Isn’t it amazing how many holiday ideas you can find on the Internet?  (Isn’t it amazing how much time I can waste spend searching for ideas?)  What drab lives we lived before the Internet came along.

Here’s round three of even more 4th of July ideas of activities you can do with your grandchildren.

• Printables from Family Fun
• 4th of July Streamers
• 4th of July Confetti Popper Rockets (What a splendid idea!)
• 4th of July bunting
• 4th of July citronella candles
• 4th of July sidewalk chalk stars
• 4th of July craft for kids
• Mason jar cups
• 4th of July Printables
• 4th of July stars
• and last but not least (interesting) patriotic flip flops

When you are finished making your crafts, make this yummy All American Dessert.  Your grandchildren will gobble it down in one sitting.  (Much to their mother’s dismay!)  Word on the street has it that you might want to use more Cool Whip than the recipe calls for.

The 4th of July.

You can never have too many ideas of things to do and things to make that are patriotic. (I was patriotic LONG before it was cool or in to be patriotic!)

And, there isn’t anything more fun than to make patriotic things with your grandchildren.

Here is a list that includes printable and craft activities.  There are ideas for grandchildren of all ages.

• Patriotic Pinwheel
• Patriotic Stickers
• U.S.A. paper airplane
• God Bless America picture
• America Banner
• Festive Lanterns
• Patriotic printables
• Decorative firecrackers craft
• Painting paper plates

You might also want to check out my post of other 4th of July activities.

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

The 4th of July is just a blink away.

This is always a fun time to have family picnics and get togethers. It’s a time for watermelon, Popsicles, and homemade ice cream.

If you’ll be having grandchildren over (or you’re going to their home), here are some ‘patriotic’ edible treats that would be fun to make with — or for — them.

Most of these recipes are fairly easy and could be made by neophyte cooks (with a little help from grandma of course!).

• Star shaped ice cream sandwiches (sure to please grandchildren)
• Star spangled fruit tarts
• Edible Sparklers and Rockets (might be a challenge to find the star shaped marshmallows at this time of year)
• Spangled Sandwich Pops (so fun, so easy!)
• Uncle Sam Ice Cream Cones (clever, clever)
• Berry Raspberry Icebox Cookies
• Stained Glass Jell-O
• Smores on a Stick (I love this idea!)
• Patriotic Fruit Pops

You could also make Rice Krispie treats, topped with red, white and blue sprinkles, and cut out using a star-shaped cookie cutter.  You could also dip them in white melted dipping chocolate before adding the sprinkles.  Yum.

What fun foods do you make for the 4th of July?

Oh me, oh my!  Bless my lil’ Betsy Ross soul!  I can’t believe that it’s almost the 4th of July and I haven’t written one single solitary word about this holiday!  Well  . . . I’ve been focused an a rather large writing project that has taken all of my extra attention.  (Which is good.  I get paid for that writing . . .)

So, I’ve decided to do a small round up of some sites that have great ideas.

Family Corner — especially check out their patriotic flip flops and water bracelets.

Kaboose 4th of July Crafts — fun crafts such as the patriotic pinwheel, ball catchers (out of milk jugs), and 4th of July salt dough pins.

Make a patriotic Candle jar from Kinder Art.

And make chocolate sparklers — to eat of course.  (This is a United Kingdom site and this recipe calls for chocolate covered finger biscuits.  I’m not sure if we have something similar in the U.S.  However, being the creative soul that you are, you could probably substitute a pretzel dipped in chocolate and then in red, white, and blue decorating sprinkles.)

4th of July activities from the Activity Village — like the Uncle Sam craft, a patriotic wand, or a patriotic plant pot.

And of course, check out Family Fun 4th of July crafts like the can-do stilts, confetti launcher, a patriotic t-shirt made with only palm and finger prints, and the fun edible eagles.  (Be sure to scroll through all five pages of their ideas.)

(I’m also in the process of reading Team of Rivals by Doris Goodwin which is Abraham Lincoln’s biography.  It’s a great book!  Long, but very good.)

Hope you have a delightful 4th of July.