Today we are packing up the van and heading down to Florida for a week. Through the week, I have scheduled several guest bloggers who were gracious enough to help me out during my family vacation. Allow me to introduce you to my first guest:
Toni Anderson is founder of The Happy Housewife, a website dedicated to helping families live well on less. Toni is an author, homeschooling mother of seven children, and a military spouse. She has been inspiring and educating readers on frugality, budgeting and how to thrive on one income in a two-income world since 2008.
The First Snow
I was born and raised in Florida. I remember it snowing once, when I was four years old. We lived in an apartment complex and it seemed like the whole world was outside enjoying the flurries.
Many years later I am raising my children a little farther north. I remember the first snow I experienced with my children. It was the Blizzard of ’96 (at least that is what I called it). We had one little girl who didn’t even own a pair of snow boots. We wrapped her tennis shoes in ziploc bags and took her out to play. She lasted about 5 minutes before deciding she had enough.
Thirteen years later I have become a little more experienced with snow, and I am happy to say that almost all of my seven children own a pair of snow boots. My children wait with excited anticipation of the first snowfall, while I wait for one of my favorite family traditions.
In our house snow = hot chocolate. After I bundle my children and send them out to play, I place a kettle on the stove. Depending on how organized and prepared I am for the year, I either get out the hot chocolate packets or get the ingredients out for my Starbucks hot chocolate recipe. Mini marshmallows are a must, whipped cream and chocolate syrup a bonus.
After the children play for a while, they come in tired, wet and cold. I help them remove their “snow clothes” and they sit down at the kitchen table with their mug of hot chocolate. This has become one of our favorite traditions.
© 2009, Food Fun Family. All rights reserved.
We are anxiously anticipating our first snow, which just may occur on Christmas! Our tradition is to also serve hot cocoa–can’t wait to try the Starbucks version.
.-= Phoebe @ Getting Freedom´s last blog ..Strawberry Cheesecake Bites =-.
We recently had our first snow too!! We celebrated with french toast for breakfast covered in powdered sugar! :) I blogged about it here:
https://www.household6diva.com/2009/12/celebrating-first-snow.html
We also do hot cocoa in special snow man mugs!! :)
It looks like she had so much fun. Love the recipe!
Mmmmmm. Yummy hot chocolate. I may need to have some now!
.-= Kristina´s last blog ..Holiday Kids Craft – Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments =-.
Thanks for the starbucks cocoa recipe! We don’t have snow (we’re in Phoenix), but we do like to go up north to experience it. And this is the first year my kids have had snow boots!
.-= Jessica´s last blog ..The Start of a Tradition? =-.
Thanks for the hot chocolate recipe. I’m going to try it!!! I love Starbucks hot chocolate. :) And cute pics too.
This is a great family tradition. We have hot chocolate too after playing in the snow but just have the packets. It looks like a lot of snow where you are. I think it is all very pretty but I prefer my heat! lol! However, I still live where it snows!