, aquarium, COSI, and amusement parks.  They typically put memberships on sale half-way through the summer and they normally last 12 months.  Also, don't forget about "old faithfuls": bubbles, chalk, board games, UNO, and hide and seek.  It's also fun to brain-storm with your child and come up with fun activities.  This comes in handy when you feel like you've exhausted all options and aren't quite sure if going to the park for the 10th time is going to excite your little one.  You never know, the 10th time to the park might ROCK just as much as the first.

I will certainly be sharing photos and stories of our Summer with you.  Please feel free to do the same or provide feedback on some of the suggestions. 

ROCK ON!