Red, White & Boom!

It’s “shameless plug” time.  You’re all aware by now that Family & MWR is tasked with making sure you have fun and enjoy your time at whichever base you’re stationed for the time being.  Lucky for you, you’re stationed/assigned to/work at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall (JBM-HH)!  …and it’s no secret that this Family & MWR loves, loves, LOVES our proximity to the Nation’s Capital!  It’s also no secret that one of our flag ship events is Red, White & Boom!

Red, White and Boom! is the umbrella under which JBM-HH’s Family & MWR celebrates all things 4^th of July!  We have three different events that take place on July 4^th.  Red, White and BBQ takes place on Ft. McNair, Red, White, and Pool takes place on Ft. Myer and, Red, White and Cruise is hosted by Family & MWR as a whole.  No matter how you like to celebrate the 4^th of July, we have just the way for you to show your patriotism!

Red, White & BBQ is held on Ft. McNair, July 4 from

This event harkens back to the days of our youth when the best thing ever was to enjoy a backyard bbq, fun yard games with family and friends, and then find a nice place to lay and watch the fireworks.  With Ft.McNair being perfectly positioned on the Potomac River, the view of the fireworks is absolutely stunning!  But before the fireworks begin at dark, there are a ton of family activities to enjoy!  The bbq buffet is full of your summer favorites like grilled chicken, ribs, burgers, and hot dogs served with corn on the cob, baked beans, and cole slaw.  Desserts are watermelon, ice cream and cotton candy.  There’s even free parking at the event, something you will not find in DC.  Tickets are $25 before July 3 and $28 at the gate.  Ticket prices are per person for those 6 year olds and up.  Call 202.484.5800 for more event information.

Red, White & Cruise takes place on July 4 from 6:45pm to 11pm

Red, White & Cruise is an adults only event that take a chartered yacht on a dinner cruise up the Potomac River to watch the Capital Fireworks.  The boat sails from the National Harbor at 6:45pm to being the cruise.  Guests enjoy an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet (while supplies last) and open bar.  Between dinner and cocktails, guests enjoy dancing on one of three decks to the live DJ.  It’s one of the best ways to enjoy the 4^th of July as getting to and from the Harbor isn’t as crowded as trying to get into to DC.  The three decks are air conditioned but also offer observation space to watch the fireworks…or just hang out and enjoy the river breeze.  Ticket prices vary based on military rank and purchase date.  Call 703.696.3469 for more information or to buy tickets.

Red, White & Pool is held at Ft. Myer Officers’ Club pool, July 4 from 11am to 8pm

What says summer better than a cookout next to the pool?  One of the Ft. Myer Officers’ Club’s most popular event is Red, White & Pool!  Once the gates open, partiers enjoy a live DJ, moon bounce, face painting, cool water and fast pool slides!  If people aren’t tanning on the pool deck, they’re enjoying some down time relaxing on the pool lawn.  The grilled buffet is served from noon to 5 pm and offers just about everything that is associated with holiday cookouts!  When it’s time for the fireworks, most people just walk down the road a few yards and watch from them from Whipple Field…an amazing view of not only the Capital Fireworks but of Washington DC.  The event is free for Club Members who hold a pool or combination pass and their guests.  Guests pay only $10 at the gate.  Call 703.696.5147 for more event information.

As much as this blog tries to describe what these events look like and how much partiers enjoy themselves, the old adage is true, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  Visit us on line at www.jbmhhMWR.com and click on the appropriate page to see pictures of each event!  Red, White & Cruise pictures can be found on the Special Events page.

If you plan to stay close to home this 4^th of July (and we hope you don’t ‘cause we’ll miss you!), here are a few ideas to help you pull off a great event!

1.       Add a couple of these songs to your party playlist!

“Born in the USA” by Bruce Springsteen

“Firework” by Katy Perry

“American Pie” by Don McLean

“Star Spangled Banner” Marvin Gaye

“America” by Neil Diamond

“Freedom” by George Michael

“Fortunate Son’ by Creedence Clearwater Revivial

“American Woman” by Lenny Kravitz

“Pink Houses” by John Mellencamp

“American Boy” by Estelle

2.       Sparkle On

Poke a sparkler through the bottom end of a plastic cup.  Sparkles but no burns.  Awesome!

