Coffee Talks

"BFF stone breezing through NYC today." - Jess

"Grown ups eating cupcakes for breakfast." - Erin

Coffee Talks

"This block misses you" - Jess

"This position all day. Get outta here headache!" - Erin

Coffee Talks

"Vacay in full effect!" - Jess

"Why yes! Yes, I would like to test drive my new tub!" - Erin

Good Morning Silver Lining-ers!

Well good morning. If you follow me of Facebook and you are neurotic about checking all your social media as soon as you wake up, then you know that I went on a rant at 5:30am about not sleeping and being generally pissed with the universe. As if dreaming about teeth crumbling out of my mouth and trying to repair them with super glue wasn't bad enough... then the icing on the cake of being forced awake by a hot stream of piss on my back. Mind you this was his third accident of the night. 

With no dry spot left for me to go back to sleep I decided that I MUST turn my day around. So I grabbed the dog and my first cup of coffee and headed straight or the intercostal. Do you know how long it's been since I actually watched the sunrise? Like start to finish. Every spectrum of red, purple, and orange filled the sky. Well it tried to fill the sky. That bitch 'the universe' was waving her middle fingers at me with her cloud cover. 

But you know what? Who cares. I found my silver lining. Sunrise. Check. First cup of coffee alone in peace an quite. Check. One on one time with my explorer dog. Check. 

Mean while its now 7am. I am ready for my incredibly long day of being stranded at home with a nutty almost 4 yr old. But you know what? At least half the laundry is already done...since I was up all night washing sheets.  See what I did there? Looking for the positive. 

Silver lining bitches. 

Coffee Talks

"My Momma knows; Surprise gardenia delivery!" - Jess

"Dedicated to another one of my Ladybirds! 

Thank you Tanil for leaving this in my fridge!" - Erin

Coffee Talks

"Daydreaming of continent jumping with my fox." - Jess

"Making dreams come true! Happy Birthday Babe!" - Erin

Coffee Talks

"'Good' Friday"- Jess

"NYC made me do it!"- Erin

Fake Coffee for Breakfast

In a quest to continue with this clean eating, 

I have decided to not drink as much real coffee.

I will still treat myself every now and then,

and you know I can't give up my 

Wednesday morning Starbuck's dates 

with my boy.

Just taking the coffee intake down a notch.

I found this recipe for fake coffee

and sort of twisted it to make it 

my own perfect morning treat.

So, Here is what you will need:

Almond Milk

Almond Butter

Chicory Root based Instant Coffee Substitute

Banana

Pittend Prunes

Step 1:

While your water is boiling,

place 4 prunes and 2 round tsps of coffee substitute

in a heat proof bowl.

 

Then add 1 cup of boiling water to the bowl and let steep 

for 10 minutes.

Step 2:

Meanwhile, in a blender 

add 2 tbsps of almond butter, and 1 cup of almond milk.

Slice up a banana and add that to the mix as well.

After the prunes are done soaking,

add the entire contents of the bowl to the blender.

Blend until smooth and then add as much ice as you would like.

I make mine the consistency of a frappuccino.

Enjoy your healthy morning pick me up!

Coffee Talks

"Nothing like a vintage hair piece to make you laugh!" - Erin

"Momma Dukes, Cools as a Cuke!" - Jess

The End of A Cleanse

Well it's over, and to be honest,

week 3's menu was so unappealing that we kinda 

just faked the last week.

Sticking to ingredient guidelines we decided to

take our diet decisions into our own hands.

What ever it was about being on this particular 

cleanse for so long did something to us.

We noticed a change, and not just the obvious

weight loss.

We noticed ourselves really truly feeling better

and making better decisions about food.

At "the end" we splurged with pizza

and pasta and sodas, and you know what....

we felt like shit.

Who knew? Well I guess we could have guessed it.

So after decided that we didn't want to gain the weight back and sink

right back into old habits, 

we have decided to make this change a bit more permanent.

While we are NOT by any means going to be following a strict diet

of only rabbit food, we will be using some of the recipes and eating clean-er.

I was so excited to get back onto the coffee train,

but I must admit it's just not the same.

I used to use a delicious powdered sweet processed creamer.

Well I cut that out because of all of the chemical-ish ingredients.

 For a substitute I started using almond milk and honey.

It just wasn't doing it for me, and I was finding myself 

making cups (for the ritual of it all) and only drinking half of them.

I am going to be skipping the daily 3-4 cups from here on out.

Not to say that I will stop drinking it all together, it will just

be more of a special occasion type of thing now.

I am going to try a Chicory Root smoothie substitute out 

and I will let you know how that works out and share the recipe.

This has become one of my favorite meals, 

Baked Salmon with Coconut Broth.

After making it the first time while on the cleanse,

I proclaimed to the hubs that he would be seeing this one again and again.

Really this is not problem for him, he thinks it's super yummy too.

I followed this recipe, 

but added some purple cabbage and a hand full of sweet peppers.

So all in all, I am so happy that we did this 

grueling cleanse and even more excited that I had such great 

support from the hubs and our friends.

I could have never done it with out all the encouragement.

Thanks you all so much.

