The Great Hot Chocolate Experiment

Some background is required for this post.

First, my best friend [Shayla] and I met our freshman year of college. We ended up being roommates before we had ever met. To make a long story short, we bonded over The Phantom of the Opera and have stayed close ever since.

Something that we did on a fairly regular basis was have what we called "hot chocolate parties". We would make hot chocolate (usually in our matching snow buddy mugs) and talk about our day. We reflected on this recently and decided to recreate this event, but invite girls we went to school with to join the fun!

We are also foodies...and decided to make the hot chocolate from scratch.

Vanilla Cinnamon Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C Semi Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1/2 C Vanilla Chips
1/8 C Cinnamon Chips (we had a few more, add more to taste)
1 Tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk
Vanilla Extract to taste
1/2 C Half and Half
5 C Milk

We combined all the chips and morsels, the condensed milk, and the half and half in a saucepan over medium low heat stirring constantly until melted.

We then added the 5 C milk. You can add more milk if you want to, I liked it this way, but Shayla felt like it might be able to use a bit more. Totally up to you.

We continued to cook it until heated through and then served with marshmallows (optional).

We love making things together! I'm always grateful for the relationship we have and for the fun we have creating beautiful and delicious things together!

My 2 Cents

I REALLY hate it that so soon after the tragedy hit Newtown, Connecticut that it turned into a gun control battle. I don't know who started it and frankly I don't care. There should have been more time to let the families of the victims and the country as a whole grieve for the loss of these Americans.

But if it's going to happen, if we're really going to let our opinions known, I'll throw mine in. After all, it is my constitutional right to share my opinion.

Taking guns away from law abiding citizens will not solve the killings. The people you should worry about are the people who don't care whether what they are doing is legal or not. Criminals do not care if guns are banned. They will find some other way to do their evil deed because criminals do whatever they want. That has been the case since criminals and evildoers began walking the earth and that is how it always will be.

If there are going to be criminals walking the streets, I want the right to keep and bear my own arms. As a citizen of the United States of America I have been given that right and I refuse to have that taken away from me.

If a criminal came into my home armed and I had no way to defend myself, wouldn't that be worse than defending myself with an arm of my choice? It is only logical.

Are there many gun crimes in the world today? YES. Are those the fault of guns? NO. Bad people kill other people, not inanimate objects. Please use your common sense.

There you go.

In loving memory of those whose lives were taken 12.14.12

This beautiful poem was written in memorium of the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting on December 14, 2012. I found it beautiful and inspiring and hope it does the same for you. I heard it on the Rod Arquette show last night and cried.



Written by Camero Smith of Mt. Wolf PA

twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
when 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
they could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
they were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
they remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“this is heaven.” declared a small boy. “we’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
when what to their wondering eyes did appear,
but Jesus, their savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
and in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
those children all flew into the arms of their King
and as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
one small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
and as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“may this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
then He and the children stood up without a sound.
“come now my children, let me show you around.”
excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
all displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
and i heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“in the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT

Read more: http://www.knrs.com/pages/rod.html#ixzz2FQLlc05j