My Take on Independence Day

Hosted by "Susan, Sally & Rhoda"
Hello everyone, sorry I haven't visited much of you, but I'm finally getting the hang of our new schedule. Plus, I'm learning how to bake, so that's part of what's keeping me from blogging lately.

Well... for today's triple post, I'd like to share how our dining area that now normally looks like this...

To something like this! I'm sure Susan can appreciate the Met in this one. LOL

THEME:
"A Salute to America"
INSPIRATION:
Dollar Tree finds
My hubs was supposed to come home Sunday afternoons, but his new Chicago crew gets the 4th off every year, so he came home yesterday afternoon instead! Yay! And since I had no plans to do anything for the actual Independence Day, that also changed!

We all of a sudden needed to put together a table and menu worthy of America's most important day of the year! Where did we turn to to pull this off? Why, Dollar Tree of course! See this candle, isn't just so cute?

Sally, are you seeing all the blue? LOL

Rhoda, my true treasure today are those wavy blue stemmed martini glasses! Only $1 each from DT! I found the last good six at that particular store. Yay me!
How do you like my placesetting? The placemats, glasses, candles and star bowls are all DT finds. The Libbey "Star" bowls are for potpourri, but since I don't do potpourris, I used them as our ice cream bowls! The red Canopy "Cranberry" plates (Walmart- $1 ea), I used as chargers for our shallow salad bowl, "Classic White" by Corelle (2005). The flatware, they're my everyday Hampton "Lace". See them perfectly balanced on top of the bowls? Mr. Man (my dear hubs) said it reminded him of fireworks sparks! How cool is that?!
We hit Albertson's for the menu and I found that the red Gatorade G2 "Fruit Punch" was the perfect complimentary shade! Those blue napkins (Anna's Linens- .99 ea) were from my Memorial Day table.
The other cute thing I found at DT were these three different looking hanging twister sticks I hung on our pendant chandy. Talk about a tall centerpiece! Gotta love that! And see the star banner on the drapes, that was the last one there and I knew it would be perfect with the table.
Instead of a full on flag theme, I let the candles show off our pride for the ol' "red, white and blue"! The "Two Bubble" glass candlesticks (Hobby Lobby- 80% off) looked great with the glasses.

The hubs said, "Wow" when all was lit and the gatorade was added. So cool!

What do you think? Did I do our country proud with this table? I got three YES votes from three full pledged citizens! LOL

Thanks a bunch to our hosts today and to all of you who came by to visit. Thank you all!

This Is The Place

Hosted by "Christine's Home and Travel Adventures"
Last year, exactly, we were in Utah visiting my hubs, Mr. Man's family and they took us to..."This is The Place Heritage Park". It's a memorial park for the history of the Latter-day Saints or commonly known as Mormon people, like me! :-)
There's me with my beautiful fam... at the entrance- after the whole fun! Can't you tell humidity and heat doesn't agree with my hair? LOL

There were so much to do and see! I couldn't possibly show all of them to you! Blogger will shut me down for sure! Don't want that!

Here's what a schoolhouse looked back in 1865. Isn't it cool?! My children are on the right side, middle.

Oh-oh, what happened, why is my baby being punished? Oh, yeah, my teen helped demonstrate what happens when you misbehave back in 1865. You go to the front of the class, turn away and touch the wall with your nose, hold out your arms back and hold a book on each hand. Ouch!

They even learned how to write "July 4, 1865" in shorthand (right side ending in 1865) and the word, "flag" at the bottom. Neat huh?

There were goats and other farm animals like horses! See my younger daughter's head angle? She was ecstatic to see all those horses and even more excited that she can ride them!

See? What'd I tell ya? Look at that "I'm so happy" smile! That alone was worth the heat and expanse of the place! Oooohhh, all that walking we did! Our son was in his element when we found miniature buildings like this firehouse! It was such a respite for me not to worry where they are for about 20 minutes!

I was so glad when we found the Picnic Area! Here are the kiddos resting and bonding!

Two of the three men we were with... That's my hubby and my bro-in-law, Gary after we ate. Ready for more walking!

Ok, we got to ride in a stage coach, or whatever it's called. See me? I'm the one in the purple of course! (Just seeing if you forgot already) LOL

And we also rode on the trolley train they had going around. This is my darling and gorgeous, hubs, Mr. Man. Love him!!!

We found so many tin cookware and kitchen gadgets and cabinet coverings that we just had to visit the Tin Shoppe and here's the rather dry comic of a tin smith. He could deliver great jokes without cracking even one smile!

We had so much fun! I wish we were there again, but at least I got to take you on a virtual trip with us! Have a great INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!