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The BEST 4th of July Party Planning Tips!

Can I tell you how excited I am to be planning for summer celebrations? Adding patriotic touches to the front porch and back porch and deck area. Fourth of July ready! I thought I’d share some of my tips for the BEST 4th of July party!

But, you guys! I am SOOOO excited for planning summer celebrations this year because both of our sons will be home. TOGETHER with their families for the first time in three and a half year. I am GLORIOUSLY HAPPY!

Feet under my table. For food, conversation, stories, laughter, creating memories. This mama’s heart will be content.

I began planning. For those two sons, two daughters in love, four grandchildren and two granddogs who will fill our home for a week. My head was FULL of ideas.

So, here’s my tips for getting ready for that 4th of July party:

–Start NOW! That’s the BEST tip of all.

Start now to plan make a list of what you want accomplished before that event.

I am working on getting my porch ready. Pots have been planted, new light fixtures up, porch rugs selected and now the front porch paint is being stripped for a new coat and color to be added. A work in progress that should be completed soon.

Old shrubs have been removed and new plants are in process of being planted in their places to set that landscape into party ready when guests arrive.

A guest bathroom has been gutted and will be completely new when they arrive. So excited about that part of the plan! I have a reveal coming!

Thinking through sleeping arrangements, meals, entertainment and “home” being ready for them is in full throttle NOW!

—Tips for menu planning for the Red, White and Blue recipes.

This is a bit daunting. A few are gluten free. Some will need fresh ground grain creations. Lots who love fruit. Others who are allergic to fruit. But, I am SO READY to create the menu for each day and for a special July 4th celebration!

TIP: Try to know the dietary needs of your guests so that planning provides offerings for everyone and prevents uncomfortable situations with food allergies, etc.
I love using the star cutters to create a special creation of watermelon and blueberries for that celebration. My grands will love this!

There will always be Aunt Helen’s Marinated Salad that can be made ahead before they arrive and taste even better when they get here!

TIP: Make as much food in advance to have more time to share and linger around that table when guests arrive!

G’s famous burgers will be made with plenty of favorite sides and chips for a back porch gathering. I’ll make those burger patties and wrap them in parchment and place in the freezer to be ready to grill while they are here.

The fire pit will be ready with the firewood, the picnic table, the seating and the supplies for great hot dog roasts finished off with a great s’mores!
There will be table decorations in red, white and blue with a set up for s’mores by the fire pit. How marvelous! Again, those marshmallows will be made well in advance of their arrival.

Now, that brings me to the NEXT menu item that will be created while they are here! I always need a great breakfast for guests while they are here on the 4th, and these are one of my husband’s favorites! A perfect summer version of blueberry muffins that are great with fruit and a cup of coffee to start the 4th of July. Hope you will give them a try and enjoy!

Summer Blueberry Muffins

A great morning breakfast begins with this summer version of blueberry muffins with a bit of lemon zest served with more blueberries and strawberries!!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • large muffin tin
  • oven
  • mixer
  • measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
  

  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 6 T butter, room temperature I set out the night before.
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 C all purpose flour
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/2 C milk
  • 2 C fresh blueberries
  • 2 T sugar
  • 1 t cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Butter the inside of the large muffin tin. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a small mixing bowl, mix the last 2 T sugar and cinnamon together for the topping and set aside until ready to use.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together the 3/4 C sugar and the 6 T butter with a mixer.
    Add the egg and lemon zest and continue to beat until it's mixed in.
  • Fold in one cup of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then stir in half of the milk.
  • Fold in the last cup of flour mixture and then stir in the last half of milk.
  • Stir the vanilla into the mixture.
  • Gently fold in the blueberries.
  • I use a scoop to evenly distribute the batter into the six muffin cups.
  • Sprinkle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture on top.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Notes

The lemon zest added to this blueberry muffin batter makes them so perfect for serving for a summer breakfast with fruit. 
We ALWAYS love the cinnamon sugar mixture on top! It makes a great patriotic breakfast served with strawberries and blueberries.
They are perfect straight out of the oven, or simply made ahead and placed on a covered cake stand. Then guests can warm in the microwave for 10 seconds if they prefer them warm. My crew will take them any way they can get them!
TIP: If you’d rather have smaller muffins, this recipe will make 12 small muffins or 24 mini muffins.
ENJOY!
Keyword blueberry muffins

Many other food favorites like grilled steaks, Greek chicken kabobs, grilled tuna steak sandwiches, great coffee, homemade bread and fresh vegetables from the garden will be in abundance.

