Drinking Chocolate

-Drinking Chocolate-

Ingredients

~makes four servings~

4 squares dark chocolate 

(65-80% cacao)

4 cups Almond Milk 

(or regular milk)

4 TBS Cocoa Powder

4 TBS Agave Nectar

1 TBS Peppermint Schnapps 

(or splash of Peppermint Extract)

Directions

In a saucepan melt dark chocolate squares in almond milk over medium heat until dissolved. 

Slowly whisk in cocoa powder, agave nectar, 

and Peppermint Schnapps or extract. 

It will be pretty thick...that's why it's called drinking chocolate. If you prefer it thinner add more almond milk and agave to taste.

Serve with a candy cane for garnish!

All photos thanks to Mary Banducci Photography

Sparkling Pomegranate Persimmon Martini

- Sparkling Pomegranate Persimmon Martini-

Ingredients 

for 

Each Martini

2 ounces Vodka

2 ounce Ginger Beer

2 ounces Pomegrante (or cranberry) Juice

1 Persimmon

Pomegranate Seeds to Garnish

To Make

In a martini glass or shaker mix the liquids. 

Add a squeeze or persimmon

 and garnish with Pomegranate seeds!

Enjoy!

Mama Blessings

Spent the weekend with Kyle and our darling little peanut! She and Big D are becoming best buds! She looks for him every morning when she wakes up. 

The best thing about my weekend...she started to babble "mamamamama" all weekend! So sweet! What a blessing to hear your little one call you "mama" when she sees you!

This week Alisa's Garden teamed up with Mary Banducci Photography to bring you some festive drink recipes! Up first is a Sparkling Pomegranate Persimmon Martini on Monday Morning!

Sophia is 6 months old today!

Our sweet little one is six months old today! Where does the time go?!

She is such a blessing and so precious! We love how her little personality is starting to shine! She is sitting  up all by her self now. She wants to crawl SO bad but hasn't quite figured it out yet. 

She had her six month check up today and is in the 90th percentile for height but only about 15 pounds. She's definitely taking after the Lewis side...tall and skinny! She LOVES to eat her solids now but only enjoys what mama cooks...none of that jarred stuff. Butternut squash, apples, cucumber, avocado, grapes, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes. 

Here's a little progression from birth through five months.

Local Etsy Shops

This year I decided I didn't want to buy the usual Christmas "junk" for presents and decorations. It's our first year having a real tree as a family! I'm loving Christmas time with a baby. Kyle insists that every ornament on our tree have some meaning or special occasion attached to it. He prefers these to the typical glitter orbs and ribbons. I agree...I like this ideas and want to make it a family tradition. So we have about 10 ornaments now. They are things Sophia likes...elephants and lions. Things Kyle likes...pigs, cows, farm animals, and little hand tools. And things I like...gardening boots, chickens. I just need to find some cooking utensil ornaments now!

For gifts, I am either making them all or buying from local Etsy friends. I wanted to showcase a few of my favorite Etsy shops that are all local to our Spokane & Coeur d'Alene area.

Nicelle crochets these beautiful chunky cowl scarves! I love the huge buttons and chunky yarn!

Here is her shop: Nichelley on Etsy

Jenny of Carousel Vintage Clothing sells her amazing vintage clothing on Etsy, too! Isn't this dress great for a Christmas party!?

Here is her shop: TravelingCarousel

Erica makes and sells these adorable tulle skirts and other clothing items for babies and kids! 

Her shop is SnickerDoodle.

Lindsey also makes and sells more adorable clothes for babies and kids! Love her embellished onesies!

Her shop is Paisley Prints.

~Happy shopping, friends! Support your local artisans and Etsy sellers this Chirsmas!~