Summer Archives - Our Tiny Nest

7 In food/ holidays/ Recipes

Red, white and blue candy salad

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Red, white and blue candy salad is perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July or just if you’re channeling an All American summer!

When it comes to summer parties, there’s always a variety of salads but have you ever heard of a red, white and blue candy salad? This one will easily become everyone’s favorite!!!

This is the kind of salad the kids will for sure eat! All of the best red, white and blue gummy candies tossed in a bowl and topped with some pop rocks to make it reminiscent of the fireworks grand finale. Be sure to whip this up to take to your summer parties, BBQs, camping or out on the boat to celebrate a classic American summer. Sharing my recipe below and linking all the candy!!!

Red, White and Blue Candy Salad

Ingredients:

Sour patch kids
Air heads
Sweedish fish
Twizzler bites
Pop rocks

Directions:

1.) In a large bowl, mix the sour patch kids, air heads, Sweedish fish and twizzler bites.

2.) Sprinkle the top with red and blue pop rocks.

Serve with a large spoon and some small bowls for people to help themselves!

Sharing more of my favorite ideas to celebrate The U.S.A.

These fun sparkler tags

Boozy bomb Pops

Fireworks ice cream brownie sundaes

Check out all of these fun Patriotic finds!!!

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May 23, 2025 By Nicolle

3 In DIY/ printables

Hope your summer is a blast free printable tag and gift

Hope your summer is a blast free printable and gift water gun. Holding a squirt gun with tag tied on that says "Hope your summer is a blast"

Hope your summer is a blast free printable tag and gift for the kids for the end of the school year.

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School is almost out for the summer! For us, our official last day of school and summer kick off isn’t until the end of June but the kids are so excited and counting down the days. Not only do I like to be extra and send the kids off for summer with a fun little gift, but I’ve also been known to ambush the kids when they’re getting off the bus on the last day of school with some water balloons or squirt guns (you can see it here). It’s a fun little tradition I started to commence summer break. Scroll down below for my “Hope your summer is a blast” free printable tag and gift.

Water balloons and nerf guns, end of the school year tradition water balloon ambush

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Click here to go to my printable library and download the printable! (Password will be in your email from me)

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Hope your summer is a blast!!! and free printable

You will need:

My printable tag (you can get it here from the printable library)
Squirt guns (I’m linking mine here)
Yarn, string or ribbon

To re-create this DIY

1.) Simply print out my printable tags and cut them out.

2.) Use a hole punch to cut out the holes in each tag.

3.) String some yarn or ribbon through the hole on the tag and tie to the squirt guns.

For more class gift ideas check out this list.

More fun ideas for summer

This fun root beer float bar

Make your own ice cream

Hope you all enjoy your summer!!!

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May 19, 2025 By Nicolle

11 In Amazon/ Lifestyle

12 Summer Must Haves from Amazon

12 Amazon must haves for summer - reusable water balloons, stanley water jug, turkish towel, womens sun hat, outdoor end table with built in cooler, food dome to protect food from bugs

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We are almost in the full swing of summer! Bring on the long lazy days spent outside, by the pool, or beach. These are some of my favorite Summer Must Haves from Amazon so that you can be prepared for the summer fun. Whatever your plans are this summer, I’m sure you will find something useful on this list!

12 Summer Must Haves from Amazon

Resusable water balloons – To say my kids are obsessed with these are an understatement! And I am too!

Turkish Towels – We have been using these for years! They dry quick, and pack light so no more bulky beach bags!

Outdoor Table/Cooler – a must have for any deck, patio or poolside.

Tabletop s’mores kit – It’s not summer until you’ve had s’mores!

Stanley 2 gallon jug– keeps your beverages cold for hours!!! Great for travel, the beach, baseball games, days when you’re outside and don’t want to go back in.

Portovino wine tote bag – holds up to 2 bottles of wine! Great for the beach, concerts, vineyard, teacher gift, or anyone who loves wine!

Food dome– Keeps your food clean. Perfect for summer BBQs, parties, camping or picnics.

Sun visor hat– my favorite roll up sun hat!

Bugbite suction– This is a long time Amazon fave! Sucks out the insect venom to help relieve itching and swelling.

Grilling caddy– keeps all of your grilling accessories organized. This was a gift for Rick for Father’s Day and he loves it!

Waterproof pouch– keep your phone and other important necessities safe while at the beach, pool, kayaking, at the water park, etc. You get the point.

Kid’s ride on float with squirt gun – perfect for the kids for the pool.

You can see all of my Amazon favorites here on my Amazon storefront

For more of my favorite summer ideas check out

My summer reading challenge and book recommendations

My summer makeup must haves

9 of the best Margarita recipes

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June 19, 2023 By Nicolle

24 In food/ parties

Root Beer Float Bar

This root beer float bar is perfect for your summer family fun nights or BBQs.

When I think of some of my favorite childhood summer memories I think of nights at the drive-in, ice cream for dinner, swimming in the pool and catching fireflies. I long to get back to those simple times and give my kids those summers that I had. Scroll down to see my root beer float bar and more vintage summer ideas from some of my friends. Every Friday night we have our Friday night pizza nights followed by a movie. In the summer if it’s a nice night we will set up an outdoor movie on the deck. I made this root beer float bar for a special treat during our movie. It reminded me of being at the drive-ins!

Root Beer Float Bar Fixings

Root Beer
Ice Cream (you can make your own homemade ice cream too! Click here for my recipe)
Whipped Cream
Sprinkles
Hot Fudge
Cherries

Some other fun and different root beer float variations:

Make a boozy peanut butter float peanut butter cup ice cream and with peanut butter flavored whiskey.
For the coffee lover use coffee flavored ice cream!
For a healthier option if you like bananas, freeze some bananas then blend with a little bit of milk of your choice until an ice cream consistency and use for your float.

I added some decor I had around the house just to make it feel a little more fancy, like my chalkboard and cake stand.

Some tips-

If not making and enjoying right away, you may want to have a galvanized bucket of ice and keep the root beer and ice cream on ice.
Use small bowls for things like sprinkles, nuts, marshmallows and chocolate chips.
For the sauces, whipped cream and cherries, just put out in their original containers or jars.