Why Pinterest Makes Me a Bad Mom

I don't know about you, but sometimes I worry I don't measure up as a mom.  ESPECIALLY because I'm an old mom.  I'm 51 (and a half), and I am the parent of twin 4 year olds.  My "peers" in the parenting world are half my age with beautiful skin, great bodies, and the energy of . . . well . . . a 20 something!

While they are worrying about getting Bobby into a great college (even though he's only 3),  I'm working on being healthy and alive when my kids get to college!

On the flip side, I've parented kids through every stage of life, from infancy to adulthood.  I've survived the terrible twos and potty training, bad grades and bullies, teenage attitudes, driving, dating, drinking, and broken hearts (and not necessarily in that order).

I'm pretty chill about the fact that one of my four year olds still wets the bed.  I'm okay that they don't know how to read, or add 2+2.  I'm fine with the notion that they might not read until kindergarten or dare I say it . . . first grade.  And it's okay that they may or may not be in the "gifted" class at school.  When it comes to rearing children, I've learned to take life at the pace it comes.

I'm Chill.

That is.

Until.

I get on Pinterest.

And then I am overcome with the need to create, recycle, upcycle, do, glue, paint, design, decorate, make and bake all for the sake of "making memories" with my children. And when I'm done with all of that, I need to dream, surprise, inspire, delight, protect, teach, date, nurture, discipline, and feed them!

I tell you, I thought I had it all together, until I got on Pinterest.  As it turns out, I am a slug for a mom.  I don't know how to cook.  I'll never have buns of steel.  I can't convince my husband to date his daughters (heck, I can't convince him to date his WIFE!) and I don't know how to make a damn darn thing from an old pallet.

All that to say, I guess I'll just have to stick with what I know; teach them what they need to know, when they need to know it, fill our home with laughter (mostly), and love them unconditionally for their lifetime.

Day 76: Cinnamon Sweet Latte - The Goods

I am a coffee drinker, a curse . . . er . . . fact I blame on my good friend, Melanie Holmes.  Melanie was a coffee drinker long before I was, and she convinced me (more like COERCED me) to try coffee "her way."

Her way was flavored with a lot of yummy stuff in it.  And I have to say, I was hooked, literally.  I think Melanie has matured into a real coffee drinker, but I still like it sweet, hot, and full of flavors!

Oh, and, before I forget to mention it, Melanie's husband, Brian has a coffee company called Mark's Brother's Big World Coffee that does some pretty amazing things to help the poor in 3rd World Countries.  Please click on their link and check them out.  And order some coffee.  Feed your habit and feed the world!

Okay, now back to my special coffee.

I created a special nighttime coffee a lot of years back, and it's a recipe I have shared with LOTS of people.  Funny thing though, EVERYONE tells me that when they make it, it's good, but just not the same as when I make it.  (They aren't following directions . . . I'm just sayin'.)

So, I want you to follow my recipe, exactly as it is written, and then you tell me what you think of it!  Then I want you to comment about its yumminess (here on this blog, not on facebook, of course you should tell your facebook friends how yummy this coffee is because they will be thanking you for sharing something so wonderful!)

Once I think everyone has had a chance to make my special coffee and comment, I'm going to draw names from the people who comment, and I'm going to send the winner some free coffee from Mark's Brother's Big World Coffee (courtesy of me!)

Here's the goodness:
2-4 cups of coffee
1/4 -1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 cup of half and half
2 tablespoons of sugar

Make a small pot of coffee (2-4 cups is plenty.)
It has to be real coffee, not that keurig thing or anything like it.
Put cinnamon in the grounds BEFORE it brews.

While it's brewing, get out a microwave safe coffee cup and fill it halfway with half and half and 2 tablespoons (yes tablespoons!) of sugar.
(You can be dumb if you want and used low-fat milk, but it will NOT be as good!) 

Then microwave it right up to the point that it just about boils over.  You're going to have to watch it like a hawk because it will try really hard to boil over, and if it does, it's a terrible mess!  But it HAS TO BOIL.  It can't just get hot.  This is important!

Now, remove the cup from the microwave and fill it the rest of the way up with your brewed cinnamon coffee.

This coffee is so delicious.  My friends, Kelly Sherrill and Caroline Roberts and I used to drink it every Wednesday night when we had Girls' Night In.  And every single time, when they would take their first sip they would say, "mmmmm.  That's so good."

All that to say, I am going to go make myself a cup of my nighttime brew and think of my friends.  Good friends, good memories, good coffee.  It somehow all fits together.  ENJOY!

(And don't forget to come back and comment on how good it was so I can send you some coffee from Mark's Brothers!)

UPDATE:  THE WINNER IS RUTH ANN MITCHELL!