It began innocently enough. It kind of drew me in with its rich, sweet aroma. For years I’d enjoy the hint of the flavor… in mud pies or Frappuccino's…even an occasional cappuccino. But I wasn’t quite ready to sell out and drink a cup of joe for breakfast on a regular occasion.
Then I went to our annual Labor Day getaway. Which, in addition to being a house full of my closest life long friends and their chillin’, was also a house full of serious coffee drinkers. They were brewin it all the time and offering it to any interested.
So I tried it.
(With milk and sugar)
And liked it, a lot.
They made more, I drank more and by the time I was home and back to life, I found myself longing for that warm sweet cup of love.
I think the big reason why I switched was because I recently gave up Coke and Sweet Tea. I am not swearing off of it or anything. I still have it on occasion, but I am not drinking it with the regularity that I once was, b/c I am cutting back on my caloric intake. (read… trying to fit back into my skinny jeans)
Coffee feels like a desert. It’s warm and sweet and filling and you can sip it for hours. (YET, with 3/4 tbs sugar and a dash of skim milk, it only costs me one point on WW).
I feel like drinking coffee adds a touch of relaxation and luxury to my morning. It’s like a big treat for mommy. I get to hold a warm mug and sip as I teach school. Or bring it to go and sip on our way out the door. Some afternoons as I head out the door to gymnastics or soccer practice, I’ll bring a cup of iced coffee. It’s a refreshing treat with much less fat than a Frappuccino.
I also love that Scott makes it for me. I don’t know that he will always do this, but for the past 2 weeks he has set up the coffee maker and most mornings even pours me a cup. (He doesn’t even drink coffee, he does it all for me)… seriously, it’s like a bouquet of flowers every morning.. I feel so loved and cherished, by this simple act each day. Our mornings are rushed as I to try make breakfasts, fix lunches, over see wardrobes (no you may not wear that flowered shirt with the polka dot skirt… please go change again), nurse the baby, dress myself… and I barely have time to eat. I love when he just hands me a mug of coffee to sip in the midst of the chaos that is our morning.
It makes my kitchen smell wonderfully each morning, makes me feel loved, tastes like a dessert yet easy on the waist, warms you up, it’s a lil taste of vacation in the midst of real life…. seriously, why has it taken me 31 years to get on board with this?
Any other coffee drinkers out there? Tell me, what do you love about it?
I love that it takes a long time to drink. I savor a cup of coffee. And I love that it has zero calories if I drink it black. I also like the fellowship of having coffee with someone- either my morning date with Jesus, or a coffee date with my husband or a good girl friend. During big family get togethers, breakfast can last for hours because we sit around chatting over the coffee long after the pancakes are gone. : ) I just have to be really careful to not drink too much during the day. I build up a tolerance to the caffeine quickly and can become dependant on it, so I have to watch that.
ReplyDeleteHi, my name is Julie and I'm a coffee lover...seriously, been drinking the good stuff since college and it brings that touch of civilisation (I meant that in the British 's' sense), it brings a boost of caffeine, and with the microwave, it can stay warm all day long ; ) I could go on and on, about how coffee is intertwined in my memories of friendships, dating Mike, etc..., and I too love that my hubs makes it in the morning, although not just for my benefit, it is sweet nonetheless. And, while I started heavy on the sugar with a little milk, I gradually switched out the sugar for half and half now, so it's a little smoother going down. Btw, half and half is only a 1 point item in WW too, which made me so happy 'cause skim is a little thin for my taste : )
ReplyDeleteP.S. Lucky you discovered this AFTER your pregnancies. Weaning back to one cup a day, as advised during pregnancy (well, less than 300mgs of caffeine or whatever it is) was HARD.
ReplyDeleteWell, Crystal, I don't know. I just don't know. Sure, I like the way it smells and I love the imagery you portrayed here so much that I now want to love coffee too. And occasionally I do partake of a cup with International Delights Caramel Macchiato creamer. But you've painted me this wonderful picture of life as a coffee drinker and well, I want to jump on your bandwagon, I really do...
ReplyDeleteBut I would miss my tea, I really would. I love my tea. It isn't as romantic as your coffee seems to be, but it's mine and we get along and I'm not sure I should rock the boat in our relationship by bringing another drink into the mix right now.
Julie B...really? You totally have me wondering now if my kids were over-caffeinated in the womb. Because the 300mg number? Never knew it. And probably went over it. That would explain so much about their personalities, too. Dang.
Hmmm, how much do I love coffee? Well, just reading your post today caused me to pour my 3rd cup for the day... and I'm not even tired! : )
ReplyDeleteIn case any of you care, the number has actually been lowered to 200mg a day during pregnancy... I know because I get every mg I can : ) A Starbucks "Tall" is 175 mg, which is bigger and stronger than most normal cups of coffee (even mine, and I like it STRONG) so I typically had at least 1, sometimes 2 cups a day while pregnant. Actually let me clarify... I did that with pregnancies 2 & 3... I had NOTHING during pregnancy 1 because I was a hyper-paranoid freak like most 1st time moms, but with 2 & 3, it was a necessity : )
and now i must go have my mid-afternoon pick-me-up! welcome to the world of warm, satisfying, rejuvenating goodness. i feel kinda proud that i had a hand in leading you here. ahhhh.....
ReplyDeleteI'm like you, I became a coffee lover "later in life". I always loved the smell of it and wanted to like it but never liked the taste. For me flavored creamer that got me hooked on it. I think it was Fat Free Vanilla Caramel. Now I love it so much that I when I go to bed I look forward to my cup of coffee in the morning! We got a Keurig last year and I LOVE it!!! These days I can take my coffee with a touch of milk or half and half, but my creamer of choice is Fat Free Hazelnut - yum!!! A cup of decaf at night is the perfect treat - for the reasons you mentioned above, it helped me when I was doing the P90x diet.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh, nectar-of-the-gods :-) I love coffee so much that I will gladly drink decaf all day just to enjoy the smell and taste of those wonderful roasted beans. Caffeine is just a side benefit of the beverage. I was an early in life coffee drinker (I used to ask my high school teachers for permission to run across the street to Dunkin' Donuts and get a cup) and I love it for all of the reasons you describe. Like Julie, coffee is deeply integrated into my memories of high school, college, teaching, camp counseling, hanging out with friends, and of course life with my wonderful husband, a serious coffee drinker in his own right. I'm so glad you've learned to enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I got started late on coffee and became an addict. I started drinking it regularly when Keith was deployed the last time. I prefer flavored coffee, but I've learned to drink unflavored now. And I like mine with cream and sugar. It is like a dessert. Unfortunately, Jenny hasn't done well with the caffeine, so I've recently cut it out. Drinking coffee again is definitely something I'm looking forward to doing again when she gets a little older!!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to say that I have not converted to Joe yet. But recently your cousin took us to Teavana - the Tea Lovers Starbucks :-) I love the different flavors and fresh brew of loose leaf tea as my treat. But I must say - I do like the SMELL of coffee brewing - reminds me of nightshift years at the hospital where we brewed for the dayshift and welcomed the end of our night.
ReplyDeleteI can certainly relate! I HATED coffee... until I was pregnant with my second child. For some strange reason I suddenly liked it, and have been hooked ever since. It does give a little kick which helps give me just enough energy to get through the afternoon, but I love the smell, and the warm feeling I get while drinking it.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, you're looking great!