Party In The USA!

Hi Everyone!

Tomorrow our girl America is turning 238 years old and surprisingly she doesn't look a day over 200! Can you believe that it is already July?! Where is this summer going? But with July, comes our favorite holiday, the fourth of July! :) I am sure that this weekend many of you will be enjoying the holiday fun with parades, barbecues, family get togethers, and of course the customary fireworks!

Whenever the end of June comes around, I start to plan my red, white, and blue outfit even though it is clearly weeks in advance! I feel like this is truly the one day (or weekend) you can dress like the American flag and actually look cute.

I am very excited to write this post today, because not only do I have a few Independence Day themed outfits, but also some DIY food ideas that you can make quickly and easily if you have a cookout to attend or just want something festive to munch on! I hope you enjoy! Please follow the blog and "like" it on Facebook!

Outfits:
One Hundred and One Spots! 
This is my favorite outfit! I wanted to stay true to the red, white, and blue color scheme without going overboard and looking rambunctious. I wore a satin top (Mandee's $7) over these new blue and white pants from H&M ($5 on clearance)! I wrapped up the outfit with my white lace canvas shoes and a red/white necklace!

Peter Pan meets George Washington! 
This outfit is more formal. I pulled this navy sheer top from the back of my closet (Marshalls $15) and paired it with an off-white circle skirt (H&M $10) along with a pair of nude heels (Steve Madden). I skipped wearing a necklace since the shirt already had a detailed peter pan pearled collar, but to finish the patriotism, I incorporated this leather clutch.

Live Your Life! 
This is a great outfit for outdoor fun. I tucked my shirt (American Eagle $15) into my navy shorts from Forever 21 ($15) and slipped on my favorite red TOMS to keep it casual yet fun. Incase I wanted to cuddle up in the summer night breeze, I took along a chunky net cardigan (Urban Outfitter's $25 on sale).

Food:
First thing first, I cannot cook. I cannot bake. I cannot prepare anything without burning it. I am useless in the kitchen. Honestly, my mom has nicknamed me "useless." Now, since we got that out of the way, let me introduce four easy as can be food ideas you can make for the Fourth of July..and I don't lie!

Pop, Lock, and Eat it! 

One bag of microwaveable popcorn

One bag of M&M's

Pop the popcorn in the microwave, pour it into a bowl and let it cool. Then, add only the red and blue M&M's to the bowl. It is so easy that a two year old could do it, but regardless of the age, everyone loves popcorn and M&M's!

Guilt-free Guilty Pleasures!

A box of Betty Crocker brownie mix

Handful of strawberries

Handful of blueberries 

A pack of skewers

Bake the brownies according to the instructions on the box. Meanwhile, cut the strawberries in half or in slices. When the brownies are done baking, put them into the refrigerator or freezer to cool. They must be cooled before you put them on the skewer, or else they will fall apart and crumble. When the brownies are cooled, cut them into small one inch bites and arrange them onto the skewer with the fruits. Best dessert to satisfy any sweet tooth and it is a lot healthier than having one normal size brownie!

I Pledge Allegiance To The Pesto?

One mozzarella cheese block

20-25 Cherry tomatoes

Handful of blueberries

Pesto spread

This turned out to be everyone's favorite! It is an imitation of the popular caprese salad, but I substituted pesto for the common fresh basil.
Start off with a white square or rectangular plate to represent the shape of the flag. Place blueberries in a square bowl and set it to the top left hand side of the plate. Cut the cheese (hehehe) into small cubes and arrange them onto the plate like shown. Cut each cherry tomato in half but before placing them on the plate, pipette a small amount of pesto under each tomato half. Leave a cup of toothpicks on the side of the plate so everyone can serve themselves.

Cheers To The Freakin' Weekend! 

Water

Ice

Strawberry slices

Handful of blueberries

10-15 Mint leaves

Lemon or Lime slices

Everyone opted for a glass of this refreshing flavored water versus the other sugary soft drinks that were being offered. Fill a jug with ice, water, the fruits, and mint leaves! Make sure to prepare it 30 minutes in advance before serving so there is time for the flavors to submerge into the water. 

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the weekend! 

"Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall." 

--John Dickinson