Summer Entertaining

Long summer days and warm evenings, mean more time to entertain outdoors. Living in the great white north, I really appreciate summer. When one party is over, I’m busy planning the next one. Whether you prefer a beach party or a backyard barbeque here are some great tips I found to help make every party a success.
A giant umbrella offers relief from the sun and they look good.
Pre-hang some miniature lights and add some candles and your party goes from day to night effortlessly.
I like to throw shawls over the chair backs in case it gets chilly.
Have plenty of icy cold beverages to choose from. I serve mine from a bright red galvanized tub loaded with ice.
Keep the oven off, a crudite is a great no cook appetizer.
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Serve cold soups, my favorite is gazpacho.
Corn on the cob is a hit at any party. If you’d like to upscale it, stack the corn and drizzle with herb butter.
Fresh fruit is always refreshing and it can also serve as a dessert, just add ice cream. Here’s a fruit tray that looks as good as it tastes.
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Last but not least… always have a backup plan in case mother nature doesn’t cooperate.
Party on the patio this weekend.

A Day At The Beach!

The dog days of summer have finally arrived. That means fun, sun and surf. The kids and I plan to spend Saturday basking in the sun on the beach. Packing for the day can be a real hassle.

Here’s the checklist I use to help make it a little easier.

Tote bag - I use a plastic one because it easy to clean

Over-sized beach towel , blanket or beach chair

Hair brush, hair ties and a hat Sunglasses Sunscreen - I keep mine in a zip lock bag to avoid messy leaks

Baby wipes - great to clean up sandy hands

Band aids, insect repellant

Frozen bottles of water Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, trail mix, pretzels, fresh fruit, hard candies

Reading Material

Music

Sports equipment

Beach toys, floats etc.

Enjoy!

Summer Camp

My daughter leaves for an overnight sports camp on Sunday. The kids stay in college dorms, with no amenities. Last year she forgot her pillow and I had to Fed-Ex it to her the next day. She used a rolled up towel as a pillow and wound up with a sore neck, I spent too much on shipping and wound up with a sore pocket book. That experience taught us a few things and hopefully this year we won’t forget anything.
This is our packing checklist for camp…
Sheets
Blanket
Pillow
Towels
Fan, dorm rooms are hot!
Shorts, T-Shirts, underwear, Sports Bras and socks
Pajamas, clothes to relax in
Toiletries like deodorant, soap, shampoo & conditioner
I always throw in a few band aids just in case
Swimsuit
Sun screen
Sports equipment
Cleats and sneakers
Alarm clock
Spending money for keepsakes
Case of water bottles and sports drink
Healthy snacks like fresh fruit, dried fruit and trail mix, give the kids extra energy and they’re all natural
Here's to the happy camper!

Family Vacation

We’re hitting the highway for a family beach vacation! The challenge, a twelve hour car ride, with three teenagers and two adults, fun wow! Long road trips have gotten easier thanks to i-pods, DVD players and video games, but the eternal question still remains, “When are we going to get there?”
To help make the journey more enjoyable, I found some fun car games online http://www.momsminivan.com/bigkids.html
Oh, and most important, I’m packing great snacks for the ride.
Here’s what I’m packing…
1. Cut Fruits and Vegetables - High sugary snacks can get the kids hyper so I choose to go with natural foods.
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2. Water Bottles- Staying hydrated on a long trip is important.
3. Trail Mix – Satisfy your sweet tooth with a dried fruit and nut mix.
4. Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
5. Cheese Sticks & Crackers
6. Paper Plates, Napkins and Utensils
7. Paper Towels, for accidental spills.
8. Hand Wipes – to keep everyone germ free.

Have a safe trip!

4th of July Picnic

Parades, picnics, and fireworks… Our forth of July celebration, is this weekend and it’s always a blast. My family’s tradition is to do a potluck picnic. Everyone gets to make their specialty dish and share it with the whole family. My Mom makes the best tuna salad and my sister’s cheezy potatoes are unforgettable. I bring a layered fruit salad, it’s patriotic and the kids love it!

Here’s my recipe…

16 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature

12 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 cup whipping cream

3 teaspoons lemon juice (fresh)

4 cups blueberries

4 cups strawberries

Fresh mint leaves (to garnish)

In a medium mixing bowl, place the cream cheese, lemon juice, and powdered sugar. Whip with an electric mixer until fluffy. Slowly add whipping cream, a little at a time, and continue beating until the cream is incorporated and the mixture is fluffy. Into a large glass bowl, spoon a layer of blueberries into the bowl, then a layer of whipped cream mixture. Add some strawberries or raspberries, then another layer of whipped cream. Continue until the bowl is full, then garnish with mint leaves.

If you don’t feel like being in the kitchen, here are some great patriotic desert items that are sure to please the crowd. http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=628238&showprevnext=1 http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=627450&showprevnext=1

Grab your lawn chair and let the fireworks begin!

Creative Wedding Centerpieces

I was recently contacted at work, by a bride, looking for unique wedding centerpieces. Her future husband didn’t like the idea of spending money on flower centerpieces that just end up getting thrown away and wanted a more practical solution. She discovered our website and decided our custom carved watermelon boats would make the perfect centerpieces for their wedding.
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Her inquiry got me thinking…how much does a floral wedding centerpiece cost? Here’s what I learned, on average, floral centerpieces can run anywhere from $75 - $160. Now multiply that by the number of tables, ouch, that can take a bite out of your budget!
Here are some ideas for do it yourselfers that are inexpensive and fun and easy to do.
1. Fill different size and shaped glassware with your favorite candies. Add ribbons and candles and you’ve created sweet centerpieces that your guests can snack on all night long.
2. Fill a glass bowl with water and float gerber daisies and tea lights.
3. If you like the idea of flowers but not the idea of throwing them away. Try potted plants. They are reasonably priced and can be transplanted into your garden.
4. Use some framed pictures of the bride and groom to secure a balloon bouquet.
5. A glass bowl filled with fruit and greens is always a winner.
6. Candles, candles and more candles displayed on a mirror to reflect the light make a romantic centerpiece. Add flower petals and greens for an even softer feel.
With a little creativity you can create unique centerpieces that reflect your personality and save you some money too.

Stay Hydrated...

My kids never drink enough water. So when the heat is on this summer, I’m serving watermelon. This delicious fruit is 92 % water, full of vitamins and antioxidants, and a lot more fun than a glass of water.
There are over 200 varieties of watermelons, so mix it up and try something new. Have you ever tasted yellow watermelon? Yellow watermelons are even sweeter than traditional red melons and they add a great splash of color to a fruit salad.

How to pick the perfect melon:
Look for a round, oval or oblong melon that feels heavy for its size.
A heavy melon, is a juicier melon.
Avoid melons with soft spots or bruises.
If purchasing pre-cut melons, they should be firm in the center with a bright flesh.

Try out this recipe for Watermelon Ice to help cool off this summer.
6tbsp Sugar
4 Lime Leaves
½ c Water
1 ½ lbs. Seedless Watermelon
In a saucepan, over medium heat, add water, sugar, and lime leaves. Cook until sugar dissolves and remove from heat. Pour into a large bowl and cool. Remove watermelon rinds, chunk and pulse in a food processor until it becomes slushy. Stir into sugar mixture. Chill 4 hours, strain and freeze until firm. Thaw in refrigerator for ½ hour before serving.

Here's to staying cool!