Summer! Enjoy Cold-brewed Iced Coffee

One of my addictions, which is hardly a secret? Coffee. And in the summer time? Iced coffee. But it's sometimes hard to really get iced coffee right. If you brew it fresh, it melts all the ice and then it's too watery. If you let it get room temperature in the pot, it's got too much of a sitting around all day taste. Put it in the fridge after it's brewed and it still tastes a little like coffee that went cold.  A little too picky? Well, if you agreed with any of that, keep reading.

I've found the solution for perfect iced coffee: cold-brewed coffee. I've seen mention of it for a while, was doubtful that it would make a difference, but finally made a pot to try it out. Finding: delicious and smooth. And easy. But it does require a little forethought, you have to decide, "yes, I think I will have some iced coffee in about 12 hours."

There are a bunch of recipes and instructions out there; this is my compilation of those for a good pot.  And I chose to use a French Press to be a little fancy; you can use whatever container you have handy if you don't have a press. Or are using it for your hot coffee.

Start with whole bean coffee & grind.

Let sit in your fridge for a few hours.

• Start with whole bean coffee.  Grind coffee beans to course, not too fine.
• Pour 2 tablespoons/cup of water into your french press. Fill with cold water.  (This is the same ratio I use for regular brewed coffee, so adjust if you like your coffee more or less stronger.)
• Put in the refrigerator until later - at least a few hours, up to a day.
• Pour. Mix with creamer, if desired.
• Enjoy!

I told you it was easy!

But what about the sugar? You might be wondering. Yes, I do take my coffee sweet, but I usually use sweetened creamer, so that eliminates that step. If you prefer sugar in your coffee, I would suggest (but have not tried it, yet) that you dissolve your sugar in warm water, then add that to the coffee grounds, and fill with cold water, like you would when making iced tea.

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Currently... Establishing Priorities & Slowing Down

It’s the second week of January.  And while we're usually thinking about how to do more and more, I've started thinking about how to focus on my priorities and maybe slow down while doing so.  Just a little bit.  For now, I’m getting the week started on this rainy, freezing rain, school two-hour delay (again) being a little more mindful.

Drinking coffee from a bowl instead of a mug. Last week, the kids and I treated ourselves to Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar. They had s’mores and the 80’s chocolate milkshakes, I had a Mexican Hot Chocolate. It’s spiced up with chili, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper - plus the obvious fact that it’s also hot, it amps up the spiciness. I like spicy, but I felt like I needed some cake or something to go along with it to balance the spiciness.

Chocolate treats from Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar

Anyway – it was served in a funky little tear-drop shaped bowl, their Hug Mug.  To imagine it – cup your hands together like you’re holding water – that’s the shape of the mug.  It felt so cozy. Since then, I’ve been drinking my coffee at home in a bowl, too. In addition to being warm, another thing I discovered – it makes you slow down. I usually scroll through emails, Twitter and Facebook with coffee mug in one hand. Can’t do that with a bowl. It makes you slow down and not multi-task everything.

My coffee bowl and cranberry cornbread from a recipe I found while decluttering.

Still decluttering.  I’ve made a good dent in my cooking magazines and found some good recipes along the way. Last week I made a delicious cranberry cornbread on the snow day.  And the empty organizing containers are piling up in my office. Empty because I was holding onto so much stuff, when I finally went through it, I realized I didn’t really need all that stuff.  It’s a process, but I'm definitely starting to feel a little lighter.

Planning our menu for the week – starting with the freezer.  Somehow my freezer is packed but each day I’m wondering what we’re going to have for dinner. When I can see some more light in there again, I’ll go shopping again.  Until then, I’ll be defrosting and cooking.  And probably throwing out some food that has been in there way too long.  Cleaning out the freezer is a good way to start out the year. Planning meals is a good way to stick to a a healthy eating plan.

Making time for my workout.  My husband is good with his schedule – everyday he works out. Me? I get the kids off to school then decide – workout or check email and Facebook?  The fit of my jeans is a tattletale on which I generally choose. So, I’m trying to get better at putting my workout – and me – first as a priority. As a sniggling reminder, I get dressed in my workout clothes so that eventually I either will go run and exercise or admit that I did not.  I’ve got my sneakers sitting right next to me as I write.

Making time to read.  I’m squeezing it into my waiting time, as well as allowing myself the downtime to read, rather than completing other stuff or flipping through social media doing nothing. I make sure I’ve got my book in my purse when I leave the house, read a page here and there while waiting. Right now, I’m trying to finish Americanah which I’ve been carrying around for an embarrassing long time, even if it is a long book.

1st book of the new year - finishing up "Americanah"

And of course, I’m still just piddlin’.

Have a good week!

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A Parent's Christmas Wish List

Here’s my list of all I want for Christmas. Or my birthday. Or anyday. 

