Game Changer

I love coffee.  And I used to be one of those people who bought a coffee every day, maybe twice a day.  I was that person who charities would be talking to in their commercials when they said “for less than the cost of one coffee a day…”  Yep- I was a guilty coffee consumer, all day, every day.  I didn’t like that I had this habit, both because of cost and also because (being dairy-free) that meant I was consuming soy every day.  But we had owned almost every kind of home coffee maker- regular drip, keurig, french press, espresso machine, and a chemex, and I still couldn’t seem to make the perfect cup at home.  The espresso machine was the closest, and by the time I got the machine cleaned after using it, my coffee was cold anyway.  

But then our friends introduced us to the little contraption that saved our bank roll: the aeropress.

Photo: Firebox.com

The aeropress is not only the easiest coffee maker to use and clean up, it is also plug free.  All you need is your favorite ground coffee and boiling water.  It is small too, so it takes up very little room in the cupboard (less than your bag of ground coffee).  It is very portable, so it is perfect for taking on trips, especially camping.  It’s paper filters are reusable- the inventor of the aeropress has reused his paper filters up to 20 times, and a deployed navy seal used his up to 30!  Or, like I did, you can buy a reusable metal filter for about $7 on amazon.  The aeropress costs only $29.95, so it is one of the most affordable forms of making coffee.  And, what was probably the biggest benefit to us, it is now my only coffee maker; we freed up so much space in our cupboards when we purchased the aeropress, aiding in the minimizing of our possessions.  

On top of all of these awesome benefits, the aeropress is self-cleaning and best of all, it makes my perfect cup of coffee.  I use Peet’s house blend coffee- it’s not organic, but the company uses fair practices and I just can’t top the flavor.  Since I prefer to drink lattes, I use heated organic almond milk with a touch of organic honey, and then I froth the milk just a tad with the $2 ikea milk frother.  Pour the almond milk over two shots of coffee, and hello perfection in a cup.  The coffee that comes from the aeropress is just so smooth, and I don’t even need to leave my kitchen.  You can make espresso for lattes, but you can also make regular black coffee.  The invention of the aeropress is pretty awesome too.  I will share the link below so you can read about it for yourself.  I hope it is a game changer for you as it has been for me.  

https://medium.com/backchannel/first-alan-adler-invented-the-aerobie-now-he-s-created-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee-c5e94ccc538e

Thank you for reading!

My Favorite Breakfast Smoothie

I have been really enjoying my morning smoothie (that is, what I actually get of it after my daughter drinks most of it).  I thought I would share the recipe with you, although these measurements are just an estimate.  Also, I love how well the Vitamix blends this into such a smooth treat.  

Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

1 tbsp organic chia seeds

1/4 scoop Garden of Life Raw Organic Green Super Food powder

1/4 scoop Garden of Life Organic Raw Meal (vanilla flavor)

3 tbsp organic peanut butter (make sure there are no hydrogenated oils)

2 tbsp Organic Cacao Nibs 

1 large frozen organic banana

Enough original unsweetened organic coconut milk to cover the ingredients

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend on high until smooth.  Add more coconut milk if needed to reach desired consistency.  Enjoy immediately.  

You could change up these ingredients.  Try almond or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter.  Or use another non-dairy milk, like almond, hemp, or rice. You could even use flax seeds instead of chia.  I just love chocolate peanut butter cups, so I prefer this particular recipe.  It tastes like dessert for breakfast, but it is so healthy.  Of course, you don’t NEED to use organic ingredients, but I prefer it for our family.  Here is a picture of the powders and cacao nibs that I use, just for reference.  

I hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading. 

On Loss

If you had told me at any point in the last 30 years that I would be sitting next to my grandmother as she took her final breath, I would have told you that I don’t think my heart could handle it.  And for just a moment, I can still swear that my heart stopped right along with hers.  That day, exactly one month ago, was one I had dreaded for as long as my mind can recall; I could not imagine a world without that sweet woman in it.  In the days that followed, I grasped at anything that she had ever given me or written me and any photo that she was in, and I tried to fit it all into our already overstuffed fireproof safe.  I failed.  I cried.  No…I sobbed.  

