Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade

Spring has finally arrived and I am loving the warmer weather!  The scene above is where you can typically find me in the evenings.  Since Mike goes to bed so early, the dog and I have taken to heading outside so he can play and I can relax.  Few things are better than a sunny evening accompanied by man's best friend, a good magazine, and a cold drink.

I have to give Mike a lot of credit for the idea behind this drink.  A few months ago, we were at the movies and he was ordering pop and popcorn for us.  Knowing that I have to limit the amount of caffeine that I drink, he ordered a "special" drink for us to split.  He asked the concessions worker to mix lemonade and Sprite together, and it was delicious!  It has now become our go-to drink when we go to the movies.

We were at the store a couple weeks ago and I saw a new flavor of Sierra Mist--Strawberry Kiwi.  It sounded really good, so I picked up a bottle.  Later that day, Mike and his friend were working on my car's brakes and I wanted to make something refreshing for them to drink.  I thought of the Sierra Mist and then our special movie drink.  I decided I would make a big pitcher of Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade.

I happened to have some fresh strawberries and a lemon in the house, so I figured it would add those into the drink.  (Side note--be sure to wash your lemon before cutting it!)  The men really liked this drink, and I enjoyed it too!  I am sure this drink will be a staple in our house this summer!

Sparkling Strawberry Lemonade 
 
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 quart lemonade (homemade or store-bought)
1 lemon, sliced
5 strawberries, sliced
2 cups Strawberry Kiwi Sierra Mist (you can use plain Sierra Mist, if necessary)

1.  In a large pitcher, combine the lemonade, lemon, and strawberries.  Refrigerate until you're ready to serve the lemonade. (The longer this mixture sits, the stronger the strawberry flavor will be.)

2.  Right before serving, pour the Sierra Mist into the lemonade. 

3.  Serve over ice, if desired.

*If you are planning to serve the lemonade immediately after preparing it, go ahead and add the Sierra Mist right away.  I just recommend waiting to add the Sierra Mist until you're serving the drink so that it doesn't go flat.