Oh, I just love that cozy, delicate, bitter aroma twisting through the air in the morning. Warm in the winter or cool in the summer, coffee is a simple pleasure that seems to make my home into a haven and my kitchen a little cozier. Enjoying the scent and the flavor of coffee as we start the day is a ritual my husband and I love, and our babies all love as well since they can snuggle in while we drink that first delicious mug! Making fantastic coffee at home is simple. Here are a few steps, tips, and tricks I picked up while working as a new mom in a small local coffee shop… Note: This post contains a few affiliate links for products I truly love and recommend. First things first. You can use a variety of different coffee makers at home, from a countertop keurig to an elegant pour-over carafe. My personal favorite, and what I feel is the simplest, is a french press. To make coffee with a french press, I heat my water to just below a boil (no wild bubbling), scoop a two-tablespoon portion of coarsely-ground coffee into the carafe, pour the water in gently, let it all brew for four minutes, then place the top on and gently press the grounds down with the handle. (I have pressed too quickly in the past at the coffee shop, and experienced an explosion! The ghost of coffee mess past says, “Press gently,” trust me!) Then pour and enjoy your rich, frothy cup of pressed coffee. I use this french press , the Bodum Chambord, because it is produced by a well-renowned company, is manufactured in Europe, and is the exact one we used at the coffee shop continuously, without fail or issue. They now have one with a copper-colored frame and it is just beautiful. The same model made it through many, many french press orders at the bustling coffee shop, and it needed cleaned (see below) every time and still held up very well. … On a completely unrelated note, I actually made Robert Duvall a latte at that coffee shop! It was terrifying, because I had only worked there for a week at that time, shakily pouring that latte, for Robert Duvall. Now if you don’t pack enough ground coffee into your espresso shots, or you let them sit a minute too long, they taste…
Read More5 Ideas to Grace Your Mornings
Sunlight, that feeling after a restful sleep, the chill of early morning air as you wake up. Every new morning presents its beauty and its challenges. In perfect honesty, one morning every few weeks I spring out of bed on rays of sunshine, energized and ready for the day. On all other mornings, getting myself started could be likened to getting an elephant- a grumpy elephant- onto a hoverboard for a twelve-day journey through the clouds. On most mornings, as you see, I need some help to get up and going and to prepare for the day. Since beginning the day well is the key to creating a day… then a week… then, even a year, full of cherished memories and valuable moments, some simple habits are needed. Just a few peaceful morning habits set the foundation for a grace-filled day, and I try to practice them, and they truly help. I can always tell the difference when I didn’t begin my day well. So many things in life are out of our hands, the morning routine is a gem to nourish, and it will nourish us back. So, to be tougher than the inevitable rice crispies cemented to the floor, quicker than the baby set on spilling the hottest of coffees, and calmer than the mountain-top yogi I saw on Pinterest the other day, here are a few suggestions to build grace into your morning routine. Five ideas for grace in the earliest of those small moments: Pray a prayer in a very simple form – pure and in pajamas, connecting the day to Heaven. One of the best: “A pure heart create for me, O God, and put a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, nor deprive me of your holy spirit.” -Psalm 51 What do you need today? Maybe peace, maybe strength, maybe everything. Putting this into words and knowing you are never alone makes an imprint on the day, from its first early moments. Do some refreshing exercise – There’s a reason people like to get their sweat on bright and early, it is energizing! I prefer the steady burn of yoga to wake all my muscles up. Good Morning Yoga on my Flexibility board on Pinterest is one of my favorite simple, illustrated guides. I also love the Down Dog yoga app, which has beautiful visuals, cool music, and a sense…
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