4th of July Inspiration // Table Setting Under $5, Patriotic Pancakes, & Flag Finger Food!

Happy final Friday of June, friends!  Today I thought I'd share a post dedicated to fun, frugal, and simple patriotic touches to make the 4th of July more festive for my fellow American friends!  I'll be sharing everything from a patriotic breakfast to kick off your holiday to flagtastic finger foods, and a festive table that I put together for less than $5!  Gotta love that!  I hope these ideas are helpful to anyone looking for holiday inspiration!

This post is compiled of 4th of July ideas I've previously published here at ChattingOverChocolate.com

Simple & Inexpensive 4th of July Flag Table Decor

Looking for a simple & inexpensive way to decorate your table for an Independence Day cookout or party?  This patriotic "flag" table decor cost me only $4 and was a cinch to put together!  

All you need is red, white, and blue crepe paper, and some foil star confetti.  Head to your nearest dollar store and your table will be party ready in no time!

Simply unroll the crepe paper along your table to get it the perfect size.  Cut when you reach the end of the table.  Alternate white and red for the stripes of your flag.  In the top left hand corner cut strips of blue crepe paper and weave them between the "stripes", alternating going over and under the red and white paper.  Then sprinkle the blue area with foil star confetti.  That's ALL there is to it! You'll have a fabulous 4th table setting in a flash! ;)

I added some solid blue plates & solid red napkins that I found at Wal-mart in the party section for $1, and mixed them up with some napkins with stars that I found in the Independence Day party section of the store.  Remember, you never have to shop solely from the holiday section of the store and pay more for the "decorative" napkins, plates, ect.  You can always buzz back to the inexpensive party goods area where most stores keep solid colored items for around a dollar.  Just choose colors that go with your theme and you'll save yourself some money! Every dollar counts, and adds up quickly when throwing a party so be wise and stretch them as far as they'll go! ;) 

When accessorizing your table think about what you already have in your home!  I had the star shown in the picture from the previous Christmas.  It came filled with delicious ferrero rocher chocolates, but for this party I tossed in some holiday colored M&Ms.  It went perfectly with the 4th of July theme! What star items may be hiding in your Christmas stash that could do double holiday duty for you? It's worth a look!

Patriotic Pancakes

These simple pancakes will add a colorful pop to your breakfast table in a few easy steps!  Separate your pancake batter into three bowls.  In one of the bowls add red food coloring, in another add blue, then stir each.  Leave the third bowl of batter as is.   For another fun touch toss a bit of the colored batter into squeeze bottles and squirt over pancake batter.  Now you're all set to cook up a festive start to your holiday!  

If you have kiddos in the house be sure to have them join you for some of the color mixing.  They'll enjoy it even more if they've had a hand in creating these edible masterpieces! 

I used Bisquick's Ultimate Pancakes recipe to make the pancakes pictured.  When your cakes are done cooking, top with your choice of yumminess.  Syrup and fresh fruit are always delicious additions!

Flag Finger Food

Using a deep rectangular dish, form a flag by tossing some blue corn chips in the upper left corner, then add alternating rows of white cheddar and pepperoni slices.

I made this for my family of four.  If I were to serve this at a party I'd stack those cheese layers a few squares high.

Wishing you all a fabulous 4th!  

For more 4th of July party inspiration, patriotic crafts, & themed recipes galore check out my post:

Blog Post Link: Let's Have a Pinteresting 4th of July

Join me in the adventures to come!

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Throwback Thursday // Remembering Easters Past + Holiday Inspiration!

One of the best parts of having a blog is being able to look back over years worth of documented memories.  This Throwback Thursday I'd like to skip down Easter memory lane!  Below are photos from the past four Easters with a direct link to each holiday recap as shared in those week's Five Loves on Friday blog posts.  If you're interested click on through and see how we celebrated, pick up some impressive Easter tablescape inspiration from my Aunt Ann and Cousin Emily, and join me in "Aww!"ing over my beautiful growing girls!

Direct link to post:  Easter 2013

Direct link to post:  Easter 2014

Direct link to post:  Easter 2015

Direct link to post:  Easter 2016

As we approach Good Friday tomorrow I'd also like to share the news about what makes it so GOOD!

