Planning a Fourth of July get together? Fire up the grill, mix up some sweet tea, and enjoy these lightened versions of summer classics from Southern Living:

Guilt Free Grill Menu -- Everyone expects burgers. But flank steak with radish salad, balsamic grilled vegetables, and grilled banana splits are a tasty surprise.

Herbed Potato Salad -- Your guests will never believe that this creamy potato salad is lower in fat than traditional potato salad recipes, but is just as delicious.

Lemon Grilled Salmon -- Packed with heart-healthy Omega3s, salmon is good for the heart. This recipe gives tips for grilling on cedar planks, which adds flavor.

Let us know if you are planning a special July 4th meal, and if you are planning on lightening up any of your favorite dishes!

Confession:  I'd rather shop for lotions and potions than eat.

Listen up ladies!  I found this impossible sale on the Miami Herald site and had to share. E.L.F. (eyes lips face) is celebrating its birthday (or anniversary or the fact that it's Thursday...something to that effect) with a $1 sale on their makeup, lip gloss, brushes, and more.

Stock up now and you'll be set for the rest of the year! Read the article, then shop til you drop!

QUESTION FOR YOU:  WHAT ONE BEAUTY ITEM CAN YOU NOT LIVE WITHOUT?

For me, it's lip gloss.

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/fashion/story/1109766.html

http://www.eyeslipsface.com/home

Happy Friday Mama Bloggers!

This week's Southern Living Mama Blogger of the week is Amanda from Serenity Now, A Mommy's Solution To Staying Sane.

Amanda is a Virginia stay-at-home mom of two. We've enjoyed reading about her sister's challenge to run a 5K as an alternative bridesmaid get together (her sister is getting married and wanted to find a fun, healthy way for her bridesmaids to bond).

Her sister has challenged her to run the Disney Princess Half Marathon in March 2010. The idea is that the bridesmaids, who live in various places, would all train to run the race. Kind of a fun alternative to a traditional bachelorette party, don't you think? Then, post-race, they could celebrate at Disney.

Amanda writes:

"If she can find a training plan that involves a stop at the Starbucks drive-thru window, sign me up!"

    We think this sounds like a great idea for a girls' trip. What do you think? Have you had a similar healthy girls getaway? Let us know in the "comments" section.

    And Amanda, we think you should do it. In fact, we're cheering you on, lattes in hand.

    Last weekend I stayed at Loews Nashville, one of my new favorite hotels. It was a pleasure for many reasons, including the fact that dogs were welcomed guests. I was sans pups, but loved seeing breeds of all kind with their owners.

    Loews Hotels welcome pets (they call them "VIPs" - "Very Important Pets) and pay special attention to making them feel at home. From the Loews Vanderbilt website:

"At Loews Vanderbilt Hotel, you have everything you need to feel right at home with your four-legged friend:

• Gourmet room service menus for cats and dogs, prepared by our award-winning Master Chef
• Creature comfortslike specialized bedding, leashes, collars, litter boxes (and litter), pooper scoopers and more
• Tail-wagging amenitiessuch as dog-walking routes, pet placemats, water bowls, treats, doggie poop bags and more
• Purr-fect indulgences like rawhide bones, catnip and scratch poles.
• Pet-walking and pet-sitting services"

    Now through September 5 select Loews are offering the "Grrreen Dog" package, which includes a room service meal for your pet made with local ingredients, an organic cotton bandanna and toy that can be recycled.

    Loews has hotels in a number of Southern cities, including Atlanta, Miami, St. Petersburg, New Orleans and Washington, D.C.

    Hotels that welcome pets and care about their health -- now that's something to bark about.

Let us know: Do you travel with your pets? How do you keep them healthy when you (and they) are on the road?

Related Links:

Southern Living: Health Magazine Ranks America's Healthiest Hotels

Southern Living: Healthy Benefits of Owning Pets

Pets On The Go - a website devoted to travel tips for you and your pet

  Today's Southern Living Mama Blogger of the Week is Shannon of "Rocks In My Dryer."  

Shannon is a "30-something mom" of four kids who hails from Arkansas and lives in Oklahoma.

We love this post about her relaxing anniversary weekend with her husband at a bed and breakfast called  Aaron's Gate outside Guthrie, Oklahoma.

And if a bed and breakfast is not in your weekend plans, her photos will inspire you to at least take a little time off for some unplugged fun.

Another one of our favorite posts from Rocks In My Dryer is:

Works For Me: Organizing Bedroom Clutter 

Here's an excerpt:

"Each boy now has his own treasure box, about twice the size of a shoe box.  All of their treasures (rocks from the playground, a letter from their beloved uncle, unused Chuck E. Cheese tickets and anything else they CAN'T POSSIBLY throw away) belong in the box.  When the box gets so full that the lid won't close, it means it's time to go through and throw some things away.

I love this, because it teaches them to prioritize and to understand that some things (a postcard from Yosemite) are not.  It helps keep loose pieces of clutter contained.  And the best part?  With their permission, I like to poke through their treasure box.  Seeing what they hold dear helps me treasures, while other things (an empty wrapper from their favorite candy bar) are really know them a little better."

Shannon shares great tips for busy moms. And really, is there any other kind? Hats off to Shannon and all of the Southern Living Mama Bloggers!

If you have a Southern Mama Blogger, please let us know in "comments" below. Your nominations are important in helping us choose our weekly honoree.

Related Links:

Southern Living Mama Blogger Of The Week: Joshilyn Jackson, Faster Than Kudzu

Southern Living Mama Blogger Of The Week: We Are That Family

101 Free Things By State - Oklahoma

Summer's almost here and its starting to warm up around here.  I love summer, the heat and humidity (that's right, I said humidity), its the time when fresh produce just rolls in and overflows my shopping basket. In my opinion a key flavor of summer is cucumber and I have done almost everything imaginable to them...or so I thought. Erin, in our Features Department, stopped by and was raving about a cucumber cosmopolitan and cucumber mojito she recently had.  She loved the refreshing taste and enlisted my help so she could recreate the flavors at home. Now I have had a cucumber mojito before, but the cucumber cosmo threw me for a loop. So I hustled to the store, picked up a couple of cucumbers, and headed back to the Test Kitchens to try out some ideas I had floating in my head. The only way I could imagine  you could get a concentrated cucumber flavor into a martini glass without dicing half of a cucumber and letting it soak for 2 hours, was to make a concentrated juice.  So I came with a great recipe for cucumber juice (and yes it really is that green). 

2 large cucumbers, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tsp. sugar

Pinch salt

Process all ingredients together in a food processor or blender.  Strain through a fine wire mesh strainer.  Rinse out strainer and line with cheesecloth. Strain juice through cheesecloth and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Makes about 1 cup.

I stirred about 1/3 cup into a pitcher half filled with lemonade, a few of cups of seltzer, and loads of crushed ice for a truly refreshing drink; add some vodka and it's even better. This recipe is definately worth a try so pull out your bar kit and drizzle a couple of tablespoons of this elixir into your favorite fruit based cocktail for a refreshing taste of summer.