Mid-summer mania......

is making me SCREAM.......FOR ICE CREAM!
Then, I'm SCREAMING when the zipper on my  pants is SCREAMING "I CAN'T MAKE IT" ....

There is an explanation for this ice-a-mania I am currently experiencing.....

Here's the thing.....and...as convoluted as this is going to sound, I am going to tell you all about it.  
Stay with me here....promise me, it will make sense in a Judi-kindaway.
You see....earlier in the summer---during a fit of planning for all of the summer guests at the B&B and on-site bar/restaurant  that I evidently run in my home,  I went on a little shopping spree.  I wanted to pick up a few goodies that would make things a little more welcoming, a little more fun and a little easier in the entertaining department.   So,I picked up a variety of things that I decided would fit the bill......
*THIS
*THIS
*A few sets of THESE
*THIS
*2 of THESE
AND
*Several packages of THESE

I am sure you see the all-about-eating-and-drinking theme I had going during my shopathon.
Yeah that's how I roll....
Although I probably needed none of these things, I am happy to report that they have all been serving up all of what I had intended for them.   Each of them have come in very handy and been used over and over again for various situations---from small gatherings to larger gatherings to just having things available for guests who are on their own while I am working or busy with other things.
One evening right before the 4th of July weekend, we hosted a small after-business-dinner "sundae bar" party for some visiting consultants that were in town to work on a project my husband was heading up. *I know what you are thinking--why not after-dinner drinks?  Yeah, well, that's what I first suggested. "That's a no-go Judi. We got non drinkers..." was my husband's response. Hence  the three days of that  puzzled look on my face as I tried to figure out what to do*   Once I got past the fact that we were going to do business entertaining without cutting up limes and lemons and stuffing olives with blue cheese, it was actually a fun evening to set up and shop for.   Lots of ice cream and yummy fixings and I even did a fun centerpiece--a balloon ice cream cone project  that I found on Pinterest (I can't believe I didn't take a picture...!!!).  AND, I was so excited that several of my new things came in very handy for setting up my BAR.  Especially those patriotic snack bowls that I bought on Oriental Trading.  It was a perfectly perfect evening....even without the cocktails.  Who knew?

(well....no cocktails on the deck...I had our after-dinner  martinis hidden in the kitchen for Carmen and I!!!)

 Naturally, I over-bought when it came to the ice cream and the syrups and the whipped cream and the toppings.   But, you know....I didn't want to run out.   
Famous last words. 
Let's get real--how can we run out when we have 7 people AND 6 gallons of ice cream, 2 of each type of syrups, 3 canisters of whipped cream and godknowshowmanypounds of fixings? *Hey, I figured if they don't drink, they must eat lots of ice cream...right?*
Get it now?
Yes, I had leftovers.  LOTS OF LEFTOVERS. 
Thus began my desent into the land of nightly ice cream parties.  
Everything is just so easy.  Especially the fact that I have those cute little throw-away patriotic snack bowls....*no extra dirty dishes to do at night....AND....no evidence of my errant ways*
Sometimes I can be so-about the details....
Sure..... let's not forget that I was also left with 4 gallons of ice cream, lots of lots of syrups and whipped cream and toppings....*it would be criminal to waste  all of that*
But, seriously...it's really all about those cute little bowls....
Every night, I can't wait to get out one of those little bowls.....*it makes me so happy*
Alright...maybe it is about the ice cream slathered in gooiness and topped with goodness...
Or, is it about the bowls?

So many bowls!!!
 My mania continues.......