Every year my husband and I love to throw a cook-out for all of our close family and friends since we have been married. Yes this was only our third annual cook-out but 3 years of marriage still counts. We love having everyone over and celebrating our beautiful country. Now I want to continue the festivities and share with all of you too. Good food, fun games, and colorful fireworks. What more could you really want?
The morning started with the sweet and smoky aroma of Mark getting the smoker ready to go. The smoker leaves a smell that tends to soak into your clothes, hair, and even your skin that tends to hang around for several days even after showering. I know that sounds totally disgusting, but I can’t get enough. I think it’s because I know how much yummy food is coming when the aroma fills the porch.
Mark smoked baby back ribs, chicken quarters, and a Boston butt for pulled pork. All delicious. All I could think was “Get in my belly!” This year though Mark had a barbequing assistant that I would like for you to meet. His name is Porky. He is very handy just when your hands are full and needing that little extra help.
Did I mention he is quite the looker as well? Out of all seriousness though, my in-laws gave us this pig for our parties and cook-outs because we love having cook-outs and inviting everyone over. It is such a great conversation piece and absolutely adorable.
You can’t have baby back ribs and all the wonderful “fixins” in the south without a large glass of sweet tea. I thought a mason jar made the sweet tea truly complete until I discovered paper straws. I have become addicted to using them and love them with cake pops as well.
Beside the paper straws is a metal can I just covered with paper and then placed diy paper sparklers inside for an extra “pop” of color and style. Fold a small piece of colorful scrapbook paper and then cut several small slits in the end without cutting in half completely. Tape the uncut end of the paper to wooden skewers and start pulling the paper out to form a sparkler or firework.
No cook-out in the summer is complete without homemade ice cream. You also can’t have just any flavor of homemade ice cream especially when you live in the south. There is no better flavor than PEACH with sweet and juicy Georgia peaches. I might have had 2nds, and 3rds, and after that I pretty much lost count. Lol!
Along with your homemade ice cream though, you must have a big ol’ juicy watermelon cut. Well at least that’s what everyone else says. I have tried to like watermelon so many times. I really do want to like it. It is so pretty. I also love watermelon flavored candy but can’t seem to like the actual fruit. Also just curious, do you like your watermelon with salt or no salt. That was also a discussion. Since I don’t eat watermelon, I didn’t really understand what the debate was all about. But it seemed to be that people either loved watermelon with salt or without. Funny how we all have our own preferences.
I know it sounds like I have a sweet tooth and maybe I do at times, but another favorite sweet of mine is cotton candy. I simply have no will power to resist to the light and fluffy sugar on a stick. My mom knows this of course and bought me a cotton candy machine. Yum yum yum!!!
After eating so much food, we had to work off the calories somehow before going into a post-cookout coma. One of my favorite parts, besides the homemade ice cream of course, was competing and playing cornhole toss. Mark and I built our own customized cornhole toss set. We love the Atlanta Braves and loved the addition of the Atlanta “A” on the top. I will be posting detailed instructions so you can make your own set as well. You will not regret it. We have enjoyed playing together even when we are just at home spending quality time together. Corn hole toss is such a fun game that everyone can play.
Another fun game that I had bought Mark for Christmas and we hadn’t actually put it to good use yet is Ladder Toss. It is also very much fun and can be addicting and very competitive once you start. It seems like it would be easy but actually requires some precision when throwing the balls. The picture below is me and Mark still enjoying the games the next day. In the background you can also see Mac hunting in the yard for fireworks. I explain that later on. Lol!
The sun has now started setting, and everyone has settled in to their lawn chairs and porch rockers awaiting for the magic to begin. There is no way possible you can have a 4th of July without fireworks and sparklers.
We enjoyed shooting off fireworks even though our neighbors may have felt differently once we were finished. I don’t know what they heard more, the fireworks or all us women squealing when each one would go off and make the loudest boom. You never realize how nerve racking something that is supposed to be fun can be especially when you are so close.
My dogs also loved the after math of the fireworks in the front yard the next morning. Mac, my chocolate lab, is notorious for finding anything in the yard and trying to bring it inside. We couldn’t get him to come back from the bathroom without sniffing the entire yard for more fireworks. He is so mischievous sometimes. The Lord is really teaching us patience with that dog and maybe a little preparation for when we have children as well. But we love him anyways!
I have always loved sparklers as well! They are so pretty and just light up the whole night so bright. It takes me holding one a time or two to stop squealing and realize that I am not going to get burnt. There is just something scary but also exhilarating about having sparks that close to your face. Sparklers definitely bring out the little girl in me and make me squeal.
Once the fireworks were all gone, there is something special about rocking in a front porch rocker or swing listening to the crickets and frogs while sharing favorite memories made from the night. Just be sure to have your tiki torches full and lit to keep the bugs and mosquitoes away. There were so many memories made that I will never forget and enjoyed so much! I love spending time with family and friends. It was a great celebration of America and our freedom to be able to spend time together.
By the end of the night though, my babies were all so exhausted too. Mac especially! He can be such a bed hog!
I hope you enjoyed your own festivities of celebrating and will continue to enjoy the little things in life.
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