• More sleep. Specifically, in the mornings because I don’t want to miss Jimmy Fallon and the Roots.  I just want to sleep until after the sun has come up.

• To only have to say “good night, sweethearts” once a night. Okay, even four times would be fine, but once per child per night.

• Less laundry. My kids put on their jeans, go to school, sit at their desks, come home sit on the couch, take them off, throw them in the laundry hamper (or usually the floor, but let’s pretend.) I’ve been telling my kids, air them out, hang them up, wear them again. And I’m even backed up by Levi’s President & CEO Chip Bergh who recommends washing your jeans less than every week – or in his case, annually.  And swimming towels? Ugh. The life of the mother of a swimmer.

• Less dishes to wash. If you just have toast and a boiled egg, you can just wipe of the crumbs and use it again, right? Someone – back me up.

• More sleep.  On the weekends when we’re supposed to be sleeping in, not setting an alarm to get to [fill-in-the-blank] practice.

• To finish a cup of coffee while it’s hot. I start every morning with two cups of coffee. The first one is to sip while I’m getting everyone ready and out the door. I generally never finish that one because mid-way it gets cold.  If I’m lucky, I get to finish the second one between the washing drying, folding, sweeping.

• Mastery of another language that only my husband and I know. This way, we could maybe have a conversation without our offspring interjecting. I’m regrettably not fluent in Korean, so even to this day, my mother and her sisters and friends can talk about whatever they want (including me) without me knowing that they’re talking about. I’m jealous of that power. Lesson young parents – learn a foreign language.

• A helicopter. It doesn’t have to be all Air Force One-ish, something simple with a coffee cup holder that carries five and all their stuff is all I need. Then I could get through the crazy traffic in my county and get everyone to basketball, swimming, tennis, and choir practice all at the same time, without negotiating who will be late this time and who will have to wait afterwards to get picked up. Do they come in pink and green?

• Another cup of coffee, afterall. Yes, let’s go for three. Make it hot.

• A magic potion to make this childhood thing last a little bit longer. My oldest is in high school, her sister will join her next year.  Chatter comes through our house with words like “SAT,” “college application,” “won’t live here anymore,” “driver’s license.”  It’s making me nervous. Where did “dollbabies,” “coloring,” “One Fish Two Fish” go? I’ll take four doses, please.

• Just a little more sleep.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy the gift of eternal love and family, today and every day.

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#DIY Upcycling: Sweaters

Continuing on in my decluttering and reducing efforts, I'm moving on to sweaters.  Kid sweaters, my sweaters (I don't really mess with hubby's clothes, but there's probably a few that I could get rid of on his side of the closet, too.)

You know when sweaters are done. They get all pill-y; and sure, you could shave and pick off all those little bits of worn yarn, but at some point, it's just too much.  They get too small, either lengthwise, widthwise, or you washed or dried it in too hot a temperature.  You get tired of that same old sweater that you've had for 5 years.  Your kid never really liked it anyway, but you did and its still a really good sweater.  All sweaters come to an end. Or at least their end as that original sweater.

Now with my pile of sweaters, I came up with a few ideas to re-use, up-cycle, and of course, donate.  These are simple, not a lot of sewing, no pattern necessary type stuff, because really who has time for all of that?  You can get really fancy, but if you're like me, anything too intensive will end up in the "to do one day" pile, further adding to your clutter.  These can all probably be done in less than a half hour while you're watching TV, then you'll happily say "ta-da!" and can go enjoy your new thing.

Make a cool new cowl.  For that sweater that you love the color or the stitch design, but just have fallen out of love with it as a sweater.  My such sweater was a cozy fuchsia, which I've had a couple winters.  It was getting pill-y, and I was in denial, only to be reminded every time I put it on.  Before reconsidering again, I cut off the bottom, ran a quick hem around the cut edge so it wouldn't unravel, and ta-da - a cozy new cowl in a great color.

Very little sewing - cut off the bottom of a sweater for a new cowl.

Make cozies for your coffee cup.  Save the environment, have a cool little coffee cup, save yourself the $5 these things cost in the trendy boutiques.  Cut off a sweater sleeve, about 3-5" in length.  Hem it so it doesn't unravel, embellish if you wish.  Ta-da. The envy of all your coffee-drinking friends.

Cut the sleeve off an old sweater for a cute coffee cup cozy.

Embellish and make it new again.  Being the practical mom, I bought my daughters basic, good quality cardigans from Lands End. Being the stylish, cool girls, they thought the sweaters looked like school uniforms and shoved them in the back of the closet, but then complained that they didn't have any sweaters.

I found a dress in their closet that one had outgrown and the other would by the time it came in season again with pretty little ruffles on it.  So I carefully cut off the ruffles, then sewed them onto the hem and sleeves of the sweater.  Ta-da! Cute new, ruffly sweater!

Find embellishments from other too-small clothes to dress up a plain sweater.