Some people say, after they lose a loved one, that God must have needed another angel in heaven.  I see their sentiment, but I would politely disagree.  You see, God doesn’t need anything- everything is a gift from Him.  It’s us that need those kind souls that He places in our lives, be it for years, decades, or just a few moments.  For 93 years, He gave us one hell of a woman that I got to call Grandma, and I’m so grateful.  Because someone like that never really dies- their legacy lives on in our memories, and hopefully, in the people that we become. 

To my Grandma- you did well.  You lived a life to be proud of.  Thank you for the love.  Thank you for the memories.  Thank you for the example.  Thank you for sticking around to meet our daughter- she loved you instantly, as most people did.  You are thought of often, and with joy.  We miss you and we will love you always.

To my readers, my friends, thank you for your kindness during this difficult time.  Your kind words, encouragements, and prayers, along with the unwavering support of my husband, were my therapy.    

A Break

Hello Dear Readers,

On Tuesday of this week, my family suffered a deep loss with the passing of my Grandmother.  I will be taking the next several weeks away from blog-writing.

In the meantime, go tell those that you love just how much you love them and cherish your time together.  And don't forget to take lots of pictures.  These things, you will never regret.

Thanks for checking in.

Capsule Wardrobe Follow-Up

Hello all- I hope you are all doing well.  I have heard some great feedback about the capsule wardrobe post that I wrote several weeks ago, and a lot of people have decided to try it out- hooray!!  For some, the beginning of the capsule wardrobe will be easy.  But for others, looking into a full closet will feel very overwhelming, both because of the task of trimming it down and the fear of doing it wrong.  But let me just ease your mind and tell you that you will make mistakes.  See, don’t you feel better (wink, wink)?  But as you learn more about your signature style and your clothing preferences through those mistakes, you will gain more confidence in your decision making processes, and eventually the mistakes will be fewer and fewer.  I heard one of my favorite “capsule experts” say that each piece you choose for your wardrobe is a case-study; some will not wear well or shrink after washing, some items you just won’t wear much, and some items you will wear quite a bit but you will realize that they don’t, after all, reflect your true style and they should be donated.  I have had all of these things happen.  

I think one of my biggest mistakes to date with the capsule is when I stray from my comfort zone to try the latest fashion trends.  Let me just say, boyfriend jeans are super cute on some, but really not made for everyone.  Also, women who wear a larger-than-average shoe size may feel like pointy-toe heels will make your feet look even bigger.  And the combination of the two, which is a super-hot trend right now, is probably (um, ok, definitely!) not for me.  But these are lessons you will want to learn about yourself, and it’s great- everyone is different, and that is a beautiful thing.  These lessons are learned by making mistakes, so be encouraged.

Another lesson I’ve learned is that stores that I used to love may not have what I am looking for anymore.  I used to love Anthropologie…like LOVE it.  Now, I can’t find anything in their current selections that will work for my spring/summer capsule.  That is so strange to me, but I love knowing exactly what I want and not settling for something different.  I still plan on shopping at Anthro- they have great quality clothing and their selection is always changing.  But I find that I now favor the stores that I used to consider “boring.”  So know that if you are starting out with your capsule, it might be helpful to “forget” what you think you prefer and you may be surprised at how much more there is to choose from out there in the retail world that suits your true style and body type better.  I am also still a big advocate for second-hand clothing stores- they carry so much variety, they cost less, and it’s like recycling clothing- win-win…win.       

Now let’s talk about a topic that I hear most minimalists/capsule wardrobe enthusiasts talk about: minimalism looks different for everyone.  This carries beyond the closet.  What’s minimal for you and your family situation will be completely different than what is minimal for someone else.  What your minimalism looks like will be dependent on your lifestyle, where you live, your hobbies and interests, family size, if you work or not, and even sometimes gender.  Here’s what you need to remember: if you have things in your wardrobe or in your home that you use daily, weekly, monthly, etc, then keep it.  Don’t feel like you need to get rid of something because your friends/family have less in their home.  That is not what minimalism is about.  It is about living with YOUR minimal.  So if you need more in your capsule wardrobe than what I have or what your friends have, then you’ll have more.  And that is just fine.  As time goes on, you may even find that you can trim down- and that is the beauty of it; minimalism is a continual process.  

