Some food Fun for the 4th of July #foodie #foodporn

What's a 4th of July BBQ & firework viewing  without some great side dishes---There are TONS of recipes all over the web weeks before and they all look so good. I could be cooking for the whole week but I've decided on a few I know our family will really enjoy! Being the gal who has to put her own spin on almost everything each recipe has a my own twist.

Love cheesecake? Pressed for time or feel like you are a baking-dummy, this recipe is for you. It requires so few ingredients and bakes up in just 20 minutes.

Ingredients:
2 8-ounce packs of cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla or almond extract
12 vanilla wafers
Fresh fruit or topping of your choice

To make:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 12 paper cups and place one vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cup. Blend cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add sugar and beat until mixed. Add eggs, one at a time until well incorporated and then vanilla extract. Fill each cup with cheesecake mixture. Bake for 20 minutes and let sit out on a cooling rack in the muffin pan for about 20-30 minutes. Transfer pans in to refrigerator and chill for a minimum of 2 hours. Overnight is best.

 My first though was to replace the paper liners with graham cracker crumb crust and top with  Blueberries & Strawberry's  but my daughter's not the biggest fan of  Blueberries, suggested blue mini M's---well WHO doesn't love Strawberries and CHOCOLATE!!!

For a treat while watching fireworks we  munch on marshmallows and gummies along with my twist on this treat I found on pinterest.

THE PIN
Cookin" Cowgirl.com

MY VERSION

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE 4th of JULY!

~~~~




`

BEAT THE HEAT! Apply aloe soothe from@VaselineBrand for that extra boost of hydration. #ad

Summer is in full swing!  My Summer days are at the park or pool, and the nights are cheering on my kids playing Soccer. This means I'm exposed to the sun for hours.  I  put on sun-screen, a floppy hat and sunnies to protect my self from harmful rays but my skin can still feel  parched &  dehydrated... begging to be restored. That why I love packing  Vaseline products in my bag.

 With a proper moisturizer like Vaseline Intensive Care in Aloe Soothe, skin immediately feels relief and most importantly, hydrated. With its healing micro-droplets of Vaseline Jelly, this lotion is clinically proven to deeply moisturize dry skin from the first application. It absorbs fast for a non-greasy feel. It also has a wonderful light scent. The lotion comes in many sizes,  great for keeping in the bathroom, and a smaller size great to throw in my bag when I'm on the go. 
3 oz. (SRP $2.99); 10 oz. (SRP $4.99); 20.3 oz. (SRP $7.99); 32 oz. (SRP $8.49) Avaliable at many retailers nationwide. WHERE TO BUY

~

Encouraging Creativity through Summertime Play

“It is a happy talent to know how to play.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

It's almost the FIRST DAY OF SUMMER-and it's Father's Day -What's a better way to spend time together then having a little Soccer fun at the park!!

~Kids of all ages  have so much free fun at parks and playgrounds.


My children have loved visiting parks. During the Summer there are some school friends who don't live close -picking a park is a great place to meet up-and no one has to worry about cleaning the house (WIN FOR MAMA)  They can play on the play-sets, swing, take a nice walk in the trails then enjoy a picnic lunch together.

Our town and  runs a Summer Craft Hour on every third Tuesday and on Wednesdays the main Town Park has a teens stay & play day --they  have an inflatable actives course, table games and Octoball Court along with crafts music and more There are several chaperon's  so you can leave them without worry-because honestly  what teen want to hang out with Mom all afternoon!!!  I love knowing my daughter is getting physical, social, emotional and cognitive benefits of play... and she just thinks of it as FUN!!! Also make sure they are 
well hydrated as they are outside!

I strongly encourage you to check out sites like  IPEMA to learn more about play-- they also have a list of the many benefits of playground play; aside from physical I love this quote I read on the site: 

"Social skills development plays a vital role in a child’s maturation process. While kids are merely playing and having fun, little do they know that the lessons they learn on the playground will provide a foundation to grow into socially-adjusted, well-adapted adults."

So what are you waiting for: GET OUT AND PLAY!!  

#GreenAndBlacksAtTarget #sweepstakes TWITTER PARTY 6/8

Twitter Parties  sponsored by Collective Bias are always a blast!


#GreenAndBlacksAtTarget 

 PARTY IS TODAY 6/8


Join in  and  share me-time inspiration!

 It's going to be a 'sweet' party!!


Always tons of fun & great prizes!