Not sure why Jesus had to die?  What does it have to do with you anyway?  Check this out:

*If you're reading this post via an email subscription, please view the video here.

There is nothing that we could do to earn our salvation.  It is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.   All our "righteous deeds" are like filthy rags before a holy God.  Through Him alone can we can have redemption!  Christ willingly shed His spotless blood as the only acceptable payment for the FULL debt of our sins.  He died, was buried, and on the third day rose from the grave, defeating sin and death!  When we repent and place our trust in Christ, we are forgiven and offered eternal life!  That is the GOOD news of Good Friday!

I'm taking a blogging break to celebrate the holiday with family.  I'll see you back here next Friday, April 21st!  Wishing you a lovely Easter, and more importantly, a forgiven one through the finished work of Christ, our risen Savior!

Join me in the adventures to come!

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Five Loves on Friday

Happy Friday, friends!  This fantastic week has flown by in a blink of an eye, but I'm not complaining.  Bring on the weekend!  But first, it's Five Loves time!

One //  R5 Concert

For Christmas Jason and I gifted our girls tickets to see R5 in concert this week!  It was such a FUN family night {rockin'} out!

You may remember a few of R5's members mentioned here in previous posts.  Ross Lynch played "Austin" in one of my family's favorite Disney Channel shows,  Austin & Ally.  We rooted on his brother Riker during the 20th season of Dancing with the Stars.

Two //  Happy Mail!

If you've been following along for a bit you've likely heard me talk about my BBF {Best Bloggy Friend}, Chrissy of Adventures in DIY!  She is incredibly talented, super thoughtful, and shares my love of all things Disney!  She continually sends my family the sweetest surprise care packages which often include items that she's handmade!  Christmas of 2013 she made us an incredible cork monogram, then recently sent us this magical cork MICKEY!  I am adoring its cuteness daily!

There were also neatly wrapped gifts for each of the girls inside this box of surprises!  Little One received one of Chrissy's handmade mouse ear headbands!  It was completely customized with her in mind, featuring a sweet bow in her favorite color and her favorite, My Little Pony!  Disney and MLP together is a dream combo for my little sweetie pie!  Princess received such a darling art piece for her bedroom which goes perfectly with her gold theme!  We adore each of these sweet gifts!  Thanks again for everything, Chrissy!

Chrissy will be opening up an Etsy shop soon!  Meanwhile, you can find her work on Instagram at adventuresindiyshop!

Three  //  My New iPhone Case Wallet

Minnie is my girl and I have a complete weakness for bows and polka dots too, so I couldn't stop swooning over this incredible find on DisneyStore.com last weekend!  This gorgeous iPhone 6 wallet case was originally priced at $24.95 and marked down on clearance at $9.99.  I then used a 25% off code knocking it down to just $7.49! 

 So handy, so adorable, and such a BARGAIN!! *happy sigh* 

Four  //  Disney Trip Report Series

This week I wrapped up another Walt Disney World family vacation in my Trip Report Tuesday blogging series.  It has been such a treat to relive those memories while putting together those trip reports to share with you all!  If you missed this week's post you can find it here, or visit my Disney World Trip Reports page to find direct links to all the recaps from our two most recent Disney World vacations!  Looking forward to sharing more magical Disney details in posts coming your way soon!

Five  //  St. Patrick's Day 2016

My mom is the hostess with the mostess!  She surely raised me to enjoy celebrating life!  So, when my parents invited us over for a dinner of Irish Potato Soup on St. Patrick's Day we accepted instantly!  It was such a beautiful evening together!  I couldn't be more thankful for my family!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to pop by my blog today!  Wishing you a beautiful weekend ahead!

Five Loves on Friday!

Hello, friends!  It has been such a sweet and celebratory week and a half since we last chatted!  I decided that today I'd catch you up on the fun, choosing a handful of highlights from the past couple weeks!

{This is definitely going to be a chronological list as I could never pick favorites among these faves!}

1.  Giving Thanks for and with my Family

Celebrating Thanksgiving in my aunt and uncle's home is an occasion I look forward to all year long.  Their dining room is always done up in a cute and thoughtful way, the food is fantastic, and spending quality time with family is like the cherry on top of the delicious day!

