Nashville Wife

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4th of July

3-Month Baby Update

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Mr. H Jr is almost three months old, so I thought I would share a quick baby update. Although he is still fussy in the late afternoons and evenings, he has been sleeping very well at night. He loves lying under his activity center, looking up at the hanging toys, and kicking the legs to make the music start. He often spits up after eating, so he wears a bib most of the time. To help with digestion and fussiness, we give him a small amount of all-natural, additive free gripe water most days, as well as a few drops of a natural infant probiotic. We were using infant gas drops for a few days, but we stopped using them after reading in multiple medical journals that the sodium benzoate that they contain may be linked to cancer and other diseases.

A friend gave us a set of awesome bibs for a shower gift, and even though they are meant for holidays (Valentine’s Day, Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, and Christmas), we wear them all the time because they are so absorbent. In the video below, Little Buddy is wearing his My First Halloween bib, which as a smiling pumpkin on it. It’s nowhere near October, and we don’t even celebrate Halloween, but Mama is too frugal not to use it. Hope you enjoy the video!

4th of July Picnic Ideas

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4th of July American flag vegetable trayJune will be over in a jiffy, which means that my American and Canadian readers are scrambling to prepare for 4th of July and Canada Day. If you’re planning a picnic or backyard BBQ, I have some ideas to get you started. And if you don’t live in the United States or Canada, don’t worry because these suggestions will work for any outdoor party. Just swap out some of the red, white, and blue (or white and red for Canadian readers) for other colors.

Last weekend, Anne (one of my sisters-in-law) threw an early Independence Day party for family and friends. Mr. Handsome and I were unable to attend, but we loved seeing pictures. Anne has a knack for party planning, so she went all out. There was a particular reason that she hosted the party a couple weeks before July 4th, but I’ll share that in my next post. Hope these suggestions are helpful as you plan your outdoor gatherings. …

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Decorative Fruity Ice Cubes for Summer

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It’s hard to believe that June is already coming to a close! For those who live in the United States or Canada, what are your plans for 4th of July/Canada Day?If you live in the U.S. and are planning or attending a party, you’re probably looking for some patriotic red, white, and blue desserts and refreshments. If you’re in Canada, you’re searching for red and white.

I have the perfect recipe! In fact, it’s so easy, you can’t really call it a recipe. These fruity ice cubes will add a festive flair to even the most plain-looking drinks. To make the ice cubes, feel free to use any clear drink. Perrier/sparkling water, Sprite, Ginger Ale, and 7Up are some of my favorites.

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Decorative Fruity Ice Cubes

Course Drinks

Ingredients

  • Strawberries, fresh or frozen
  • Clear drink Sparkling water, Sprite, Ginger Ale, 7UP, etc
  • Red juice Pomegranate, Gatorade, Powerade, etc
  • Blueberries, fresh or frozen
  • Blue juice Blueberry juice, Gatorade, Powerade, etc

Instructions

Strawberry Ice Cubes

  1. Place a small strawberry or strawberry slice into each space in an ice cube tray

  2. Fill the spaces the rest of the way with a clear drink

  3. Freeze several hours or overnight

Red Juice Ice Cubes

  1. Fill each space in an ice cube tray with red juice

  2. Freeze several hours or overnight

Blueberry Ice Cubes

  1. Drop 3-4 small blueberries into each space in an ice cube tray

  2. Fill the spaces the rest of the way with a clear drinks

  3. Freeze several hours or overnight

Blue Juice Ice Cubes

  1. Fill each space in an ice cube tray with blue juice

  2. Freeze several hours or overnight

4th of July BBQ on a Budget

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With 4th of July only one week away, it’s time to start planning the menu. If you’re in Canada gearing up for Canada day or in any other country in the world just looking for a tasty meal suggestion, this post applies to you, as well. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good BBQ?

Whether you’re cooking for the masses or just looking to make a delicious, patriotic meal for yourself, this BBQ on a budget is sure to make your mouth water.

Let’s start with homemade burgers. Thumb through your local grocery store fliers for sales on ground beef, or head to a big box store like Costco or Sam’s Club to take advantage of their regular bulk deals. To learn how to grill the perfect burger, click here to watch Mr. Handsome’s grilling tutorial. Make sure to buy buns, or just pick up a loaf of bread and toast and season the pieces individually.

While you’re at the store, pick up some corn on the cob. This time of year, delicious sweet corn is easy to come buy, and you’ll usually find great prices. Who doesn’t love a good 8 for $2.00 deal?

After you grab the corn, pick up some on-sale fruit (preferably types that can add a little red, white, and blue to your spread, like watermelon, cherries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries).

For a side dish, throw together my healthy pasta salad.

When it comes to dessert and drinks, the sky is the limit. Whip up my easy blueberry pie or my even easier blueberry cobbler. If you want your guests to love you forever, make a batch of homemade mocha smoothies. On Thursday, I’m going to share an easy way to add a festive flair to even the most plain looking drinks.