Since I've started working, I've found myself often tempted to make a beeline to the Starbucks located upstairs from the store where I work during every break opportunity. Since I am NOT a coffee drinker, there is only ONE beverage I drink from Starbucks: Hot Chocolate. And it's the best hot chocolate ever. I always order it "extra hot" -- which seems a bit redundant since it's already a hot beverage, but I like it super-duper, burn-the-taste-buds-off-your-tongue hot. And they're happy to oblige. And it's good. VERY good. Maybe too good, considering the number of trips I've made over there to quench this craving.
I've tried to duplicate Starbucks hot chocolate at home. I bought a milk frother thingy. No dice. I bought a nuggin' espresso machine just to steam the milk. Notsomuch. I've struck out with every attempt to duplicate this deliciousness.
Until now.
Enter the Starbucks Hot Chocolate recipe I found online over the weekend. OhMyGoodness. I never thought it'd actually be possible to duplicate the exact yumminess of Starbucks hot chocolate! But this recipe sure enough does! It is SO good. And SO easy. And SO good.
Without further ado, let me share this recipe with you.
Starbucks Hot Chocolate
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
whipped cream (optional)
Directions
Combine the water, cocoa, and sugar in a 16-ounce microwave-safe pitcher, such as a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Zap the mixture on high for 30 seconds, or until hot. Stir well to create chocolate syrup.
Add the milk to the chocolate syrup and microwave the mixture for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until hot. Add the vanilla and pour the drink into a 16-ounce coffee mug. Serve with whipped cream on top.
Make one 16-ounce (grande size) serving.
Seriously, if you're a hot chocolate connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to make a mug-full of this amazing recipe immediately! You will NOT be disappointed!
It's the little things that make me happy. I finally ditched my massive Otterbox iPhone case for a fun, cute lil new one:
Now, this case really isn't "me," but my girl likes pink/purple and my boy is all about monkeys. So from that perspective, ya, I guess this case really IS "me."
LO had soccer practice again tonight, and this time mommy remembered to bring the good camera! Enjoy!
Such determination!
I just love the way it looks like this little teammate of hers is checking out her mad soccer skills!
Just another day on the soccer field...
Look at her go! She's really getting into this soccer stuff! And she's having fun, too!
Run, LO! Dribble that ball! ((at least I think that's what they call this in soccer))
The team played a scrimmage against each other and they all had to put on these ginormous jerseys. I just love how animated this girl of mine is! Haha!
Finally time to lose those over-sized jerseys!
Whoops! Jerseys back on! Run, LO! Run!
I'm sorry, but I can't help but see an actual soccer player in my daughter's little 4-year-old body. She just looks like she knows what she's doing out there!
Of course this handsome little fella had to get into the soccer action... Love him so!
Okay, so here I am again posting another "update" blog post because I've just been too darn busy to post here more regularly. I'm so sorry! But as it probably is with your busy life, too, things have been non-stop for us lately! I can barely catch my breath! I'm squeezing in a few spare moments to put up this post while also doing laundry, creating a new website, fielding calls about an event I'm planning this weekend for 250 people in Charleston, and 1,200 other things I can't begin to describe at this very moment. My brain cells are running on empty so I'll keep this short n' sweet.
Here's what my lovely kiddos have been up to recently.
Chase and I went to a park to play while LO was at school. It was an epic fail though, because it was about 30 minutes away from our house and, lo and behold, CLOSED for remodeling when we got there. I was totally bummed. But Chase and I wandered the baseball fields and Frisbee golf course for a while so it didn't feel like such a loss. He's so cute. :)
LO starting playing her first ever "organized" team sport: SOCCER! She's super excited about it, and I'm really glad she'll have a chance to run off the overwhelming excess amount of energy she somehow stores up each day. Here she is trying on her soccer stuff.
She had her first practice Monday night. As you can see, Chase wasn't to be left out of the spotlight. He showed us he has some mad soccer skills as well. See?
Now for the fun stuff -- the videos!!! Here's a short clip of LO practicing with her team. If you ask me, she's got a little bit of an athelete in her!
This one is hilarious! You gotta watch it full screen and keep your eye on LO. The whole team has to run to the pile of balls on the opposite end of their field and bring them back to the coach. The first one back gets to be the "helper" at Wednesday's practice. LO got a late start (she's almost NEVER paying attention), but seems to be making up ground. She grabs her ball, turns to run back and <> she gets knocked down by another avid ball-seeker. But she picks herself up and gallops runs back as instructed. Precious!
I was at our local Costco today picking up some bottled water for our big Palmetto Hearts reunion event this weekend. I had to bring my momma with me because she's a current Costco member. I, however, am a former Costco member. I realized after our 2 hours in Costco why my husband didn't want to renew our membership. That durn store is DANGEROUS! Let's just say a vat o' goldfish, more gummy vitamins than any human should require, a toy storage/organizer, jumbo Mr. Potato Head, 2 books and a 2T monkey outfit later, we were finally ready to leave the store. I now understand that it wasn't the $50 annual membership fee that hubs wasn't wanting to keep paying... it was the minimum $150 Costco shopping sprees he was wanting to eliminate. Ooops!
But let me at least attest to the fact that I didn't go crazy-overboard. Case in point? The most adorable, BIGGEST stuffed Mickey Mouse I've ever seen! Even LO was in love with it at first sight.
In the meantime, Chase was sporting around on a Lightening McQueen ride-on toy.
That is, until he saw his glorious, larger-than-life friend, Mickey Mouse. OhMyWord! This child for whatever reason has fallen head over heels in love with Mickey Mouse! So much, in fact, that I'm 99.9% sure his 2nd birthday next month will have a Mickey Mouse theme. He hugged Mickey. He kissed Mickey. It was unbearably sweet! But did I purchase the almost $40 stuffed animal? Nooooooo! As much as it killed me, I left Mickey there with his other Clubhouse friends... vowing to somehow figure out a way to get that guy to show up at Chase's birthday party in his gift stash! ((ahem... family? friends? anyone?)) :)
Last weekend we surprised the kids with a trip to see Sesame Street Live. We took LO when she was about 1 1/2, so we thought Chase would really enjoy it, too. He LOVES "cookie" and "melmo" so off we went for a fun morning out with the kids!
As you can see, Chase wasn't too sure about those larger-than-life furry monsters.
But he quickly found the show to be quite enjoyable!
LO was having a great time, too1
We were in the 2nd row on the floor in front of the stage, so the view was awesome!
Our Sesame Street friends!
Life is much better with a little Elmo to chew on during the performance...
Yay!
Big Bird!
Wow! This show is even MORE fun when there's FOOD involved! Yum!
Our new friends!
Confetti and streamers after the big finale. LO loved it!
So there. That's a tiny glimpse into what we've been up to over the past few weeks. Of course LO's started K4 a few weeks ago, and I'm the Room Coordinator for her class. Lots of volunteer stuff to organize. And I'm apparently her soccer team's Manager, which really just means the organized person who sends email reminders to parents about games and jersey colors. And I'm working on a new website for Palmetto Hearts. And I'm coordinating our Palmetto Hearts Pediatric Cardiology Reunion in Charleston this weekend. And I started my part-time job a few weeks ago. And I've got Chase's 2nd birthday party to start putting together. And did I mention I'm also forming a CHD Support Group for the families in my area? And somebody is still supposed to do the laundry, cleaning and cooking around the house. Oh, was that supposed to be me? ((sigh)) Our cupboards are so bare it's not even funny. Guess I'd better get back to work!
Thanks for your patience and continued blog support! Sorry I've been so lame lately, but I hope I'll do better soon! :)