But, planning ahead and doing as much preparation before the event is the key to the success of staying present during the week, for sure.

Also, added to the mix is to make sure that while they are home, they have a slot open for a meal at their favorite local restaurant.

—Gather your supplies for the 4th of July party!

A run to the Dollar Tree has already been made for the best plates, napkins, flags and the cutest 4th plastic bottles with straws for the grands! Although I will have lots of time for beautiful dishes and place settings, there will be a lot more use of disposable items to save time in the kitchen and less work for us for many of the meals we will share.

Here are some of my favorites:

Start buying soon, friends before those supplies run out!

Tablecloths are ready to go and I am working on getting that back porch, deck and front porch decorated with signs that welcome them home and celebrate the summer. Patriotic festoons, the American flag in it’s place, pots of red and white and blue plants, and a new 4th of July door decoration will greet them when they arrive.

I love decorating now so that those patriotic decorations will be ready for Memorial Day through the 4th of July.

My supplies for that week will also be in getting the guest rooms ready. I have four bedrooms for the ten of us, so I will be creative in making the two littles feel special in those extra spaces in parents’ rooms.

—Be creative for patriotic party activities!

All of those littles and bigs have to be kept engaged! Not just around the kitchen table…or the back porch table…or the picnic table…but, perhaps in a new venue of a table out on the lawn.

Plans for a campout may even happen for those grands, even if they may not stay outside the entire night. Tent, sleeping bags and air mattresses ready.

Perhaps an outdoor movie night? I think I’ll have to share the plans for that another day!

Making memories is the plan, friends!

An area for the dogs to run and play will be included in my plans this year since that sheepadoodle will have lots of energy to expend.

Those littles are into activities; so, lawn games it is! I found the best yard games at TJMaxx. Old favorites with a new twist. Here are some ideas of things to look for:

Wouldn’t these be perfect for a fourth of July celebration? If you can’t find these at your TJMaxx…here they are at Amazon! affiliate links included and free shipping without shopping. Sometimes, that’s just a WIN!

LED games like, yard darts and badmitton. How cool is that?

Be watching for other yard 4th of July games that I am creating in the future!

Lots are on my list. And, quite frankly, my husband is king of the kids’ activities, so I am sure that he will create better activities than I do. He’s the fun one in the family!

Games set up in an inside area will need to be considered. I have a 6 year old grand who is already playing chess, so, a chess set, among others will be ready for sharing.

Since we will be outside a great deal, weather permitting, (that’s at the top of my prayer list for good weather!) a great insect repellent and sunscreen will be added to our arsenal.

Water play toys and beach towels will also be added to the mix for a day to the water park or lake.

Reservations for a pontoon boat for a trip out with a picnic are possibilities as are so many other great recreational spots in our area to entertain the kids.

Planning early for a 4th of July reservation will be needed!

If you know our lakes area, there’s an abundance of things to do.

But, in the middle of all of the planning, I have to remember this:

–Allow time for them to rest and just be HOME.

Although there will be firework displays and lots of area fun to take in, I do know that the best thing that they will want, especially after this difficult year, is to simply be together, at home.

I’m fine with that.

I may be counting the days and hours down until their arrival.

If you listen closely, you may hear my cries of joy from wherever you live.

Happy planning, friend!

Join the rest of my friends in their celebration ideas for the 4th of July!

If you joined me from My Dear Casa, WELCOME! and don’t forget to continue the hop by following Darling and Dapper! I can’t wait to see all of their great creations to celebrate the summer and patriotic gatherings!

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