Happy 4th of July!

Most people in the United States celebrate the 4th of July, but do you know exactly why the holiday is so important to our country? Great Britain kept trying to make the colonists follow more rules and pay higher taxes. People started getting mad and began making plans to be able to make their own rules. They no longer wanted Great Britain to be able to tell them what to do, so they decided to tell Great Britain that they were becoming an independent country.

The Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and they appointed a committee to write a formal document that would tell Great Britain that the Americans had decided to govern themselves. The committee asked Thomas Jefferson to write a draft of the document, so he worked for days, in absolute secret, until he had written a document that he thought said everything important that the committee had discussed. On June 28, 1776, the committee met to read Jefferson’s “fair” copy. They revised the document and declared their independence on July 2, 1776. They officially adopted it on July 4, 1776. That is why we call it “Independence Day.” Congress ordered that all members must sign the Declaration of Independence and they all began signing the “official” copy on August 2, 1776. In January of the next year, Congress sent signed copies to all of the states.

The Declaration of Independence is more than just a piece of paper. It is a symbol of our country’s independence and commitment to certain ideas. The people who signed the Declaration risked being hanged for treason by the leaders in Great Britain. They had to be very brave to sign something that would be considered a crime! So every time we look at the Declaration of Independence, we should think about all of the effort and ideas that went into the document, and about the courage it took for these people to stand up for what they knew was right — independence!

Cool Drinks

Hosting a backyard bash? Help everybody beat the heat with these ideas to keep drinks cool.

1. Nest a smaller pail inside a bigger one, fill the gap between them halfway with water, add a few sprigs of herbs then weigh down the smaller pail with rocks. Place in freezer. Next day, fill the rest of the way with water and freeze again so the herbs float in the middle. Once frozen, unmold for the coolest ice bucket ever.
2. Hate running inside for more ice, punch or both? Try this. When mixing your punch the night before your party, reserve enough to fill a Bundt pan. Drop in some fruit and freeze. You’ll have a pretty ice ring that will not only keep your summer punch cool, but as it melts, it’ll add more to the bowl!
3. Fill ice trays and slip in a mint leaf in every cube cubby, then freeze. Pop out and plop in anything from lemonade to iced tea to mojitos.
4. To cool warm drinks fast, try this. Place warm drinks in your ice filled cooler and shake on some salt. Sodium lowers the melting point of ice, making the cubes even colder so they’ll cool any drink in record time.

Tip: Having trouble freeing your ice bucket or punch ring? Run warm water around the outside of the mold and it’ll come right out!

4th of July Pet Safety

Hi everyone, it’s Ally, Sadie and Lacey! With the 4th of July coming up soon, we wanted to give you some tips on how to keep your pets safe. To protect your pets on the Fourth of July, take these precautions:

• Resist the urge to take your pet to fireworks displays.
• Do not leave your pet in the car. With only hot air to breathe inside a car, your pet can suffer serious health effects—even death—in a few short minutes. Partially opened windows do not provide sufficient air, but they do provide an opportunity for your pet to be stolen.
• Keep your pets indoors at home in a sheltered, quiet area. Some animals can become destructive when frightened, so be sure that you’ve removed any items that your pet could destroy or that would be harmful to your pet if chewed. Leave a television or radio playing at normal volume to keep him company while you’re attending Fourth of July picnics, parades, and other celebrations.
• If you know that your pet is seriously distressed by loud noises like thunder, consult with your veterinarian before July 4th for ways to help alleviate the fear and anxiety he or she will experience during fireworks displays.
• Never leave pets outside unattended, even in a fenced yard or on a chain. In their fear, pets who normally wouldn’t leave the yard may escape and become lost, or become entangled in their chain, risking injury or death.
• Make sure your pets are wearing identification tags so that if they do become lost, they can be returned promptly. Animals found running at-large should be taken to the local animal shelter, where they will have the best chance of being reunited with their owners.
• If you plan to go away for the holiday weekend, read this information on Caring for Pets When You Travel.

If you follow these simple precautions, you and your pets can have a safe and happy Fourth of July.

Faster Replies

Need someone to respond to your message quickly?  You’ll have better luck if you don’t leave a voice-mail! Instead, send an email or text message. Research shows the30% of voice-mails go unheard for three days or longer! Most people respond to text messages and emails within minutes.

Berry Trifle

Here’s a super quick and easy dessert idea for the 4th of July.

• 2 cups whipped cream
• 3 cups cubed pound cake
• 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries

Layer first 4 ingredients in wineglasses beginning with cream, followed by cake then berries. Repeat until each glass is full. Enjoy! Told you it was quick and easy.

Bet on Yourself

Trying to accomplish something such as losing weight or quitting smoking? Here’s an interesting way to stick to it. Sign a contract at www.stickk.com and stake money on your success. If you don’t reach your goal, your money will go to the recipient of your choice. I love it!

Staycation Ideas

In this economy, alot of people are opting to do a staycation rather than a vacation. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to follow to enjoy every minute of your free time.

• Don’t tackle a home repair to do list. You’re likely to end up resenting that you used your time off to work around the house.
• Don’t be in touch with work. To feel truly “away”, avoid contact with colleagues.
• Do schedule something special every day. Hike through the woods, visit a museum, have lunch with friends or try that new coffee shop in town.
• Do entertain with your own film festival. Pick a genre and rent a movie for every night of the week. Make popcorn and enjoy.
• Do indulge in your local cuisine. You’ll be saving money by not traveling, so why not splurge at least one night? Eat at a nice restaurant in your area that you normally go only to on special occasions.
• Do embark on a manageable project. Been meaning to perfect a certain recipe? Here’s your chance.

One Hope Network

Hello everyone, it’s Ally, Sadie and Lacey! We want to tell you how you can help Purina One and Sam’s Club donate bowls of food to shelter pets. Purina One brand pet food is donating meals to homeless pets awaiting adoption in One Hope Network shelters. Visit www.samsclub.com/onehope, complete a short survey and have a bowl of food donated to feed a homeless pet. Sam’s Club members will help donate an incremental 100,000 bowls to homeless pets! Won’t you help today? Mom just took the survey and said it only took a seconds. Thanks mom!

Protect Your Health

Extensive research, including the famous Harvard Nurses’ Health Study has found that walking can do the following.

• Walk for 30 minutes a day and reduce your risk of heart disease by 30%.
• Walk for 30 minutes a day and reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes by 50%.
• Walk for 45 minutes, 5 times a week and reduce your risk of catching a cold by 50%.
• Walk for 1 hour per day and reduce your risk of breast cancer by 20%.

Summer is here, why not start walking today?

Lipton Teas

I love Lipton’s Green Tea with citrus, so when I saw the new flavors I had to try them! I was not disappointed. I highly recommend them. Here’s a list of the new flavors.

• Sparkling Green Tea with Berry
• Sparkling Green Tea with Strawberry Kiwi
• White Tea with Raspberry
• Diet White Tea with Peach Papaya

For more information, visit www.liptont.com