 












3.       The Kiddie Cooler

Need to keep the Igloo coolers secure J?  Fill a kiddie pool with ice and dump the kiddie drinks inside.  The kids don’t have to keep bothering you when they want a drink and the adult beverages are kept separate from the kids’ beverages.  Score!

4.       Backyard Tic-Tac-Toe

This game set was found on Amazon.com but it would be easy to make one!  All you’d need is a sheet, electrical tape, and 2 sets of colored Frisbees (one color for the X’s, one color for the O’s).

5.       Backyard/Homemade Sprinkler

Here’s how simple it is to entertain the kids and keep them cool at the same time:  1) take a 2 liter soda bottle and poke holes in it, 2) attach to a garden hose, 3) toss over a tree branch and let it hang for a kids water sprinkler.  How cool (excuse the pun!) is that!  Just be sure to tell your guests to bring a towel and change of clothes for the kiddies!

Check out these and other ideas for the 4^th of July on our Pinterest board.  Click this link to go directly there: https://www.pinterest.com/jbmhhfmwr/4th-of-july

 Be safe and Happy 4^th of July!  Post any pics you take on Instagram and tag us @jbmhhfmwr!

How to “Summer” Effectively!

It’s an unofficial observation but it seems that people enjoy summer more than any other season.  Me?  I prefer fall and winter but there is something about summer that just makes everything right with the world.  The days are longer.  You can drive with the windows down and the music loud. Everything smells like coconuts.  You actually see and talk to your neighbors. Children play outside. Food tastes better, fruit is sweeter…  Maybe summer is Mother Nature’s way of making up for all of her winter shenanigans.  In the end, who cares?  It’s summer and Family & MWR has found some tried and true Summer Hacks to help you enjoy every single second of summer

So, without further ado and in no particular order, we present the best summer hacks…ever!

1.       Pre-Scooping Ice Cream

Every since I was a child, I have hated the mess scooping melted ice cream makes, almost as much as I hated trying to chisel a scoop of frozen ice cream out of the carton.  Pre-scooping the ice cream makes serving it a quick and clean enterprise!

2.       Watermelon Fries

One, it’s much easier to cut this way (no cutting melon cubes).  Two, little hands can hold this shape better.  Three, smaller rinds to throw away making for less juicy trash.

3.       Cupcake liners are your friend!

 

 

Turn cupcake liners upside down to keep that fly, wasp, bee, hornet, pigeon, bald eagle…out of your drink.  Use them right side up to keep the sticky green sugar slime off of the kids.  How cool is that?

4.       Flies and mosquitoes HATE the smell of Pine-Sol.  …who knew?

You’ve got to clean the outdoor furniture anyway either because it’s the first time this season that you’re using it, you’re eating on it, or you have company coming over.  Clean with Pine-Sol and you’ll be Zika free!

5.       Ziploc bags are a smart phone’s best friend!

Use a little Ziploc baggie to protect your smart phone when going to the beach, hanging out by the pool, or boating.  You can still use it through the bag without getting sand, oil, or water in it!

6.       Velcro your table cloths!

We have all suffered with trying to keep a table cloth on a table when dining outside.  Get a package of those 3M Velcro squares. Put one side on the table and the other side on the underside of the table cloth.  Viola! No more fly away table cloths!

7.       Glass jars/canisters to keep food bug free

 

It’s always a hard way to go to keep food covered during a backyard bbq or other outside event.  Put those delicious salads – of both fruit and vegetable – or anything you need to keep bug free in a glass container with a lid.  People can still see what’s inside but will easily remember to replace the lid.

8.       Johnson’s Baby Creamy Oil.  This one is pretty self-explanatory.

 

9.       Fitted sheet to keep the kid bug-bite free

You have to do the yard work.  Maybe you and the kid(s) are just relaxing outside.  Put a fitted sheet over the crib/play pen.  They get the benefit of fresh air, are contained and out of harm’s way, and are shielded from the sun and creepy-crawlies that bite and scratch.  Moms for the win!

10.   Water Balloons…not just for frontal attacks.

Fill small balloons with water.  Freeze said balloons and use them to keep age appropriate beverages cool without creating a sub-zero shallow pool.  Once the ice melts…NOW you can use them for a water balloon fight!

Pretty cool summer hacks, right? If you use any of them, be sure to let us know how they worked by leaving us a comment below.  Or, if you know of a cool (no pun intended) summer hack, let us know! We just loooooove a helpful tip!