I recently received a tip through e-mail that preparing hot chocolate with coffee instead of water or milk would make for a delicious hot drink. Yesterday morning, I found myself in a predicament, having run out of creamer and not in the mood for black coffee. I decided to try the hot chocolate tip, and oh man, it was yummy! I used a caramel flavored cocoa from World Market and SBUX House Blend coffee, and then put a little dollop of french vanilla Cool Whip on top. It was like a dessert! Since I still haven't had a chance to pick up creamer, I'm sipping on another cocoa-coffee conconction at work as I speak... er... type. It's like a mock café mocha. A café mocka! Thanks for sharing the tip, Jess. :)
Love and Lattés,
Katie
Friday, January 23, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Firsts
This week has been one of firsts. For starters, yesterday was the first time I ever saw snow in South Carolina. Well, to be fair, I've seen snowflakes here before, but nothing ever stuck to the ground. This time, there wasn't much snow and it didn't stay long, but it was enough for two of my professors to cancel class (suckers!), turning my 3-day weekend (because of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day) into a 3 and a half day weekend. Doesn't sound like it would make much of a difference, but it really did! Daisy and Ellie had never experienced snow before, so I took them out for a nice little walk in the morning and let them figure things out. Mostly, they just stuck their noses in the mysterious white stuff and tried to smell it. Ellie seemed to like it more than Daisy, probably because she's got a warmer coat. Poor Daisy gets cold so quickly, she doesn't enjoy cold weather very much at all!
After playing in the snow for a bit, I was able to sit down with Justin and watch the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. I don't think the fact that we have a new president has sunk in for me quite yet. It's strange, considering that for eight years, "President Bush" has been the phrase on everybody's lips. It may take a bit of getting used to, but soon, "President Obama" will be just as commonplace. While I have not bought into the full-fledged idealism that has spread like wildfire throughout the U.S. since Barack won the election, I do hope that President Obama is able to make some positive changes and relate to the people; after all, we (generally speaking, the middle and lower classes) are the majority, and we need to see a light at the end of the tunnel, financially and otherwise.
But enough politics. Speaking of firsts, my beautiful niece, Emily Grace, will be turning one in just ten short days! I absolutely cannot believe that a year has already gone by. Watching children grow really seems to mark time in a special way. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget how quickly time is passing, but looking at the changes that take place in the first year of a little one's life is a good reminder that a lot can happen in a short amount of time!
I guess where I'm going with all of this talk about firsts is that life is made up of change, whether we like it or not. The truth is, we often just don't see the changes coming, and even when we do, the adjustments still aren't always easy to make. Case in point: marriage. It's something that is typically planned way in advance, but can take a year or two, or maybe even longer, to get used to.
Those are my thoughts for today. I'm not sure why the concept of time is weighing so heavily on my mind lately... probably because of all the changes going on in my life - and the lives of many Americans - right now. Happy hump day... I wish you all a great rest of the week!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
After playing in the snow for a bit, I was able to sit down with Justin and watch the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. I don't think the fact that we have a new president has sunk in for me quite yet. It's strange, considering that for eight years, "President Bush" has been the phrase on everybody's lips. It may take a bit of getting used to, but soon, "President Obama" will be just as commonplace. While I have not bought into the full-fledged idealism that has spread like wildfire throughout the U.S. since Barack won the election, I do hope that President Obama is able to make some positive changes and relate to the people; after all, we (generally speaking, the middle and lower classes) are the majority, and we need to see a light at the end of the tunnel, financially and otherwise.
But enough politics. Speaking of firsts, my beautiful niece, Emily Grace, will be turning one in just ten short days! I absolutely cannot believe that a year has already gone by. Watching children grow really seems to mark time in a special way. Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and forget how quickly time is passing, but looking at the changes that take place in the first year of a little one's life is a good reminder that a lot can happen in a short amount of time!
I guess where I'm going with all of this talk about firsts is that life is made up of change, whether we like it or not. The truth is, we often just don't see the changes coming, and even when we do, the adjustments still aren't always easy to make. Case in point: marriage. It's something that is typically planned way in advance, but can take a year or two, or maybe even longer, to get used to.Those are my thoughts for today. I'm not sure why the concept of time is weighing so heavily on my mind lately... probably because of all the changes going on in my life - and the lives of many Americans - right now. Happy hump day... I wish you all a great rest of the week!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Hazelnut Biscotti and a Return to the Grind
I have a new favorite creamer, too! I've always been a fan of Coffeemate creamers, so 
when I saw their new Hazelnut Biscotti flavor at Kroger, I had to pick it up! Let me tell you... if you like hazelnut, then you have to try this stuff. It only comes in the powdered variety, which is fine with me since I'm the only coffee drinker in the house, and I don't go through creamers very quickly. (Obviously, the powder keeps a lot longer than the liquid creamers.) Also, in my experience, the flavor of the powdered creamers is a little bit more concentrated, and it takes less to flavor the coffee. Simply delicioso!
when I saw their new Hazelnut Biscotti flavor at Kroger, I had to pick it up! Let me tell you... if you like hazelnut, then you have to try this stuff. It only comes in the powdered variety, which is fine with me since I'm the only coffee drinker in the house, and I don't go through creamers very quickly. (Obviously, the powder keeps a lot longer than the liquid creamers.) Also, in my experience, the flavor of the powdered creamers is a little bit more concentrated, and it takes less to flavor the coffee. Simply delicioso!In other news, I started back to work this week, and on Monday, classes start up again. I'm a little bit nervous about taking on another jam-packed schedule (
15 credit hours worth of classes and 20 hours of work per week), but it is an enormous relief to know that this will be my last full semester. After that, I just have one more class to complete and I will be DONE! Wow... I can't believe I'm even saying that. It's been a long road to get here, and now I am about seven months away from walking across the stage and accepting my BA.