This requires the most sewing of all these projects.  I did it on a machine, but you could easily do it by hand while sitting at [whatever] practice waiting on the kids.  You could also add flowers or bows or other pretty things, also from other worn out or too-small clothes.  There's a belt on the dress that I think would be cute worn with the sweater, too in that Michelle Obama belt & sweater look that I can't quite pull off, but my daughter probably could.

Of course, there are many other ideas out there on Pinterest. Check out my favorites on my Reuse * Recycle *Upcycle *DIY board.

What are some of your best ideas for re-using a sweater?

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Mom-Me Celebration - Day 18: Have your coffee "Here"

Caffeine is a staple in my life, that's not even a question.  I have a cup of coffee 365 mornings of the year and it goes into either of two types of cups - a mug or a travel cup.

If I will be in the house, it goes into my Animal Kingdom cheetah mug or San Diego Zoo monkey mug.  On the days I'm running out the door, it goes into my Madrid mug from Starbucks. This is not an ad for Starbucks (though I will gladly accept gift cards) but these are the best travel mugs.  The little top flap clips down and is totally spill-proof. I will actually throw this in my tote bag with my iPad and phone with no worries. This is a great feature when you need both hands as you're running around.  However, today, we're focusing on having our coffee "here".

My "to go" cup and my "here" mug - one, or sometimes both, get filled every morning

The cheetah and monkey mug days are the at home days. Those days can still be busy, but in a different way than running around. There is a certain calmness in not driving all over the place, not sitting in traffic and parking and driving some more, even if the day at home is filled with laundry and housework interspersed with episodes of writing.

But I'm suggesting taking it even a step further and enjoy that coffee "here" while being relatively still, because I know its impossible for a busy mom to totally be unmoving.  Whether your "here" cup is on your office desk or kitchen counter, enjoy your coffee while taking a moment to collect your thoughts, calmly write out your to-do list (keeping it to a reasonable length), and breathe a good full, deep breath.

Enjoy.

* * *

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Make Me Beautiful or Pour Me a Cup of Coffee

There are some days, I look in the mirror and think "ooh, who is that old, tired lady hiding out in my bathroom?"  But generally by the time she's woken up, splashed some water on her face, and had a cup of coffee, she looks half-decent.  She kinda looks like me.

 

But apparently, the folks at one of my favorite monthly magazines, thinks I could do better.   Just a quick flip through the latest issue (August, September, this coming December - who knows) yielded no less than 16 ads for a crate of stuff I need to get from the make-up counter (there were maybe 7 or 8 before the first article).

All kinds of lotions and creams and serums to repair my broken cells, hydrate  my skin, erase my wrinkles, brighten my skin,  un-puff my eyes. That's all to make me look younger and healthy.  

That doesn't even count the crate of foundation, concealer, lipstick, lipgloss, eye shadow, eyeliner, lipliner, blush, mascara - what am I forgetting?  All that will make me naturally beautiful looking.  

Oh wait, still need to trim my hair, color my gray (can you really see them?), straighten my waves, curl it back, and put on a cute headband to make it all look so casual.

 

Now with a pair of control top thongs under my slimming jeans, so that I have nothing hanging over the top or visible panty lines, and push-up bra under a waist-cinching top, there will be little evidence of my fondness for chocolate cake and I'll look fit.

 

Wow.  That's a lot of work and my day is half over.  Maybe it's easier just to befriend that woman in the mirror and pour her a cup of coffee. 

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What do you stay awake for?

I went to Caribou Coffee last evening for a latte with raw sugar.  This was my cup.  See what it says?  "What do you stay awake for?"

The irony of getting this cup?  I picked it up on my way to a discussion of the book "Drive"about encouraging intrinsic motivation.  I thought I had read this same query with its partner question - "What gets you up in the morning?"  in that same book, but now can't find the page and admit that perhaps my brain cells that categorize things is mistaken.  

So what's the answer?  The obvious answer, given the contents of the cup, is of course "caffeine".  But I imagine the folks at Caribou were suggesting something a bit deeper, but not necessarily too deep.  There are as many answers as there are people, as evidenced by the answers responses on the cup.  They range from the fun "uncontrollable laugh attacks" to an answer I love, "to end breast cancer - worldwide".  I'm thinking about it considering the late nights I keep, which are often fueled by caffeine.

I'm a night owl, always have been.  I am always the last person in my house to go to bed, generally hours after my husband has dozed off and Jimmy Fallon has said his good-night.  These hours are quiet, they're peaceful.  During this time, I am usually reading a good book, putting pen to paper (literally or electronically), crocheting, scrapbooking once in a blue moon.  Rarely am I washing dishes or dusting furniture.  I spend my late hours exploring something creative.  So, I think that's my answer.  

What about you?  What do you stay awake for?  Leave your answer and I'll read it later tonight.