pinterest

Drinks Are on Me

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blackberry vodka drink with garnish

I have a new Pinterest board called Yummy Drinks. I pin any yummy looking drink I find, but there seems to be a trend emerging of fresh, fruity drinks that lend themselves to summer consumption. On the horizon is our neighborhood 4th of July party and the unbelievably oppressive heat of South Carolina summers. I will need good cocktails for both events, so I tested one of my finds this weekend.

My father-in-law was visiting and gave the drink a hearty approval. You know if it is in-law approved, it has to be good.

Blackberry Lemonade with Vodka

Ingredients

  • fresh blackberries
  • 1 c. sugar
  • vodka
  • fresh lemon juice
  • club soda
  • crushed ice

fresh lemon juice

Directions

  • Make a simple syrup by bringing the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes; do not stir. Remove from heat and let cool. Simple syrup recipe can be doubled or tripled.
  • In the bottom of a glass, smash 4-5 blackberries with the back of a spoon. Add 1 oz. vodka (about a shot), 1 oz. simple syrup, and 1 oz. fresh lemon juice (I like a little more lemon juice).
  • Fill the glass about 2/3 full with crushed ice.
  • Pour a splash of soda on top and stir gently.
  • Can be made alcohol free too!

blackberry vodka drink

TheRoomDad, Mr. Star Wars, and my father-in-law spent the day fishing and brought home a fresh catch for dinner. We served drinks with grilled fish tacos and the Mexican Chopped Salad that I shared last week. I even remembered the cilantro this time!

mexican chopped salad with cilantro

Happy Birthday RoomMom

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It’s my blog’s birthday today. It kind of snuck up on me, and I have not even gotten her a gift yet.  However, you are all invited to the party. Here is a little peak inside our baby book:

  • June 6, 2012– Our first post.
  • June 12, 2012– A birth announcement e-mailed to all friends, families, and acquaintances.
  • June 14, 2012– We receive notice that we have been allowed to join Pinterest.
  • June 25, 2012– We join Twitter. TheRoomMom’s mom is not so sure about Twitter, but all of her blog friends are doing it, so we feel compelled to join.
  • June 28, 2012– Our Facebook page is created, so any pictures or announcements of our milestones, big or small, can be shared with the world.
  • September 22, 2012, TheRoomMom gets an official domain but because the TheRoomMom’s mom is a first time blogger, she did not get her application in before the blog was born to reserve the name she really wanted, and she is on a waitlist. So, theroommom.wordpress.com becomes The-Room-Mom.com. We don’t really like the dashes in the name, but we have our fingers crossed that the domain name we want will not be renewed, and we will move up on the waitlist!
  • September 30, 2012– Our first giveaway.
  • February 28, 2013– We post Carpool Etiquette and have the best day (view-wise).
  • April 29, 2012– We have our first guest post on All Things Upper Elementary.

What is on TheRoomMom’s birthday list? More followers, likes, comments, and shares. So, please help spread the word and happy birthday little blog!

Then I Considered Gifts for Christmas 2012 (Day 11)

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SPOILER ALERT family blog followers– this post may contain information about your gifts this year.

After this post, I will have tapped out all of my gift suggestions, but I am only one post away from wrapping up the 12 Days of Christmas Gift Series. There is usually one gift idea I have each year that really nails it. I have not found that one perfect gift idea yet, but the list below is the starter list of gifts that I am considering for my extended family this year. Readers, I am open to suggestions!

Bacon Olive Oil: Umm, does life get any better? Why have I not thought of this before? The interesting part about finding the Queen Creek Olive Oil website where you can order the bacon olive oil is that my web browser tab reads “Vegan Bacon Olive Oil”. After reading the description, I located the words bacon flavored. I still want to try it.

Preppy Dog Collar: Our puppy, Birdie, will be sporting one of these Christmas morning and perhaps other extended family member’s pets. These collars have the contact information engraved on the buckle. The ShopMimiGreen website has a variety of pet accessories.

Wrap Bracelets: These brightly colored bracelets are available on an Etsy site. Sunkissed Sisters makes a variety of neon colored cord bracelets and necklaces. I think they would work well for teens through mom-aged gift receivers. I know I want a set with a variety of colors and charms to wear stacked together.

Casserole Carrier: Almost all members of my family like to cook and love party food. We all seem to have occasions where we need to transport a hot casserole dish. I love the style of these casserole carriers. According to the AllAboutBlanks website, you must add the monogram on your own. It can not be done via the website. I am a little bummed because I thought the monogram was the best feature. It adds an extra step to take the carrier to a local monogrammer.

Return Address Stamp: There are a variety of places to order a custom return address stamp. I liked this one that looks like calligraphy. I also liked an Etsy site called ChattyPress that had unique designs and better prices. If you read previous gift posts, you may be aware I shop for a large family. I like these stamps because I could give them to a whole family unit, which would reduce the shopping list.