It was one of those moments where, as a parent, I wanted to remember every detail. I studied the freckles on his nose, his dark brown eyes. I leaned over to breathe in the smell of his hair. I paid attention to his clothes, his shoes, the pitch of his voice. I made an effort to etch all the details of that exact moment into my brain. I think one of my greatest fears as a parent is that one day many of these amazing little moments will leave me – that I won’t remember the details, that my aging brain will fail me.
I breathed it all in and held my breath, hoping to make it all stick. So that one day I might be able to live in that moment again when Jack is off at college, or starting his first job, or busy raising a family of his own.
I worry about him not having summers like I did as a kid. I was outside from dawn till dusk with the neighborhood kids building forts, hosting lemonade stands, exploring streams, and waging epic battles. With Heather and I both working, he spends all summer at day camp. And while he loves it, I feel like he’s missing out. With the debilitating realization that I have exactly 10 summers left before he goes off to college, I felt like a trip was in order.
He and I don’t often do things just the two of us, so this trip was special. Disney World is somewhere that we visit often, but this trip was different for that exact reason – it was just the two of us. And while it was by necessity that it was just us – Heather couldn’t get the time off from work – I was kind of glad. Not that we wouldn’t miss her, but just that it gave us guys some time to spend together and be silly and act crazy and do “guy stuff.”
I knew all the while that this child beside me wasn’t a baby any longer, but also wasn’t too far from being a teenager. I knew that in just a few years, he’d avoid sitting anywhere near me, much less pressed against me as he was. So I knew I had to soak it in. And I did. And we got off the bus and we played and we laughed and we ate funnel cakes for breakfast and rode one ride 10 times. And I let him make all the decisions. And I forgot about deadlines and how the trip was using all of my leave. And I forgot about daily the struggle to balance life, and job, and and blog. I lived right in that moment. And he did too. And it was amazing.
Sometimes you just need to let go and let things be amazing. And work hard to let it all sink in. And remember all the details. And sometimes you just need to forget that another summer is almost over…
And sometimes you need to make homemade ice pops. I’d call them Popsicles, but that’d be illegal cause the folks at Unilever own that word, so I can’t call them that. So I’ll call them ice pops. But you know what they are. And it helps if those ice pops are sweet tea flavored.
To start, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add 1 family-size tea bag to the water. Allow it to steep for 10 to 15 minutes or until it’s strong like you like it. Remove the tea bag and stir in 3/4 cup of sugar. Continue to stir until it has completely dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature then pour into an ice pop mold. This is the one I have and I absolute love it. It’s enough liquid to fill at least 10 3-ounce pops.
Be sure to leave some space in each one so there’s room for them to expand as they freeze. Pop the top on and add a stick if your mold doesn’t already have them and pop them in the freezer. Freeze for about 4 hours or until completely frozen.
With my mold, it helps to run a little room temperature water over them to get the pops loose from the mold. You can always add a few pieces of fresh fruit or berries to the mold before you add the tea if you wish for even more flavor. I love adding blackberries, raspberries, and even sliced peaches. Y’all enjoy!
Recipe Card
Sweet Tea Ice Pops
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 family size tea bag
- 3/4 sugar
Instructions
- In a medium pot heat the water to a simmer. Turn the heat off and add the tea bag. Allow it to steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue mixing until it has all dissolved. Allow the tea to cool to room temperature and then pour it into your pop mold, being sure to leave a little space in the top of each one to allow for expansion. Freeze for about 4 hours or until the pops are completely frozen.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Jackie L Hahn-Winans
where did you buy those mold?
Hi Jackie! This one came from Amazon: https://amzn.to/2GzdfEZ
Angela
Thank you for this recipe. My granddaughter has multiple food allergies and I’m always on the lookout for a treat that she can eat. This fills the bill! And, she loves them.
Love hearing that!!!
Donna
I know this is down the road a bit from when you posted it, but I had to tell you I enjoyed this so much. I wish I could pass a copy of it out to every parent I know (maybe they don’t need it, but it was just so enjoyable to read. Of course, the sweet tea “ice pops” were what caught my eye, and I will be trying them. ThankUmuchly!
You’re so sweet to say that, Donna. Thank you so much!
Bev Ross
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I love making all kinds of pops. I have a mold very similar to your except it is all metal. I like that you can see through yours so you know how full to make it. Mine will make 14 at a time. It is so fun and refreshing to make these. I love your blog.
Thanks, Bev! Hope you’ll enjoy these too!
Kathy
Love this post! My “children” are 28 & 26 now but I can still remember those one-on-one moments that are so dear. Being intentional is everything because childhood passes so quickly. Soak it up!
The ice pops look great too – wonder how they would be with just a little lemonade mixed in?
Yes, I think adding a little lemonade would be awesome!
Mary // chattavore
What a sweet post, Stacey! I love how your love for your family is so obvious from every post. And the ice pops look very tasty!
Thanks, Mary!
Nancy
I love your blog and recipes but I can’t tolerate the advertisement that comes up in the lower right corner. There is nothing I can do to get rid of it! Very annoying to put it mildly. First time I’ve seen it. If you continue to have it I just won’t read your emails and will drop off of your list. It’s about Travel. Thank you.
I’m so sorry, Nancy! All the pop up ads should have an x in the upper right hand corner of the ad for you to close them. If you’re not seeing that let me know and I’ll let my ad team know. Those ads are what helps me to be able to offer my recipes for free to y’all. I know they can be frustrating, but please understand.
Nana
Yes-treasure every moment you can as childhood is amazingly fleeting. Not looking for an advertisement or endorsement but where did you find such nice molds? I have purchased different ones over the years but never saw a nice set like that.
No problem! Here’s the one I use. I really like it! https://amzn.to/2apUPT5
jennifer moreland
How precious!!!!! My only son is off to college August 12. Enjoy every minute. They will always come back. Children go through stages. Enjoy all of them.
Bless you, Jennifer! I know that day isn’t too far off for us.
Rahul @samosastreet.com
Perfect icy treat!!! Love the idea
Melissa @ Served Up With Love
What wonderful memories you made with your little man. So glad you were able to let go of everything and just be daddy. What a great recipe too!
Thanks, Melissa! It was some much needed time away.