My Aunt Ann and cousin Emily always put together such terrific tablescapes!  Emily uses Pinterest masterfully!  (Check out her fun finds here!)  Whenever planning a celebration she tracks (and pins) down such fantastic inspiration from bloggers/websites and brings so many ideas to life to be enjoyed!  This year she whipped up beautiful utensil holders and crafted sweet (pop)corn for each place setting, while Ann added adorable drawings to craft paper tablecloths encouraging playfulness and creativity for all ages!  

Here's a closer look at those adorable details...

Some of my favorite doodles were "ROCKON!" beside a picture of Plymouth Rock, #gravyisgroovy, and several sweet phrases like "You are a Thanksgiving blessing!"  It was so much fun looking at all the artwork everyone had created by the time we had put our dessert forks down!

The eats were delicious, the treats were sweet.  The company we enjoyed couldn't be beat!


The yumminess // sweet settings // Jason's dinner doodles

A Thanksgiving Tradition 

Each year after our Thanksgiving feast my parents gift us a special dated ornament.  How perfect is this one?!  It will hold a photo from the WDW trip my parents joined us for this year, and will hold a special place in my heart and on my tree in the years to come!  My mom also found ornaments for each of the girls dated the years of their birth which was incredibly special too!

2.  A Sweet Celebration for Four

Most years we spend Thanksgiving Day with extended family, but this year we had already celebrated with both sides prior to the holiday.  It was such a treat to enjoy an entire day cozy at home, just the four of us!  I'm a sentimental sap, continually aware that there are only so many more holidays while the kids will be under the same roof as their dad and I.  Thinking on this made the day all the more cherished!

I made a double batch of my hubby's favorite quiche and got some sprinkle covered donuts to add a dash of sweetness to the start of our day!

Hands down, my favorite Thanksgiving tradition is enjoying a big breakfast while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, all snuggled up with Jason and the girls under a pile of blankets!  Afterward we look through Black Friday ads and cheer on our favorite breeds of doggies in the National Dog Show.  (I have never owned a dog, so my favorites are based solely on cuteness. ;))  

When dinnertime rolled around we had fun taking a less traditional route to deliciousness.  My handsome hubby cooked up our favorite, Thai Food!  So good!!

Pad Thai and Red Curry deliciousness // family fun

After dinner we sat around the table for hours chatting, listening to Christmas music, and working on a Disneyland puzzle my best blogging friend, Chrissy, gave us last Christmas.  (Thanks again, Chrissy!  We're learning our way around the park for our trip next year, one teeny tiny piece at a time! ;))

It was a simple and memorable holiday spent with those dearest to my heart.  I loved every sweet lit'l bit of it!

3.  Black Friday Family Fun

Black Friday shopping with my parents has become a fun tradition over the years!  Princess started joining us two years ago, using her frugal eye for a good buy to stretch her (early) birthday bucks!  This year we snagged deals at Menards, Target, Kmart, and Shopko.  After filling my parents' van with goodies, we met my brother in law, niece and nephew for some hot eats and cool treats at DQ.  It was a fun morning kicking off the Christmas season and crossing off our Christmas shopping lists together!

4.  Happy Birthday to Princess!

No matter what I say or do to discourage it, my kids insist on growing up! ;)  Last weekend we celebrated Princess' birthday!  Her Special Day wishes included lunch at a China Buffet in our area with a Mongolian grill, a visit to my parents' place (complete with my mom's giant chocolate chip cookie cake and gifts), and a Christmas movie girls' night with me.  Each of these requests made my heart happy!  

Her favorite meal - Chinese noodles with shrimp and broccoli  // Just as we prepped to wrap up lunch, our sweet server brought over a plate of celebratory treats to our table. :) //  I love this snapshot of  Grandpa Bob & Princess! // If you tell my parents you're going to stop by on a birthday, they whip up a lit'l party! // One of her favorite gifts was a bag and blanket set that her grandparents picked up for her at Walt Disney World.

She's growing up to become a very responsible and caring young lady and I couldn't be more proud of her!  

