Essential Ways to Use Your Smartphone This Summer

This post about smartphone ideas for summer has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #SummerIsForSavings #CollectiveBias #WFM1

During the summer, it pays to stay connected. Here are some of my favorite ways to make it the BEST SUMMER EVER by using my smartphone. #WalmartFamilyMobile #WFM1 #SummerIsForSavings [ad]

No matter how much you might wish summer was for slowing down, in my experience, summer is just one insanely busy season for families. From soccer tryouts to summer vacations, it can be hard to unwind and to stay connected. But the thing is, I’ve learned a few ways to avoid summer stress by staying connected with my smartphone. Syncing schedules, sharing summer memories, and treating your ears to your favorite summer tunes are all great ways to use your smartphone for the best summer ever, and with Walmart Family Mobile, the data you need doesn’t have to break the bank, either.

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Upside Down Mini Ice Cream Cakes

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SoHoppinGood #TopYourSummer #CollectiveBias

Ahh, summertime. There's nothing better than beating the heat with ice cream! But if you want to make your ice cream something extra special, you'll want to make these delicious upside down mini ice cream cakes! They're perfect for any summer soiree! | dessert | party food | #sohoppingood | #topyoursummer | ad | @walmart | @blue_bunny

Ahh, summertime. There’s nothing like ice cream to beat the heat in the summer, is there? Growing up, I looked forward to summer solely for the ice cream… for us, it was just a part of tradition. My great grandmother wouldn’t let an evening go by without a bowl of ice cream, and that’s a standard that I love to live up to, especially in the heat of summer… with heat indexes reaching 104 around here, you have to cool off somehow! And with these mini ice cream cakes that are upside down, you’ll have the whole family ready to cool off in no time!

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Tips for Avoiding Heat Stroke (With Water Infusion Recipes)!

 Worried about heat exhaustion or heat stroke? Here's how to avoid it and stay healthy for the rest of summer.

I was at the drive in with my son, having a really great time. And then, suddenly… I just felt weird. As soon as the movie was over, we opted not to stay for the second one, and the more I drove, the worse I felt. I felt dizzy. I had a horrible headache. I was a little confused, struggling to find my turns. I was nauseated. And it was getting worse. As I struggled to continue driving, I pulled into a nearby restaurant, and made a call to my mom. 3 IV bags later, I found out I was suffering from heat exhaustion, which, if left to get any worse, would progress to heat stroke, had I remained for the second movie. Don’t make the same mistake… here are some ways to protect yourself against heat stroke.

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Lemon Icebox Cake

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

hate turning my oven on in the summer if I an avoid it. For me, summer is the time for fresh salads, using the fridge, and sometimes the crock pot, as my main source of cooking power. That’s why I love this lemon icebox cake– it takes no heat at all, meaning you’re staying nice and cool while cooking and while eating. Plus, it’s semi-homemade, so it only takes a few minutes to prepare. What’s better than that?

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Start the cake by placing a layer of graham crackers (honey flavor works best!) in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Here’s the hardest part of the recipe… are you ready? The hardest part of this recipe is to mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, and whipped topping.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

That’s it. Simple enough for a busy summer day?

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Spread the mixture onto your graham crackers to form the second layer of the cake.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Top that with a layer of graham crackers. I seriously love graham crackers for snacking, but they become the perfect substance to this cake to make it a delicious treat.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

You can use homemade lemon curd here, but that kind of defeats my “no heat” mantra, and it’s kind of a pain in the booty, so I just use my favorite store-bought lemon cream for this recipe! You’ll want a full can of it.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Spread that evenly over your graham cracker layer. Look at that beautiful lemon yellow! Doesn’t it look refreshing? I fully give you permission to lick the spoon after this layer– I know I did (I promise I got a new spoon to finish the recipe!)

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Top the lemon layer with… you guessed it, more graham crackers. You see, the graham crackers make the “cake” layers as they soften between the creamy layers, making a perfect layered cake with NO baking. Hooray for staying cool!

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

Top the whole thing with the rest of your whipped topping, then place it in the fridge for about 2-3 hours before slicing and serving.

Hate turning on your oven in the summer? Try this lemon icebox cake-- it's no-bake, semi-homemade, and only takes minutes to prepare. It's perfect for potluck desserts!

To me, there’s just something really summery about lemons. Probably the thought of sitting on the front porch sipping a tall glass of lemonade, or just enjoying a lemon sorbet. It just whispers “summertime,” and that’s what makes this dish so special– the hint of lemon just makes it so summery.

