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Now that the weather has finally cooled off, we’ve been spending a lot of time at the park. For months, we had to wait until almost bedtime for it to be cool enough, but now we can go in the afternoon, as soon as Shane is out of school! Now when we go Justin and I aren’t already tired- at least, we aren’t once we finish the coffees we bring with us.
However, the last few days have been rainy- not something we see often here in the desert. My kids aren’t used to being cooped up- at the very least they can usually use the backyard- so when it rains, I try to do something special to let them have some fun. Since I’m used to having a coffee at the park after school, I was inspired to switch it up a little and have a Hot Cocoa Bar!
I grabbed everything that we had that would go great on hot cocoa- whipped cream, sprinkles, white chocolate sauce, cinnamon sticks, pumpkin pie spice, and of course, marshmallows. Since Halloween is in just a few days I grabbed some of our decorations from around the house to make it extra special! When it was all ready, I called the boys to the dining room and they were so excited to make their own custom cocoa!
Both of the boys had fun adding way too many marshmallows {and lots of sprinkles!} to their cocoa. I added a cinnamon stick and some pumpkin pie spice for an extra bit of fall. Justin went classic, but that’s just how he is so it was perfect. And the best part? Since we used our Dixie To Go® cups that I typically save for trips to the park or running to school in the morning, we were able to bring our hot cocoa downstairs to the living room to watch a movie together. We didn’t have to worry about the cocoa spilling on the carpet because the lids are leak-resistant, and the boys had no problem holding onto their cups because they have an insulated layer to keep your drink warm without burning your hand. {It was especially great for Zac, who hasn’t quite graduated from sippy cups, which you can’t use with warm beverages!}
Our hot cocoa toppings bar was spur of the moment because of the crummy weather, but a hot cocoa bar would make a great addition to any fall party! Warm your guests up while letting them make their own custom drink with a few fun ingredients, Dixie To Go® cups, and these free printables!
{To use these printables, click here or on the image to download the file and print it out. Then, cut the light grey lines and fold each piece in half to create tabletop tent signs!}
Sometimes it’s the little moments that make childhood special, like a random weeknight hot cocoa bar & movie night. The kids were bummed at first about the rain but as far as they’re concerned, I totally crushed it. We may have been stuck inside this week, but we love be on the go and exploring fall- and I’m particularly fond of doing it with a Dixie To Go® cup full of coffee. Be sure to pick some up on your next shopping trip so you’re prepared for whatever weather comes your way!