5.  Extended Holiday Weekend Goodness!

The company Jason works for gives their employees both Thanksgiving and Black Friday off.  He added a vacation day at the end of all that to give us five full days together!  Monday my mom had invited the girls to her daycare Thanksgiving Party, and Jason invited me on a da(y)te!  Going out to the movies with my man at 11am on a Monday?!  Yes, please and thank you! :)  Keeping this completely spoiler free, I'll just say that I thought  was a very satisfying end!  Mockingjay Part 2 concluded the series well, and the date (along with the great afternoon/evening that followed) wrapped up our long weekend beautifully!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!  Wishing you a fantastic first weekend of December! 

Five Loves on Friday!

Happy Friday, friends!  I hope you're all enjoying a fabulous July!!  We sure have been and I'm so excited to take a moment to share a bit of it with you now!

1.  A Zoorific Day!

(This one is actually from last week as I didn't post on the 4th of July.  It was such a fantastic day that its memory carries over as a "love" this week.  Such fun must be documented! ;))

My parents purchased a "Grandparents Zoo Pass" this year.  During their vacation week from their jobs they sweetly treated the girls and I to wild time at our incredible local zoo! 

Little One wore a lovely live butterfly as a gorgeous accessory, we giggled while passing over rhinos and monkeys on the skyfari, and many beautiful memories were created!  Thanks again for the fun day together, Mom & Dad!

I marvel at the creativity and awesomeness of our Creator!

2.  Independence Day 2014

Jason surprised us taking a 4-day weekend for the 4th of July!  We soaked up every lit'l bit of that spectacular family time!!!  Here are a few snapshots of the fun and festive Independence Day that kicked off our fab long weekend together ... 

We began the day with homemade patriotic pancakes and ended it with sparklers and s'more covered smiles!  Every detail of the day made my heart smile! 

3.  {Post} Independence Day Fun & Hydrant Party!

Tuesday my mom hosted an Independence Day party for her daycare.  She also extended invites to my niece and nephew, the girls and I, and a few kiddos she babysat in previous years.  We all enjoyed catching up over a yummy lunch and festive desserts, then headed to a hydrant party that local firefighters hosted in our area.  It was a fun day for all!

4.   Game Time!

This week I broke out my ATARI to share some old school gaming goodness with my lit'l gamer girls!! SO. Much. FUN!

5.  Eat, Sleep, Dis, Repeat!

Each Sunday afternoon my family gathers around our Mac to check out how Jason has creatively put together more of our favorite Disney memories to share on his YouTube channel.  I especially enjoyed this week's vid!!  I hope you have/will too!

Check it out:  Disney World Family Vacation Day 16 (of 17) Part 1

 It's hard to believe that after a few more videos he'll have completely documented our September/October trip.  Be sure to subscribe to see what he'll share next! ;)

Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to visit!  Have a beautiful weekend!

Five Loves on Friday!

{via}

Happy first Friday of MAY! How is that even possible?  I hope you've all enjoyed a terrific week!  I can't wait to share 5 of my favorite things since this time last week!  ...& away we go!

1.  TODAY is a Special Day!

HAPPY birthday to you!

happy BIRTHDAY to you!

happy birthday DEAR Beth!

happy  birthday  to  Y O U!!!

Love you, sis!  Wishing you a beautiful Birthday!

2.  Date Nights = Great Nights!!!
Last weekend my parents kept the girls overnight allowing Jason and I a date night! Woohoo!  We could have went out, but honestly, a night in with my Love was exactly what I wanted when the time came!  We ordered take out from our favorite BBQ restaurant, cozied up, caught up on Once Upon a Time, and simply enjoyed each other's company!  Oh, how I adore that man!  *happy sigh*

{Once Upon a Time image source}

Later in the week we enjoyed a "sweet" family dessert date!  

Cheers to sweets with my sweets!

3.  Cookie Baking & May Day Celebrating with Grandma Kathy
My mom has passed on her love of making sugar cookies from scratch to her granddaughters.  She invites my girlies over to bake for pretty much every holiday, this May Day was no exception!  Check out how cute their cookies turned out for my mom's May Day Daycare Party yesterday!  (Yep, May Day Party - it's a thing! ;))  A great time was had by all!

Weren't her May basket party favors adorable too?