Speaking of which... my baby sister is a senior in high school this year! It's funny... I never expected to be graduating the same year as one of my siblings; on a four-year college plan, I never would have. So, while I would have liked to finish in four years, it's sort of exciting to have all of this to look forward to in the same year. Yeah, class of 2009!
Love and Lattés,
15 credit hours worth of classes and 20 hours of work per week), but it is an enormous relief to know that this will be my last full semester. After that, I just have one more class to complete and I will be DONE! Wow... I can't believe I'm even saying that. It's been a long road to get here, and now I am about seven months away from walking across the stage and accepting my BA.Speaking of which... my baby sister is a senior in high school this year! It's funny... I never expected to be graduating the same year as one of my siblings; on a four-year college plan, I never would have. So, while I would have liked to finish in four years, it's sort of exciting to have all of this to look forward to in the same year. Yeah, class of 2009!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
Sunday, January 4, 2009
I Heart Henry's Blend
While I love a good cup of Starbucks coffee, I am also a huge fan of Seattle's Best. At this very moment, I am enjoying a nice, hot cup of their Henry's Blend.
It's sweet, it's nutty, and it's low on the acidity scale. Basically, it's everything I love in a cup of java! Henry's Blend has a full-bodied flavor, but it's one of the smoothest coffees I think I've ever had. I give it two thumbs up!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
Friday, January 2, 2009
Standing at the Edge of Tomorrow
Okay, I admit it... the title of this entry comes from the theme song of Saved by the Bell: The College Years. I just thought it would be fitting for today's topic. :)
2009 has officially arrived! This New Year's Eve was different for me; I watched the ball drop on the bedroom TV while Justin slept. I had the strong urge to wake him and say, "Happy New Year!" but he looked so peaceful that I decided not to. He had to get up at 6 o'clock the next morning (yep, on New Year's Day!) for work, so I figured he needed the rest.
So, what will the next year bring? In my case, all kinds of things! This year, I will finally obtain that elusive prize known as a bachelor's degree. My niece will celebrate her first birthday. My best friend will become a mother of two. My baby sister will graduate from high school. And of course, our country will usher in a new era with the inauguration of a new president. Maybe this year, the American economy will get the boost it so desperately needs; maybe the war will come to an end. Who knows what the future holds.
In honor of the new year and the fresh start it will bring, I have set a few goals - call them resolutions if you like, to work toward in 2009. First off, I plan to eat less junk food and exercise more. I'm not looking to become a supermodel or anything, but I could really stand to lose a few pounds, and this year I'm going to make it happen. Secondly, and this sort of ties in with the first, I'd like to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen and cook more often. Now, once spring classes start, this might be a bit more difficult, but I feel like I owe it to Justin and myself to at least give it a shot. Not only is home cooking generally more healthy than eating out all the time, but it's easier on the wallet, too. My last goal for 2009 is a practical one: once I've got my BA, I plan to begin the process to earn my teaching certification.
If you haven't set any goals for 2009 yet, it's not too late. And if you have, feel free to share them!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
2009 has officially arrived! This New Year's Eve was different for me; I watched the ball drop on the bedroom TV while Justin slept. I had the strong urge to wake him and say, "Happy New Year!" but he looked so peaceful that I decided not to. He had to get up at 6 o'clock the next morning (yep, on New Year's Day!) for work, so I figured he needed the rest.
So, what will the next year bring? In my case, all kinds of things! This year, I will finally obtain that elusive prize known as a bachelor's degree. My niece will celebrate her first birthday. My best friend will become a mother of two. My baby sister will graduate from high school. And of course, our country will usher in a new era with the inauguration of a new president. Maybe this year, the American economy will get the boost it so desperately needs; maybe the war will come to an end. Who knows what the future holds.In honor of the new year and the fresh start it will bring, I have set a few goals - call them resolutions if you like, to work toward in 2009. First off, I plan to eat less junk food and exercise more. I'm not looking to become a supermodel or anything, but I could really stand to lose a few pounds, and this year I'm going to make it happen. Secondly, and this sort of ties in with the first, I'd like to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen and cook more often. Now, once spring classes start, this might be a bit more difficult, but I feel like I owe it to Justin and myself to at least give it a shot. Not only is home cooking generally more healthy than eating out all the time, but it's easier on the wallet, too. My last goal for 2009 is a practical one: once I've got my BA, I plan to begin the process to earn my teaching certification.
If you haven't set any goals for 2009 yet, it's not too late. And if you have, feel free to share them!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Love and Lattés,
Katie
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