Patriotic Fun for July 4th

[margypops]

I am going to throw a bash on July 4th, we are going Downtown to see the parade then I am having a bunch of folks over, so heres what i would like from you guys if you would be so good....I know all about the Ribs, steaks and burgers, but I would love to add something differant to it all, so what would you do ,what foods, what games what fun stuff can I do, kids are involved I have kids at everything even Weddings..!!.Bring it on.... you are all invited of course .....

[heatherlynn22]

we always make sure as soon as the balloons pop the pieces are picked up so no accidents.

[margypops]

Thats good advice I am always aware of them at the beach as the birds get them stuck in their throats, will have to rethink this one and do something else. Lots of other ideas,maybe the doughnut one you came up with Heatherlyn will be best...  all like dough nuts.,well I do. acting out charades always goes down well as older children love to act and small ones like to act as if they are an animal. There is a local woman who makes some money making pies and cakes I believe shes very good and reasonable and I like home cooking more than store food she could use a few dollars maybe I will give the job to her ..when I first came to the US some Ladies would stand on the street corners in LA selling wonderful pumpkin pies it was astounding to stop the car leap out and grab a big ole pie and eat it in the car....

[Ranaesheart]

Don't want to damper anyone's spirits .. but do have a safety concern to share regarding the balloon shaving.  

There was a child who accidentally got a piece of the balloon sucked down his windpipe when it broke.  He was unable to breathe and with all the adults around, they could not dislodge it.  He didn't make it.  Just a word of caution and something to think about.  

Water balloons are great fun .. but I make sure everyone is instructed to NOT put them in or near their mouth and tell them why .. for safety sake.

Best wishes ..

[margypops]

Those bubbles are great they have all kinds of things to blow it out of now I had forgotten about them thanks Ranaesheart  I have never in my life shaved a balloon but expect all the kiddies round here will have there is a  huge Firework display in the evening, I did hear that some are cancelling their firewroks due to no money in the community thats a shame everyone enjoys them... ah well,

[Ranaesheart]

What FUN is this!  

Food - Don't forget the baked beans and frozen popsickles (SF and/or regular).

Don't forget a garden hose and a sprinkler, volleyball, kick ball, squirt guns and bubbles!  Fun for young and old alike .. and they make really neat toys for the bubbles .. inexpensive too.

[Cherie762]

hey we had to shave ballons in my CNA class before they would let us shave patients,,,it was scary I hate popping sound of ballons,,,mine survived LOL sounds like fun at a party..

[heatherlynn22]

oh my family reunions are a blast! there are so many games i can't even remember them all. the doughnut one, the shave the balloon and toss the water balloon are the biggest hits. a good idea that we started doing with the shave the balloon is filling it up with shaving cream so when it explodes (from being shaved with the razor, which this is more an adult game) shaving cream gets ALL OVER whomever has it in their mouth. lol) which if you go to a dollar store/dollar general you can get cans of cheap shaving cream and packs of razors for a buck. so you can stock up and not spend a lot.

[margypops]

Hey guys thanks for the info.. you know what I mean redhead it went on for months I was so facinated it was so differant from the meekness I had grown up with, so out -rageous and wonderful,and Hollywood ...thats another longwinded story for another Day LOL ...hey I will try Bratwurst for the Bash, they are very tasty with saurkraut, thank you for those games heatherlynn I love kids and playing with them is the best thing I like to do, we play charades in my house at holiday times but this will be outside I thought of a Piinada (speltwrong?) my the dough nut game will get them going....

[heatherlynn22]

i do the flag cake every year for my moms bash. it's SO good and so refreshing b/c of the cool whip and fruit.

macaroni salad, potato salad and pasta salad are good to have. bratwurst make good sandwiches when they're grilled.

for fun stuff..i can think of a few game we play at our family reunion. one is leave the doughnut hole. you get a sting and put doughnut through it and tie them up across something (like from tree to tree) and everyone keeps hands behind their backs and eats around the doughnut as close to the hole without knocking the doughnut off the string as fast as they can.
shave the balloon. you blow up a bunch of ballons and there have to be partners. one holds the balloon in their mouth while the other lathers and shaves it. the team that can shave the balloon without breaking it wins.
water balloon toss. a team stand so many feet apart and start off with a single water balloon. they toss it back and forth slowly getting further and further away from each other. last team with their balloon wins.