4.  It's Showtime, Synergy! 
Have you heard the news? A Jem and the Holograms movie is in the works with an expected release sometime in 2016! Won't that be truly, truly, truly outrageous?! 

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The Cast:

Aubrey Peeples (Nashville's Layla Grant) as Jem

Stefanie Scott (A.N.T. Farm's Lexi Reed) as Kimber

Aurora Perrineau as Shana

Hayley Kiyoko (Lemonade Mouth's Stella) as Aja

I LOVED Jem growing up and adored my Jem doll!  How totally radical were those flashing earrings of hers? ;)

{via}

The news of this flick sparked a Jem {Netflix} marathon at our house last weekend!  It was so fun reliving those childhood memories with my youngest!



5.  For the Love of Smoothies!
POPSUGAR Food shared the recipes for Jamba Juice's Strawberries Wild & Mango-A-Go-Go smoothies this week!  The only question now is which to make first?

Simple & Scrumptious?  Count me in!

Thanks for visiting today, friends!  Have a fantastic weekend! 



Earlier this week at Chatting Over Chocolate:

The Little Mermaid Fan's Guide to Walt Disney World

Five Loves on Friday!

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I hope you've enjoyed a fabulous week, friends!  Hooray for Five Loves time!

1.  Celebrating Our Savior! // Easter 2014

He is worthy of all of our praise each and every day! 

Not sure why Jesus died, and what it has to do with you?  Check this out!  

My beautiful blessings, all dolled up for Easter day

The gift of music makes my heart sing!  

My Uncle Kenny and I share a mutual love for all things Disney, including the music behind so many beloved Disney films!  On Easter he gave me CDs that have been filling my home with happiness and my face with a smile all week long! 

*Sherman Brothers Songbook

*Mary Poppins: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack (1964 Film)

My Favorite Sweet Treat of this Easter:

My Aunt Ann made rice krispy treat eggs with a delicious chocolate surprise hidden inside!  They were so adorable and tasted even better than they looked!  

It was such a sweet day in every way!

2.  I loved that monkey to pieces, literally!

I'm a daddy's girl, through and through.  Things that he's either made with his own two (talented) hands, or thoughtfully purchased for me, have been some of my all-time favorite possessions.  When I was small, he saw a stuffed monkey in a store that reminded him of one he had and loved as a boy.  He told my mom that I had to have it. He bought and gifted it to me for no special reason, giving it such a special place in my heart immediately!  It was literally loved to pieces.  Thankfully my (super handy) mom was able to sew it's arms back on a few times!  She came across it this week and passed along this cherished monkey to my youngest, to be enjoyed for another generation! *happy sigh*

It warms my heart when I see my kids loving toys that I adored when I was small!

3.  The Paradise // BBC Masterpiece

I spotted "The Paradise" on Netflix and had to check it out.  I love period pieces and this one involves a lovely shop, fanciful attire, beautiful views, and of course, romance.  What more could a girl want? ;)  

4.  "Cool" Cleaning Tip!

I really dislike cleaning ceiling fans, but this tip from Real Simple made it a breeze to tidy up our fans this week!

How to Clean Your Ceiling Fan | Real Simple

Slide a pillowcase onto a fan blade.  Wipe off blade with the inside of the pillowcase, trapping all the dust inside.  After each blade is cleaned, take the pillowcase outside and shake off the dust and debris.  Toss the case into your laundry hamper.  The {beautiful, sparkling clean} End.

5.  Dandy Gifts of Love

This week Little One picked her first beauties of 2014.  She wasn't sure where any vases were (and wanted to surprise me, so didn't ask).  She opted to fill snack size ziplock bags with water, and surprised me with this sweetness...

She also learned how to use the macro setting on my camera this week, and snapped the cute closeups below.  She's quite the lit'l photographer...

Beauty through the eyes of a child.

I still L-O-V-E the old Five Iron Frenzy song "Dandelions"!  It comes to mind each Spring/Summer when I receive bouquets of beauty!  It makes me teary eyed, and fills my heart with gladness!

   

Thanks so much for visiting today, lovelies!  Have a fantastic weekend! 

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April Showers Bring May Flowers // Fabulous Freebies!

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