Drink of the Month: Tropical Red Sangria

I love Sangria!  Not the nasty stuff you find in a plastic bottled labeled, "Sangria," but real hand-made Sangria prepared with a good bottle of wine.  

White Sangria has always been my Sangria of choice.  I like Red Sangria, but I always found it to have a weird flavor that I just wasn't a fan of.  I finally realized what the flavor was, it's Brandy.  It seems like most Red Wine Sangrias call for Brandy, and I do not like the stuff.  So I set-out to make one that didn't involve Brandy.
  
It took a couple years, and a few failed attempts that went down the drain, but I finally concocted the perfect Red Wine Sangria for me.  

Most Sangrias are comprised of four main ingredients: wine, liquor, sugar, and fruit.  
*Wine is the easy one, I prefer a dry-spanish wine in Sangria, but most any red wine will work.  
*For the liquor component I used spiced rum instead of brandy.  
*The sugar was no sugar at all, it was Simply Tropical by Simply.
*The fruit was slices of orange and lime (because it's what I had on hand at the time).

Finally, a Red Sangria that I can drink all Summer long.  

Casual Christmas

I can't believe how hot it is this Christmas?!?!  My car yesterday said it was 79 degrees outside and I don't think it was lying.  Wearing a simple t-shirt, jeans, and flats I was sweating and had the AC blasted in my car.  

Given the heat and the fact that I have a baby boy, this is not a boots and cute shirt kind of Christmas, it's a casual one.

What's the best way to dress casual for Christmas?  T-shirts of course, but not just any t-shirts, Christmas ones; particularly those quoting Christmas movies. 

Hands down Christmas Vacation is the greatest Christmas movie of all time.  

Quiz time!  Who said, "You Serious Clark?" in Christmas Vacation, and why was it asked?  

Paired with my cutest pair of red pointy-toe flats and my Kate Spade bow earrings, this green holiday shirt is my absolute favorite.  

Baby boy on the other hand went with an ugly sweater Home Alone onesie donning, "Merry Christmas You Filthy Animal." It was kind of perfect for him during this photo shoot because he was a tired little thing and not in the mood to smile.  

Wherever you are this Christmas, and whatever weather you might be having, I hope it's a great one.