Well, it happened again. For some reason I thought that maybe, just maybe, baking the Southern Living magazine Christmas cake in July would not be as frantic as it is when trying to make it in December. And once again, I was wrong. But, when your nieces ask if you can have a Christmas in July cake baking party you don’t stop to think about the details, you just say it’s a plan! And, so now, I just make myself crazy twice a year. Because, let’s face it, with or without the SLCC, December is the craziest time of the year. And now, July is, too! The best way I thought to sum it up for you was in this little poem. So, here’s the latest scoop on our Second Annual Christmas in July Southern Living magazine cake baking party (sung roughly to the tune of “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.”)

Oh the weather outside is frightful

But the air inside is so delightful

Now that it’s five below

Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow.

This heat doesn’t show signs of breaking

And I’ve got a cake that’s baking

So I’ve turned the air down real low

Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow.

I don’t know what I was thinking

I guess I must have been drinking

I should have just said “No”

Let it blow, let it blow, let it blow

It sounded like fun at the time

To celebrate Christmas in July

So when your nieces ask you to make

A Southern Living Christmas Cake…

Just say no. Just say no. Just say no.

Just because it’s summer

Doesn’t mean it will be “funner”

Your nerves will still be shot

And the kitchen too damn hot

Just say no. Just say no. Just say no.

The whole of summer break

Is not long enough to make this cake

Too soon they will go back to school

I hope by then that it will be cool.

We won’t have time to make the garnish

On all 27 steps we moved too slow

But it should still taste delish

Just say no. Just say no. Just say no.

I think I’ve learned my lesson

That we should have started sooner

And so next time I will remember

Unless we start it in December

I. will. Just. Say. “No”.

Oh, boy—I sure hope so, I hope so,

I hope so!

You can see all the fun on my website at www.itsreallysunny.com

Until next time…Cheers! ~ Sunny

Photo: Billy Brown