Month: December 2017

Posted in Reflection

Reflect and Reset

Posted on by shesipscoffee

It is the last day of 2017 and I’m sipping my coffee. With each sip, I reflect on the good

and bad of 2017. It has been an interesting season of life. I look throughout my home and see the barren places that used to don holdiay decorations and think of the reset that happens at this time each year. Do you have this same imaginary button with the word “Reset” on it? Do you take time to reflect?

Reflect

In 2017, I did not take time to write out resolutions. The week before Christmas 2016 my maternal grandmother passed away. The passing of that 95 year-old powerhouse of a woman who stepped into my mother’s role for more than two decades really knocked the wind out of my sails blowing into 2017. She was always the first person I called on any holiday right after I poured my first cup of coffee. January 1, 2017, I remember sipping my coffee and tearfully meditating on her amazing life and the legacy she left for all of us. Her recipes, her creativity, her wisdom, her dignity, and strength are like pillars of support each and every day. As I reflect on 2017, I realize that she was the catalyst for many of the milestones and moments that mattered.

Musical Moments & Memories

I took my annual mom only vacation, The Rock Boat (2018 is coming soon). This really is a music lover’s ideal vacation. Being out on the ocean completely disconnected from every day life is a reset time full of the escapism that lets me recharge and come back refreshed. It gives me a chance to really miss my family.

I focused on more fun with my children this year. My son and I went to Vegas. My mother made sure that she took me when I turned 21. Traditions have to have a beginning. I look forward to repeating this with my daughter in 8 years. Music matters in our world, so we crossed the generational gap and enjoyed a Billy Idol VIP experience concert that included the meet and greet. I felt 16 again. My daughter, and future daughter-in-law joined me and friends in Isle of Palms, SC for Hazlenut Hang weekend where we explored history, beaches, and music. 2018 may see a return to Hang. I went with friends and my daughter to see U2. I supported Rock Boat artists that came to Phoenix while on tour: Sister Hazel, Carbon Leaf, Michael Franti, and Will Hoge. Spending this time immersed in music and surrounded by friends is memory making that never gets old to me.

T

The year ended with a bucket list item of major proportions for me. Carol Burnett. Ironically, her stop in Phoenix was on the one year anniversary of my grandmother’s passing. I watched that variety show every week with her and my mother as a little girl. What a tribute and way to honor all of the great women in my life than ending a year in a theater listening to her share stories, sing and answer audience questions. Spectacular.

Major Milestones

I bought a house! At age 47, this single mother bought a house. This is something my grandmother really wanted for me and for nearly all of 2016 we talked about these plans and how I thought I would have financial strength to make this bold step 2017. I’ve always rented. I wanted to do it earlier, but in 2013, I had a major setback with a house fire in a rental property and we had to reset priorities.

I found out I enjoy DIY and crafting. I love making wreaths for my new doors. And inside décor.

My grandmother and I would cook and craft together when I was younger. Over time, I didn’t think it was cool to craft. What may be more accurate is that I thought time was better spent on other pursuits. And sadly, I cannot tell you what I wasted time doing. I also reconnected with my joy of writing while sipping coffee. Each morning of quiet time, the only quiet time in my new home, is spent writing, reading, and meditating while I sip coffee.

I am celebrating a rare holiday feasting and eating season without gaining 10 pounds. I maintained. In 2017, I lost almost 30 pounds by making better choices. Yay!

Reset

I’m ready for January 1st. January is my reset time. I go back to work and hit the ground running on Tuesday. It is expected. Corporate America doesn’t have an “off switch” so we start right back where we left off with a fast and furious pace New Goals. New Priorities. More Changes. But personally and professionally, my reset button is already starting today. In my morning quiet, I’ve meditated and started thinking about my Vision of 2018. Instead of writing resolutions, I’m focusing on Proverb 31: 25. In that verse there are three key words that resonate to me: Strength, Dignity, and Laughs. This verse is much like the legacy my grandmother left me. She is Strong. Elle est forte.

Wednesday, is Vision Board day and I have been gathering images and words that will help me reset for 2018. My house will be filled with friends and crafts as I teach a workshop. All through the month of January, I will be goal setting for all the areas of my life, not just professionally. Watch for the posts as I share the steps I take to reset. I hope they will help you reset too.

Are you making resolutions? Do you make a vision board? What are your goals for 2018? I would love to hear how you reflect and reset in the comments below.

Posted in Family, Uncategorized

Why Coffee?

Posted on by shesipscoffee

I have this pattern. Maybe i should call it a habit. Like an automobile, I need a starter and ignition to get this motor started. When I wake up, the first thing I think about is a cup of coffee. Or two. Heck, let’s be honest, I can drink the whole 12-cup carafe. Have you seen my cups? No? You will. I promise. I do not have small espresso or cappuccino sized cups. Go big or go home, I say!

So, every morning begins with coffee. Living in Phoenix has hot mornings most of the year, but that first cup of the day is never iced, never a cold brew. Not for this girl.

I have had friends whom I have known for decades; family members too for that matter, who ask me if I always drank coffee. Well…that is tricky.

In elementary school, when my mother was in nursing school, we lived with my maternal grandparents. I loved buttered toast for breakfast. Or maybe I didn’t love it but my grandparents did. And hot cocoa was my favorite beverage pairing. One morning there was no hot cocoa because grandma forgot to buy the Hershey’s cocoa powder. Do you remember a time before Swiss Miss instant packages? My grandmother was definitely old school. And her cocoa was the best. To this day, I have no idea what she did to make it so great. I just remember it was. (Now, I feel inspired to find or make my own recipe to share in the future.). I digress.

No cocoa?!? What was I going to dip my buttered toast in? My grandmother used her coffee. So I asked if I could try it. And I did. At age 8, I discovered that a cup of classic Folgers with a healthy splash of milk made an interesting pairing with toast. But…always a but…drinking coffee? No. That still was gross. And so NOT hot cocoa. The trend started though. Every once in a while I would pick coffee over cocoa and my cup that I didn’t drink, I just gave to my mother or my grandmother so they could finish it.

Even though my blog is less about coffee and more about things that interest me and sharing stories, DIY crafting, and reviews, coffee is an integral part of the blog. Some folks claim to have their best ideas in the shower. Mine…they come to me while sipping coffee. The only consistent quiet time of my day is my first cup.

So as I sip coffee, I will plan, write, and share here. By the way, I rarely drink Folgers. I am not a true coffee afficianodo. I probably never will be. That isn’t my calling or gift.

I would love to hear from you. How do you take your coffee? What roasts do you like? I look forward to your comments, including suggestions for future posts.