[redheadaussie]

Hey margypops! I can relate to you on that! My first trip to USA 5 years ago, all I did was walk around like a stunned mullet with my mouth open going...WOW!!! at EVERYTHING! Hee hee. Hope you have a great Fourth of July party!

[margypops]

I like that idea of a flag cake I will do it and take some pics and put them up here so you see what you missed LOL I will tell em all to swing by the more the merrier they'll have to bring something but anything will do, I love that we never had those kind of parties in England when I arrived here I had never seen a doggy bag never mind used one, you know we were so facinated by you all.. we would sit in our Big American 'yank tank' a Ford Bronco, and people watch, facinating, we had been used to the plain and starchy folks / nice folks in England and little tiny English Villages , never saw anything but white faces, (only in London) and here we were with the wonderful cultures of the African American the native American , all the Asian folks here in LA ..you can never imagine how it felt to remember it brings tears to my eyes...even today 20 years later..... oh boy some things never change..the long windedness of the Brits..LOl

[Cherie762]

we where both thinking the same thing at same time LOL,,,it is a good cake and easy always a hit,,for a crowd you may need two Margy or make a double sheetcake,

[ChitChatNine]

I have a really easy recipe

You make a plain vanilla boxed cake mix in a 9 X 12 pan

You take Cool Whip and put it on as if icing

You take Strawberries for strips and Blueberries for starts I think

The recipe is around usually in the ladies magazines

It's simple and looks really nice, too!

The idea is a sheet type cake decorated in Red, White, and Blue with whipped cream, blueberries and strawberries decor!

Have Fun!

C~

[Cherie762]

make the flag cake its so cool and easy, bake a sheet cake, frost with cool whip, place blueberries on upper left corner to represent stars, then cut strawberries in 1/2 and place in rows to represent stripes, its a very good dessert and looks real pretty.

[twehner5]

I'm THERE!  HelpinUtah took all the good ideas - the poppers and sparklers for the kids, deviled eggs and potato salad - yep, goes great with ribs, steaks and burgers!  Of course, "they" say there's nothing more American than apple pie, but that's never been one of my favorites.  Here in WI, it's just not right to NOT grill brats.  Well, now that I've lived here 5 years, I'm about "bratted" out!

All you need with all THAT is FRIENDS!  That's why I said, I'M THERE!  How many are you inviting?  (I don't mind sharing you, I'm just wondering how I'm going to spot Helpin!)

[margypops]

Yes in the back I am lucky enough to have a largish one, oh your do sounds better I would love to see Glen Beck,as a previous Brit is makes for a lot of laughs when we celebrate the 4th I am going to have a couple of funny banners made up...I do like devilled eggs, yes corn is on my list , the lord and master grills them the way you do I expect ..

[HelpinUtah]

You have to have deviled eggs and potato salad!  LOL!!!!  And, of course, corn on the cob!  YUM!!!  Oh, and don't forget the watermelon!  

As for fun, the kids love those little crackers that they can throw on the ground and make a noise, but are not really dangerous.  When I was a kid, we always loves the sparklers!  

Where are you doing this?  In your yard?  

I'd love to come - where do you live again!  LOL!!!!  Actually, we're going to try to go to the Stadium of Fire Celebration in Provo, Utah.  Glenn Beck is the host and the Jonas Brothers will be here too.  It will be a blast!  People who belong to the Utah 912 crowd can meet with Glenn prior to the show to discuss America and what the 4th truly means to each of us!  It should be fabulous!  I just don't know for sure we can go yet or not!