IOP via Instagram

We spent the week of the fourth with Jason, Kendra, Devyn and Courtney at Wild Dunes/IOP. We had a blast! Between boat rides, tubing, swimming, shell hunting, beachin' it, island hopping, sunning, reading, napping and playing, we enjoyed the company of some of our most favorite people on Earth!

Starfish—Tidal Pool

Yummy ice cream cone!

DELISH!

Dribbles!

Boat ride to see fireworks! Two halves of my heart!

Boat ride scenery—sunset.

Full Moon Fourth // Happy Independence Day!

Building a sandcastle with Daddy!

July 4th Dessert: Berried Treasure

Source: mrandmrspear.blogspot.com via Ashley on Pinterest

{Original Post}

Found this gem of a recipe on Pinterest (shocker, I know), and am now planning to make it for our July 4th celebration dessert!

Berried Treasure

Crust:

1.5 cups of crushed graham cracker crumbs (equals 1.5 sleeves of graham crackers crushed)

1/2 c sugar

1/3 c butter, melted

**Or you could take the lazy way out, like I am, and buy a pre-made graham cracker pie crust**

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Press firmly in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 8 minutes at 350. Cool.

Filling: 

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/4 c sugar

2.5  c + 2 T cold milk

16 oz Cool Whip, thawed

1 pint strawberries, halved

1 pint blueberries

6.8 oz instant vanilla pudding

Beat cream cheese with sugar and 2 T of milk until smooth. Fold in half of the Cool Whip. Spread this over the cooled crust. Arrange berries on top. Mix pudding and remaining 2 c milk, beat until smooth. Pour pudding mixture over arranged berries and chill for several hours or overnight. Spread with remaining Cool Whip before serving. Enjoy!

**Note: I will buy 2 pie crusts and divide berries and the pudding mixture between them**

Fabulous Fourth

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I love, love, love long weekends! Even though sleeping in rarely happens in our house, and my job as a mom is 24/7, I still look forward to Barry having an extra day off. OK, I'm not going to lie, he usually lets me sleep in at least one day. And, I adore spending time as a family. There isn't anything I enjoy more than a holiday long weekend, and this past weekend was no exception. We had a blast! Here's how it went:

Friday... As I mentioned before, we love to take a cooler down to our pool and hanging with our new friends there. There was a special event, "80's Pop and Popsicles," and it was SO FUN! B danced his little heart out and devoured a cherry popsicle.

Saturday... We went to the gym and Costco and had date night with the DiPs at Enso. We followed that up with ice cream at Coldstone for Tracy and I, a game of cornhole at Mortimer's for Barry and Vinnie and a drink at Kazba.

Sunday... A visit with the tractors at Home Depot and a trip to Toys & Co for B, followed with us picking up lunch at Salsarita's is how we spent the morning. After nap, we headed to the DiPs for a cookout complete with a waterpark for the kiddies to play in. We ended the night with a drink with Jen and Trey.

Monday... Pool day! SS&R had an awesome 4th of July celebration complete with a DJ, foam party, bounce house (B LOVES bounce houses!), games and a delicious BBQ lunch. We capped the weekend off with our own cookout with friends and watching neighborhood fireworks.

Festive red, white and blue outfits were worn by all of us! We are already looking forward to Labor Day!

(Editor's Note: Pics to come)

Branner is PROUD to be an American!

The face says it all...

Party in the USA!

Branner partyin' in the USA :)