Our Fourth was what I’d call another freestyled Fourth. We did add sparklers and Pop-Its ($2 a pack, woohoo) to our little celebration and in true Sheena fashion, window clings ($1 per sheet, woohoo x2) on the fridge. It took Jayden a while to learn how to use the Pop-Its, but they were a hit. He’d drop them on the ground without much force and when they didn’t pop, in a concerned tone, he’d say, “Try again” picking them back up. When the Pop-Its did pop, he’d proudly exclaim, “I did it!” He held a few sparklers (under parental guidance of course), but he didn’t seem too interested in them. He was more so confused. I’m hoping that next year, he’ll be a little more excited about them and I’ll be able to find some that burn slower with an extended stick.

Chicken and burgers were on the grill. I also made a little spaghetti and potato salad, and we had these for dessert. I accidentally charred some of the burgers and it kinda charred my mood :(. From late afternoon ’til dust, Jayden and five other kids on our strip played in the backyard. Things got a little too loud for my liking on a day I planned to relax on, but they had a blast playing together, sharing each other’s toys, and catching fireflies.

Firefly

By the time the fireworks started, Jayden was worn out from all the playing and ready to go inside. He fell asleep at the beginning. Aw well!

Pop

Sparkle

Shew!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhlbARVAHAM

I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with a gift card for the July themed products mentioned in this post and compensation for sharing this experience with you. All opinions (if expressed) are always my own. Read my full disclosure policy here.

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I swear the 4th has snuck up on us. Which also meant scrambling for ideas for this year’s special dessert. I wanted to bake some cupcakes and give them a patriotic twist without artificial coloring. I’m just on the fence about them and avoid them as much as possible. So I decided that strawberries and blueberries would give my star shaped cupcakes a patriotic splash of color.

Using my favorite recipe for vanilla cupcakes, I folded sliced strawberries and whole blueberries into the batter and topped them with a cream cheese icing and more strawberries and blueberries. I love how they turned out. So simple and delicious! The recipe is below. I recommend using Wilton’s Mini Star Pans or any star shaped cupcake pan :).

I am a member of the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with a gift card and compensation for sharing this experience. All opinions (if expressed) are my own.

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Our 4th of July was wonderful! It started off with a barbecue at Mommy’s mother’s (wow that sounded crazy) house. Boogie was able to meet more of his family, while I worked on getting myself better acquainted with the mounds of burgers and ribs! When it started to get dark out, Mommy, Boogie, and I headed to a local park to watch some fireworks. We had decided that we’d watch the fireworks from inside the car since the explosions can get a bit loud. We didn’t know if Boogie’s little ears could handle it. The only problem was trying to find a spot to park that wasn’t blocked by a house, in front of a fire hydrant or driveway, or taken already. After almost an hour of searching, I had begun to lose hope. And that’s when I found it! The perfect spot… or so I thought. The parking spot was situated in between two houses. No fire hydrants. No driveways. The fireworks had already begun, and we would’ve been able to see them perfectly clear. The only problem was a huge tree in the way that blocked out half the fireworks. If only I had been able to back up just a little bit more, we would’ve had a perfect view of the fireworks… but my rear bumper would’ve ended up a foot deep into the grill of a Buick. We still enjoyed the show, although Boogie slept through the entire thing!

Also while here in Chicago, we were lucky to meet a fellow blogger, and two of her beautiful children, Popeye and The Beast! Usually Boogie would coo his little butt off when he got around new people, but he was a little shy this time around. Maybe next time! Hope to see you again, Jaymi!

So how was everyone else’s 4th of July weekend?

#5 – Sheliza
#8 – Melissa

Congratulations on winning, Sheliza and Melissa! We’ll be in contact with you two shortly! Thanks to everyone that entered and shared their 4th of July celebrations with us!

Today’s Flashback Friday features a picture of Daddy and I last 4th of July. We took this picture during a fireworks show. The streaks you see in the picture are due to said fireworks. Today I’m being a bum. I’m wearing the SAME shirt again!

In honor of the 4th of July, we are giving away two Russ Shining Stars Eagle Plushes! For a chance to win, leave a comment telling us how you are celebrating or how you celebrated Independence Day! 2 winners will be chosen on July 6th at 7PM CST! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only!

For Mommy and I, the 4th of July has always been a big day for us, especially since we used to live near Chicago. If you ever plan to visit Chicago, definitely do it around this time of the year. Because when it comes to the 4th of July, I think it goes without saying that Chicago definitely does it BIG! I’m talking barbecue every square inch of the city, the Taste of Chicago, and one of the best fireworks shows in the WORLD! And Mommy and I have enjoyed it this way for many years! Even now that we live 6 hours away from Chicago, we still return every year to celebrate the 4th of July, Chicago style!

So we’re packing up our stuff, grabbing our little man, and hitting the road to Chicago tomorrow morning. We’ll be spending 5 days up there, a muuuch needed “vacation” that we’re going to use to relax, spend time with family, and enjoy the 4th!

I know I’ve been kind of missing in action over the past week. I’ve been pulling extra hours at work so that we’d able to have these 5 days in Chicago. And I’ve also been sick. It seems that my allergies got the best of me, but it’s not easy when there’s clouds of pollen floating around everywhere outside. I’m better now, just in time for our trip to Chicago! Of course we’ll be taking a hell of a lot of pictures and shooting some videos of Boogie enjoying his second trip to Chicago. Maybe we’ll actually do a lot more than just sleep this time around!

As for stuff going here on Mommy Daddy Blog, definitely expect some big things for July! We know how you all love giveaways, so we have many of those lined up for this month. Also, a new design is in the works, and that cartoon couple you see right up there at the top of this blog is getting the boot! We think you guys will love it though (at least we hope!). But most importantly, Boogie will be turning 3 months old this month! I can’t believe that it has already been almost 3 months. It seems like it was just yesterday that Mommy went into labor and Boogie was born. And now here he is, getting all big and cooing like crazy! For the past week or so, I’ve been able to get him to respond to me. It’s this certain annoying sound that I make to Boogie, and almost every time that I do it, he’ll coo back and/or smile. I’ve been trying to get it on video, but he always seems to stop doing it the moment I press record. I guess my little man’s a little camera shy. I also sometimes can get him to smile just by smiling at him. It’s like he sees me smiling and tries to mimic me. Fatherhood is such a beautiful thing!

So that’s about all for now. Time to get some shut eye, have a 6 hour road trip to make tomorrow!

Tahirah started her business last year designing party invitations for her family and friends in her quiet, two bedroom apartment in Atlanta. The response was phenomenal, and with support from loved ones Eclectique Soul is now full fledge company!

Eclectique Soul’s Vision
Believing there is beauty unique in all of us, we strive to break and recast the “standard” mold.
Exposing children early on to an affluence of experiences can only lead to a better tomorrow.
As consumers we want choices in our products, which reflect our image, beliefs, taste and lifestyles.

Our mission is to produce the finest products that celebrate diverse ethnicities and cultures, we wish to defy stereotypical gender roles and celebrate the triumphs of life’s journey. From our invitations to our birth plates, our products use only the best materials to create pieces that can be cherished for a lifetime. Made by hand, infused with love, from our souls to yours.

In honor of Independence Day, Eclectique Soul wants to give away a double scoop of Cherries Jubilee hair bows to 2 of our readers! A double scoop is a set of two hair bows featuring a man wearing a patriotic white top hat! Visit Eclectique Soul’s Etsy shop and comment here telling me what your favorite item is! To ensure arrival by Independence Day, winners will be chosen on June 26th at 7PM CST! This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only!