Coffee Talks

"Impostor" - Erin

"Brooklyn Blizzard '13" - Jess

Coffee Talks

"I love your nooks...and crannies." -Erin

"Hello from Prospect Park!" -Jess

30x30

Day 18 was kind of a test run for something I would love to do on a more regular basis.

The boy and I had a silent reading date at Starbucks.

We started off with a lovely stroll through downtown.

We meandered our way into the Lake Worth Public Library.

After choosing our loot, we headed up the street to our local Starbucks. 

He did such a great job, although he felt the need to read the stories out loud.

We put a 15 minute cap on it, I didn't want to push him

to long and put a negative ending on it.

Over all it was perfect! We will for sure make this a regular date! 

Coffee Talks

"it's going to be a really big mug kinda day!" -erin

"a couple of old gals, side by side" - jess

Coffee Talks

"Wish we were sharing" - Erin

"Drinking my coffee with a straw. Don't judge me." - Jess

Coffee Talks

#eatyourheartoutanthropologie - erin

#wanttopunchherinthekisser - jess

Coffee Talk

So as I promised for 2013, I have many new things happening here on the old blog.  I am so excited to introduce to you the first of a few new projects, called 'Coffee Talk'.

It's no secret that I miss my best friend so much it hurts sometimes.  When we lived right down the street from each other we would meet at my house or hers for coffee talks.  We would spill our guts, share stories about our families, offer advice, laugh, and cry, all the while enjoying a shared pot of coffee.

We are now separated by 1,230 miles, and I desperately miss our coffee talks.  I miss knowing all the small details that are going on in her daily life.  I miss her laughing at me stupid jokes.  I miss drinking so much coffee with her that we both get the jitters.  I miss her.  We still talk regularly, but it's not the same.

But now!!!! Every Friday morning our coffee talks will resume.  We have pledged to take one photograph before noon while having our coffee, and share them with each other, and here with you.

SO... With no further ado.... our first 'Coffee Talk'....

'Emma found C' - Jess

'Robots are watching ME' - me

Joys of Parenting: (Super)Hero

This morning I was shaken from an almost perfect nights sleep by a little boy foot drop kick to the face! Rise and shine! All of us piled on top of each other.  Trying to regulate a grouchy dog, a grouchy mom, a grouchy dad, and a wide awake toddler has become sort of a regular morning routine.  So I started with the bribes and threats.  I was trying to buy myself just five more minutes, when my little monster informed me that he had a tummy ache.  "Mom, my tummy hurts so bad because I am so hungry." says the boy.

So as the guilt hit me like a ton of bricks at the realization that maybe I hadn't fed him enough the night before, I pried myself from my cozy nest of pillows and blankets to make him something to eat.  Like a zombie I dragged myself to the kitchen, wondering why the sun wasn't up yet.  I threw some frozen pancakes into the toaster oven and proceeded to the coffee (which I always manage to mess up when I am that tired). Ding. Now I had pancakes and strawberries on the table, coffee grounds on the floor, and my eyes still closed.

Breakfast ended after three half eaten bites.  Three. That was all.  Then I was informed that he was too full.  I wanted to scream! But settled for cartoons and coffee that was too hot to drink.  As we sat there snuggled on the sofa, the bot turned up and looked at me and said: "Mom, you are my hero!"

I was in disbelief. His hero? What did I do? So I asked him.  Well turns out that hero keep people from starving to death! So there it was.  I stood there over my next steaming cup of coffee, donning my imaginary tights and cape, saving the universe at 6am....one half eaten pancake at a time.

november is for giving thanks: day 12

i am thankful for homemade pumpkin spice lattes.

10 things i couldn't live with out this week

1. coffee...which was made even more apparent this morning at 6am when i realized we were out. wah!
2. catching up on season one of the walking dead with the hubs. i think that i made his year when i told him that i wanted to watch it before season two started.  he loves horror movies and i DON'T...but an artfully done zombie series with an actually story line....we can compromise on that!
3. homemade ribs....all i can say is yum yum!
4. this week at work my coworkers really started to let their true colors show....no more behaving for the new girl.  and i have to say i love them even more than before....there was tap dancing in the break room, fake british accent take out orders, and amazing conversations about hair.
5. i finally found the perfect/fastest route to work, and it just so happens to be right along the intercoastal water way.  driving down flagler for twenty minutes is the best way to start and end my work day!
6. the hubs has been like super dad this week. we are all settling down into our new routines and adjusting.  the hubs has been busting his bum around the house helping with the boy and the chores. how did i get so lucky?
7. i decided that for the month of november in honor of "thanksgiving" i will be doing another gratitude project. a photograph of something that i am thankful for for every day of the month. i really hope that you guys all enjoy this project and that you all join in with me and reflect on the things that we are thankful for!
8. we have a change in the weather down here this weekend and i have to say i really like it. with the exception of the gloominess (which isn't even that bad after all the sun). it's been very windy and not humid at all.  fall is coming...almost time for windows open!
9. took the boy and the hubs costume shopping today....what a bust.
10. funkin craft pumpkins (carvable foam pumpkins)....can't wait to see how this project turns out.