Frozen Hot Chocolate ♥

Hello Friends!  ♥

How are you all doing?!  Mid August already and I can smell Fall in the distance.  It's coming....but not yet.  These last weeks of summer are always my favorite because we are getting closer to my favorite time of year (crunch leaves and cozy sweaters). 

 It's still TBD as to if John will return to school.  We've been told to prepare for it, so that's what I'm doing.  I have mixed feelings that I am trying to sort through regarding the issue, but that's for another post. Today I'd like to talk about something I don't have mixed feeling about.....chocolate. 

One of John's favorite summer treats at Dunkin Donuts is frozen hot chocolate.  A few years ago I found a recipe to make them at home.  I could not believe how simple it was! Ever since, this frozen treat has become a summer staple for us.  We are still in the middle of a heat wave in my corner of the world, so anything cold and frosty sounds good to me! 

Wanna try it?  You'll be glad you did.... ♥

It's so easy: 

2 cups milk

3 hot cocoa packets

3 cups ice

Mix all in a blender until smooth.

Top with whip cream!

This makes 3-4 servings or cut the recipe in half and make 2 large mugs! ♥

YUM!!! ♥

(good to the last drop : ) 

Speaking of John.....he turns 13 this Sunday!

I can't believe my little boy is going to be a teenager.  How did this happen?!

Unfortunately we can't celebrate the way we normally would, but we will still have a lovely family day....all about him.  There will be cake, ice cream, and lots of love.  Until then I will be cherishing these last few days of NOT being the mom of a teenager : ) 

Happy Wednesday my friends! I hope you all are happy, healthy, and COOL! 

♥

Christmas is coming....♥

 

 

Last year John, Rob, & I celebrated our first Christmas in July.  It was so much fun we decided to make it an annual event! 

On Monday July 24^th we’ll celebrate Christmas Eve (and also my birthday!) and then on July 25^th will be our fun day!  I took the day off from work so John and I can make Christmas cookies, watch Rudolph & A Christmas Story, play games, do crafts, be as silly as possible. 

 

It doesn’t take much effort to make this a fun event.  A few small gifts wrapped in Christmas paper make for a special morning. 

I’ll dig out my Christmas CD’s so we can listen to Nat King Cole while we have cinnamon rolls for breakfast.

 

 

  I won’t do a whole sha-bang with decorations, just a few scattered about the house will do the trick. 

And of course a Christmas Cookie candle, you know…to set the mood ♥

 

Hopefully we’ll have two special guests join us.  John’s been saying all week that he hopes Zip & Zoom will come back and visit.  I have a strong feeling they will. 

It's not Christmas without our favorite elves!

 

He loves these guys! ♥

 

The weather has been beyond hot and humid and I’ve been waiting all summer to make frozen hot chocolate.  We tried it last year and it was delicious! 

Perfect for Christmas in July!


 

Yummmmm!

 

John and I will make a special “Christmas dinner” for Rob when he comes home from work. 
We haven’t decided what yet, but I do know we are having pie for dessert. 


Priorities : )

 

 

 

A hot summer day spent in my air conditioned house, curled up on the couch watching Christmas movies with my best buddy is my idea of perfection. 


Its little things like this that make the moments we remember forever : )


Am I right? ♥♥♥

 

 

 

And just in case you didn't realize it....

 

 

We are over half way to the real thing ♥♥♥


 

Frozen Hot Chocolate....it's almost Christmas! ♥

Did you know that Christmas is coming?  

No, I’m not talking about December 25^th.  

♥

I’m talking about July 25^th.  This year for the first time we are celebrating Christmas in July!

♥

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.  Thanks to my friend Billie Jo, who does this every year, I’m so inspired reading her blog that I finally decided to do it.  What I have planned isn’t fancy, but it will be fun.  The night before I’m going to set up a few small decorations and I’m told that our favorite elves (Zip & Zoom) might be stopping by for a summer visit! 

from last year....he loves these guys! 

That morning John and I are having cinnamon rolls for breakfast while we watch our favorite Christmas movie….A Christmas Story! Later that day I promised him we would make Christmas cookies. We’ll light a winter candle, put on our favorite Christmas CD and pretend its December. It’s supposed to be in the 90’s all weekend so staying cool in the a/c sounds perfect to me!

♥

Last week I found a few small gifts for him at the dollar store (nothing crazy) that I’ll wrap and leave out in the morning.

♥

And for something extra special I saw a recipe online for Frozen Hot Chocolate!  I gave the recipe a test run yesterday to see if it was worth making on Monday and guess what? It’s delicious!!!

If you’re looking for a summer treat (not just for Christmas in July) you must try this.  

It’s so easy too!

2 cups milk

3 hot cocoa packets

3 cups ice

Mix all in a blender until smooth.

Top with whip cream!

This makes 3-4 servings.  I cut the recipe in half and it made 2 huge mugs J

good to the last drop : ) 

I hope this is the start of a long tradition that my son will remember forever ♥

Happy Summer days, my friends!!! xoxoxo