Lemon Icebox Cake
Serves 12
No oven? No problem. This icebox cake doesn't require you to heat up the house-- just layer and chill!
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Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
3 hr
Prep Time
5 min
Cook Time
3 hr
Ingredients
  1. 1 box Honey Graham Crackers
  2. 1 cup Powdered Sugar
  3. 1 package Cream Cheese, softened
  4. 1 can Lemon Curd or Lemon Creme Pie Filling
  5. 1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip or other whipped topping, divided
Instructions
  1. Place 1/3 of the crackers in a single layer on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
  2. In a bowl mix 1 cup Cool Whip, 1 cup powdered sugar, and 1 package cream cheese, reserving the remainder of the Cool Whip.
  3. Spread mixture on top of graham crackers carefully.
  4. Top with a second layer of graham crackers.
  5. Spread entire contents of lemon pie filling over cracker layer.
  6. Top with a third layer of graham crackers.
  7. Top with remaining Cool Whip.
  8. Chill for 2-3 hours before serving, or until graham crackers are slightly softened.
Mama Plus One https://www.mamaplusone.com/

If you LOVE all things summer, you’ll love these Bacon Wrapped Cheeseburger Dogs, another make-ahead dish perfect for summer cookouts. Don’t forget to try my Crystal Light Ice Cream, too (I used a sour apple flavor, but try it with a lemonade packet instead!)

Of course, you can also check out this awesome pinterest board with some of the best summertime eats!

Follow MamaPlusOne’s board Summertime Gladness: Eat on Pinterest.

What flavor screams summertime to you? Let me know in the comments below!

Just-Like-Freddy’s Fry Sauce and Seasoning

Craving some Freddy's Fry Sauce? Maybe you tasted some fry sauce but aren't close enough to Freddy's Steakburgers to get one, or maybe you're close, but need the Fry Sauce at home because it's SO addicting, but this is the most spot-on recipe for Freddy's Fry Sauce! Made with the same ingredients the restaurant uses, this is as close as you can get at home... and it's SO good, just like at the restaurant! Plus, this steakburger seasoning is perfect on fries, burgers, everything-- it's the perfect seasoning blend for any meal.

Oh, Freddy’s… if you haven’t been to Freddy’s, you are SO missing out. A steakburger and frozen custard chain started in Wichita, Kansas, Freddy’s has great food all around… but there’s one thing that they’re known for. Fry sauce. In fact, the first time my mom and brother went, they didn’t grab fry sauce from the counter, and an employee physically brought them some. My mother, a tried-and-true ketchup hater, was skeptical… but like everyone else, she quickly converted to the “fry sauce is basically tasty, tasty crack” camp. This stuff? It’s irresistible. And because our trips to Freddy’s were becoming all-to-frequent thanks to Fry Sauce, I had to do something… and by something, I mean learn to make it at home. Not only is it the perfect recipe for enjoying with family, but it’s also great for serving at cookouts– you’ll be the star of summer if you make this sauce for your summer party!

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Tropical Mango Coconut Cookie Bars

Do you love mango? What about coconut? These cookie bars are so easy, and so addictive, that you'll have trouble sharing them! With a cookie crust and a creamy, fruity topping, your friends will never believe these are semi-homemade! They're party perfect for spring and summer!  | spring recipe | summer recipe | easy dessert recipe |

I love mangos. Seriously, whenever I see one that looks perfectly ripe at the grocery store, I just have to buy it. There is just something about that smell, that flavor, and that incredible texture when you slice open a mango. It just tastes like spring and summer to me! So when I saw Pillsbury release Tropical Mango cookie mix and frosting mix, I definitely had to put my own semi-homemade twist on it.

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3 Irresistible End-of-Summer Mocktails

Ugh. Back to school time already? I mean, I love back to school, don’t get me wrong, but there’s just this finality that seeing backpacks and pencil cases in stores brings. It means that before long, the pool will be closing, the days will be shorter, and it’ll be time to pull the sweaters from the back of the closet. While fall is pretty much my favorite thing, I’m never ready to say farewell to summer, either, so I had to share these three great summer mocktails that will keep you in good spirits until that first bus pulls away or the books come out of storage. The best part? Since they’re mocktails, the whole family can indulge in a little celebratory toast to a rockin’ school year.

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15 Tantalizing Summer Reads for Kids

Ahh, summer. Between cloud gazing and visiting the beach and swimming at the pool, it seems like there’s so much excitement during the summer. Sometimes, it’s hard to forget to slow down, take a break, and just soak up summer. I guarantee that these books, though, will do the trick and help your kids take a few minutes for their imagination. Whether you’re curled up on the couch reading together, or you prepare a book basket for your young one to explore solo, these books are the perfect picks for summertime.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. 

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A&W Root Beer Float Cookie Bars

I was walking through Walmart not too long ago and saw a product that made me stop dead in my tracks. As a member of a Root Beer loving family, I knew I had to make something awesome with the mix I saw on the shelf. Betty Crocker actually released a Walmart-Exclusive Root Beer Float cookie mix. The first thing I thought? “This is either going to be absolutely amazing, or really off the mark…” I mean, you can’t make a root beer cookie… can you? Well, Betty Crocker succeeded, and I decided to tweak their cookie to make the perfect party treat. The best part? It’s really simple.

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34 Things to Add to Your Summer Bucket List (That Cost $20 or Less to Do!)

Summer is officially almost here. It seems like in my mind, Memorial Day marks the official beginning of summer. With it right around the corner, it’s time to start planning out all of the fun things you want to do this summer. But a ton of activities can get expensive. Here is a list of 34 great things you’ll want to try that won’t drain your wallet too quickly– they’re all under $20!

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