An example of how minimalism looks different for everyone is my husband’s capsule wardrobe.  He has two capsules: a Fall/Winter/Spring and a Summer.  Some people will have one for each season.  I fall somewhere in the middle, with what I like to call “Capsule Overlap.”  I do not have four distinctly separate capsule wardrobes, but rather, I have pieces that I wear through two or more seasons, or even year round.  For example, my layering tanks and my utility jacket are worn year-round, while my down jacket and sandals have specific seasonal capsules that they fit into.  This, again, will look different for everyone, but it is nice to know that if you are on a budget, you can have overlap and get more use for your money.  Moment of total transparency: I have 77 capsule items, including shoes, in my current and off-season capsules (most of those items are in a storage bin because they are off-season).  I have a handful of items to get for spring and summer when that time comes, but I hope the number of items in all four of my capsules never exceeds 90.  If my limit for each capsule is 40 items and there are 4 seasonal capsules, (40x4=160) you can see how much overlap there truly is.  Ninety is a number that I am very happy with, especially if that is 90 items of clothing/pairs of shoes that I actually wear and love.  But 90 may be way too high for some people, and it may be way too low for others; it is all dependent on your personal needs. 

I mentioned above the topic of getting more use for your money, and I don’t know that I have discussed my long term capsule goals.  My goal is to stop creating new capsules each season after I have completed one full year, and just maintain/tweak the core that I have on hand already.  This will probably take a lot more mistakes as I discussed above, but I have hope that I can get to a point where I love everything in my closet each season, and the only time I shop will be to replace worn out or damaged items.  I am hopeful that I will be able to trim down to my necessities, but also have enough good quality and well-fitting clothes to be really happy with that minimum.  To say that I will never shop again would be a total lie- I know I will age and my figure will change, and so will my tastes.  But I hope by that time I will know my signature style well enough to shop smart, and keep considering quality, fit, style, and longevity of what I purchase.  I feel hopeful that I am on the right track.  And having a great core that only needs maintenance instead of total overhaul will be when the capsule wardrobe really starts working for me, instead of the other way around.  To love your clothes and only spend a small amount of time and money on your wardrobe?  I’d take that any day!    

I hope your transitions to a more minimal wardrobe are going well, and please let me know if there are any specific questions you would like to discuss on the topic (or other topics, for that matter).  And as always, thank you for reading!           

    

When It Rains...

Hello friends.  Please excuse my absence these past couple weeks.  I’d love to be able to say that I’ve been off traveling or doing research for the blog or something really awesome, but the truth is, it’s been a hard couple of weeks for my extended family, and we have been doing our best to be present with them whenever possible.  I’d hate to bore you with details, because honestly, everyone has tough weeks, challenges, stresses, lack of time, and a whole array of hurdles to overcome.  That’s life, right?  But how we deal with these difficult times determines how we will get through them.  For us, we are just praying for opportunities to serve our family and each other.  Period.  No drive is too far, no favor too small (or large), and we are learning that just being present and showing love is sometimes the most powerful gift of all.  We all need it that kind of support.  And we can all give it.  

Wishing you a lovely week ahead, and thank you for reading.           

Aging

Hello readers, how are you?  I hope this past week has been a good one for you, and if it hasn’t been great, I hope you are headed into a nice, relaxing weekend.  Since my last entry, our family has been very busy.  So, I am going to keep this short. 

There is something a little personal that I would like to ask you about.  So let’s take a moment to talk about a hard topic, shall we?

As a parent of a young child, as many of you may also be, my time is completely occupied with the day-to-day task of taking care of my growing daughter.  But for some parents who's children are grown and out of the house, their focus may have to shift toward taking care of their aging parents.  That has been the story of my family over the past couple of weeks as my grandmother, at age 94, struggles with dementia.  

I’d rather not bore you with the details about what we have decided to do as a family.  But standing here now, looking forward, I have to ask myself what I plan to do if my own mother or father, or my in-laws struggle with the same things.  Have you had this conversation with your parents?  Have you asked them the tough questions about their preferences should their health decline so much that they become a danger to themselves and others?  What if they need 24 hour care?  What if their finances don’t allow them to bring someone into their home to provide that care?  In a culture where we spend so much time planning for our own future with finances (retirement funds, 401k, Roth IRA, etc, etc) wouldn’t it also be worthwhile to figure out how we will care for our aging parents should they need care?  It’s a very difficult topic to discuss- it is family, after all.  I have no wisdom to offer on the subject other than to just brave it and have the talk with your parents.  Someday, you might be very glad you did and that you have a plan everyone has agreed upon.  Good luck to you as you prepare for your future, and thanks for reading.