Photo: SXC

Printables4Kids.com has a cute Happy Birthday USA coloring sheet and a variety of related worksheets.

DLTK-Kids.com has a whole stack of Independence Day printables, including Bingo sheets. (By the way, there were a couple of pop up ads.)

Kaboose has a variety of coloring sheets , including an American Eagle sheet that is sure to appeal to older children.

For older children, you may want to check out Kids Holiday Crafts . The 4th of July craft projects look like they’ll keep kids well entertained for a few minutes!

Post from: Blisstree

Independence Day Printables

Photo via Altec Lansing

Although it is marketed as an MP3 player speaker, I hooked mine up to my laptop and enjoyed watching Benny & Joon on Hulu. (One of my all time favorite movies.) I usually have trouble listening to movies on my laptop, but, with the speaker, this one came in loud and clear. It wasn’t as awesome as listening to a movie in a media room with surround sound, but the speaker didn’t cost a few thousand dollars, either.

You’re thinking, “Nice, but will that really excite my teen?” right? Well, there’s a special little bonus that makes this a great teen Christmas gift idea - the customizable Skinit skin for your speaker. You can give your teen an Orbit and let him or her customize it later on or create the skin ahead of time and give the skin as part of the gift. I think the custom option is really fun, because your teen can use photos of a favorite pet, best friends or just about anything else to make a unique skin of his or her own.

This skins are under $15, which makes the whole package a bit over $50. Not bad for a techie gift for a teen.

Post from: Blisstree

Teen Christmas Idea - Orbit MP3 Speaker

Before you start thinking I’m out-commercializing commercialism, take a few moments to think about how you felt fighting through crowds of shoppers to look for just the right gift at the last second. You probably were really frustrated and stressed and then overpaid for the gift you finally bought. Did you think about making your own gifts or at least getting your shopping done earlier last year? Then now is the time to start planning your low cost, low stress Christmas.

Photo:SXC

Today, we start with a list of giftees. Decide whether you’re going to try to give gifts to teachers, co-workers and extended family. Once your master gift recipient list has been created, you’ll be able to use it to check off gifts as you make or buy them. This really helps you avoid buying three gifts for one person and completely forgetting to buy even one for another person.

Is your gift list ready? Great! Now, look at it again and think about your budget. Note the amount you want to spend on each person beside his or her name. Add up the numbers. After you regain consciousness, adjust the amounts to end up with a total that doesn’t make you see black spots before your eyes. There you go! You have your holiday gift budget. Now, it is just a matter for keeping your eye out for good sales and carving out enough time to make all the gifts you have ideas for.

Post from: Blisstree

Happy July 1st - Christmas in July

Photo: SXC

One Independence Day event that caught my eye was the Founder’s Favorites Fireworks and Fountains event at Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. If you are in the area, it is well worth visiting. The fountains are beautiful even if fireworks aren’t shooting off. With the fireworks, they are breathtaking. The gardens themselves are quite lovely, too. You may remember the Mother’s Day trip we took to Longwood Gardens and all the lovely critters and flowers we saw there. I noticed a few other gardens were having July 4th events, so, if you aren’t in the Pennsylvania area, you may want to check local botanical garden event schedules.

Another event I noticed was the HollyWood Bowl July 4th Fireworks Spectacular. It looks like a lot of concert venues are doing similar shows, so if you like music and fireworks together, check your local venues.

Do you have a favorite July 4th event you attend?

Post from: Blisstree

4th of July Events

Photo: SXC

An empty water bottle and some pebbles, rice, or beans will make a great shaker. For a bit of fun, we toss in confetti bits, little charms and tiny toys in the rice shaker bottles. When they aren’t shaking their bottles to make music, the kids use them as an “I Spy” game. They slowly turn the bottles and see what little things pop into sight.

A piece of rubber, like an opened balloon, can be stretched over the open end of a oatmeal box and secured to make a mini drum.

A few jingle bells, needle and thread and an athletic wrist band can create a low cost version of those jingle bell bracelets we use at story time in the library.

Post from: Blisstree

Make Kids Instruments for July 4th

Vintage Keepsake Trunk has a collection of prim bowl fillers that I’d love to use as centerpieces.

Laurel Arts created a very patriotic wind chime made up of red, white and blue stars.

Soo Boo made a colorful wreath that would be the perfect welcoming touch at a front door.

Eclectic Oddities has a beautiful patriotic wall hanging that is anything but odd. I’d love to have it hanging in my home.

Linda Lewis painted some sweet little patriotic placemats that would make any table ready for the 4th in an instant.

Photo via ArtFire.com/Linda Lewis

After all of that “window shopping” I am ready to start decorating for the 4th. I know. I should have been decorating a week or so ago, but I have a hard time letting go of spring and it isn’t summer to me until the Independence Day decorations go up!

Post from: Blisstree

Sunday Buffet - 4th of July Decorations

Photo via Amazon.com

• National Treasure - If you haven’t seen this Nicholas Cage movie about an adventurer who races to save the Declaration of Independence from the bad guys, nab the secret treasure and get the girl, you’re missing out on a great family movie!
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - Who says politicians can’t be honest? Mr. Smith, played by James Stewart, is a man with convictions and an honest nature who puts the Senate in an uproar when he fills a vacant seat.
• Farmer’s Daughter - A farm girl leaves home to be a nurse and ends up setting Washington, DC on its ear with her no nonsense approach to politics. (May only be available in VHS format)
• The Time of Their Lives - Abbott and Costello, ghosts and the Revolutionary War. Need I say more?
• 1776 - Hey, we like musicals and this may not be the best one out there, but it sure is the best Independence Day musical!

Post from: Blisstree

Top Independence Day Movies

Photo: SXC

So what do you do on Canada Day? If you’re in Toronto, you would have been heading to Mel Lastman Square to enjoy live music performed by some famous Canadians and to take in some fireworks. Unfortunately, unless a last minute strike agreement comes through, CBC News reports that this event is canceled, along with many other events. So, it’s the Toronto Jazz Festival or a day of family fun in the back yard.

Post from: Blisstree

Toronto Canada Day 2009 Activities Canceled

Photo: SXC

• Read a story about a child who was in the Revolutionary War. Although it isn’t strictly historically accurate, Paul Revere’s Ride is a great choice.
• Put on a play. The story of Betsy Ross or the tale of Patrick Henry are both good options.

• Have a trivia contest. Does George Washington really wear wooden teeth? Give the winner a case of iced tea.

Do you have any July 4th activities your family enjoys?

Post from: Blisstree

July 4th Activities

Photo: SXC

This Independence Day dessert recipe I made last year is so simple that it barely qualifies as a recipe:

Line a dish with lady fingers. Add a layer of whipped cream and top that with strawberry halves. Add another whipped cream layer and top with lady fingers. Finish it off with a final layer of whipped cream and top with blueberries. It is refreshing, delicious and has the patriotic colors to boot!

Do you have a favorite July 4th dessert recipe?

Post from: Blisstree

Simple July 4th Dessert Recipe