our 4th of july

we spent our 4th of july staying cool at the pool. we have had some super hot 100+ degree temps here in NC lately and have been spending a lot of time indoors keeping cool. we knew it was time to get outside and enjoy some of the beautiful and HOT weather, so what better way to do so than to hang out at the pool. 

the pool we always go to is about 30 minutes away from out house, but they have a great kid's pool that my kids love. their kid's pool is HUGE and is no deeper than 2 feet all the way across. plus, they allow you to bring your own water toys. i also love that there is an indoor pool as well. it actually started thundering and raining breifly while we were there, so we just went inside until the storm passed. 

this pool also allows food and drinks, so we packed quick snack and drinks to take with us to hold us over until dinner. so many pools have such strict rules and only want you to buy the food they have for sale, just to make a few extra bucks. although the basic rules are pretty solid and lifeguards are on constant duty, i don't feel like i am being ripped off. it cost us $10 for all of us to get in for a full day of fun. 

today we are being lazy and recuperating from all the sun and fun. i actually got sunburned on my back. ouch!

are you still recovering from your 4th of july fun?

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

happy birthday, america!

we got up early this morning and painted our toenails to show our american pride, and now we just got home from being at the pool all day. the weather was perfect, the water was amazing, and we had a blast. later on we will probably sit on our porch and watch any of the fireworks that go off near us. i hope everyone is having a safe and happy holiday too! 

what are you doing to celebrate today?

patriotic nails: lollipop from essie, chill, from rimmel, snow me white from sinful colors. 

tip: use a bent out bobby pin to make dots.

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: mamacherry

Three Day Weekend

What a {wonderful} weekend!  

This Memorial Day weekend, we didn't go on a fantastic vacation or hang out at the pool, we simply enjoyed being near home.  Friday evening, we were able to enjoy dinner out with friends and the relaxation of only having the little monster with us.  {Thanks Grandma Darlin' and Poppy for keeping the kids!} Elijah got to spend some time with his best gal pal Gracie.

I know I am biased, but are they not the two cutest babies ever?

The best part is not only did we get one night, but two nights thanks to my parents.  What did we do with our time?  We made another baby that's what!  Baby number 7 is on the way!

I hope you didn't really believe that!

Actually, we moved furniture!  I got an idea and we went with it, and I love the new living room arrangement.  Yes seriously, that is what we did with our free time...sadly!

Although my cherries drive me INSANE on a daily basis, I missed them dearly and decided to plan some fun activities for them today.  What do my kids like most?  SWEETS!  And since it is rare that they get pure sugar, I didn't mind making these yummy snacks.  Adding a little fruit and a few sugar-free items should justify my reason for giving them THREE different things.

I went with a red, white and blue theme and these can easily be used for Independence Day as well.

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Blueberries on Top

white chocolate (melt it down)

fresh strawberries (wash, dry, and dip in chocolate)

fresh blueberries (wash, dry, and place one on top)

place in freezer for one minute to set chocolate, then ENJOY!

 

Red, White, & Blue Marshmallows

 To make, dip one end of a marshmallow in water and sprinkle with blue colored sugar. Then, dip the other end in water and sprinkle with red sugar. Taste just like Peeps, but better!

Red, White, & Blue Jello

Red Jello (sugar-free), white whipped cream (sugar free), blue berries
 

Hope you had a great three-day weekend! 

Update:  The photo of my little Princess above is my entry into this week's theme "this week" over at Simplicity.  She really enjoyed helping mommy make delicious "Memorial Day Mallows" with me.

 

Be sure to check out all of the other photo submissions over at Simplicity.