DIY chai vanilla latte

There is something about a spicy chai that warms even the chilliest of days. Maybe its the rich aroma of cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg, or maybe it’s the creamy swirl of frothy cream that creates that sweet velvety sip….

Or, maybe it’s just so cold that just about any hot beverage tastes amazing.

I have a love/ hate relationship with coffee.  I know, there are people that claim coffee is the magic elixir of the day; I know that there are some people that couldn’t dream of going without…. for me, it’s different.

You see, I go through tea periods, hot lemon water periods and coffee periods,  Mainly because I don’t want to ever want to be dependent on one particular morning beverage.  So, several times a year I rotate my morning beverage choice. Currently, I am in my coffee period, in case you can’t tell.

Since we’re talking coffee… how about some coffee talk? Household news? Rants and raves…. grab your beverage and sit a spell.  We are still homeschooling. My neighbor recently asked me “How’s that going?” In unspoken words of “Are you sick of it yet?” We know each other so well that I can tell exactly what she means without speaking the words. Isn’t it funny how some questions can mean completely different things ?!  For instance:

“Oh, that’s great.”

“That sounds like a blast.”

“I’m fine”

But, to answer the question: It’s good. Good, as in good…right in between great and horrible. We have horrible  days where cursive and math are forms of torture to my daughter, and we have great days where my daughter decides that she wants to “surprise” me by doing all her work the evening before. We have okay days where the subjects are dry, and we have exciting days were we both learn fascinating things . (Anyone know what anting is? We do!)

It’s hard for me to imagine “the old days” where I had sent her off to school and had a whole six hours to clean, market, organize random stuff, and cook for my blog. Managing all of that while homeschooling was challenging at first, but, now four months into it I have developed a routine that works, for everyone in the family.

The big factor  factors that helped me accomplish this were:

Set a dinner plan and shopping list for it. -Once a week we market, and get everything we need for the week. No midday time sucking store trips. I usually write my menus a month out, and keep a few “emergency meals” on hand for unexpected late days, emergencies, etc.  What’s an emergency meal? Frozen ravioli, garlic bread, and a bagged salad, veggie burgers and quinoa salad, panninis, and good ol’ spaghetti.

Declutter– This was huge.  Organizing is something I love, but it also was a time sucker.  Before I began homeschooling, I  got the house completely organized. The paper, the arts and crafts, the spices, the cabinets, the clothes. Everything has it’s place. (*note: I said house, not garage. That’s a summer project.) The secret is keeping it that way. Resist the urge to shove stuff somewhere, or haphazardly put items away. The extra time spent doing it right the first time makes up for itself in the long run.

Designated chore days: Structured days for specific cores, and a quick tidy daily keeps the house orderly and “on point”. A quick run with the cordless vacuum, empty wastebaskets, wipe down kitchen and bath counters, and a fresh refill in the aromatherapy diffuser= peaceful end to a school day. This takes only  15 minutes,  a perk of living in a smaller home, I assume. As for the structured days:  Laundry is Tuesday and Friday, bathroom is Wednesday, linens are on Thursday, deep vacuum, dusting  and mopping are on Fridays, and occasionally Monday or Wednesday- depending on the weekend activities and if it rained. We generally get all of our marketing done on Thursday, and any specialty shopping on Friday, where it’s a light load or no school day.

Anyway, that’s how homeschooling and life work for me.

How’s your coffee?

Wait. You’re right. I’m never alone. How on earth do I seem to have “free time”? And when and how do I write/ plan menus/ breathe without my  offspring on my back????

I wake up early.

I seldom sleep in.

Waking up early gives me time to read my devotion, commit my day and prepare for life.

Preparing for daily life helps you to cope with life itself, and when catastrophe arises, (and trust me, it will arise) at least you’ll know:

• A: what’s for dinner (or, what is supposed to be for dinner)
• B: The laundry is in control
• C: The house isn’t a disaster
• D: There’s ravioli in the freezer
• E: There will be coffee tomorrow

So; you’re probably ready for this recipe. huh? This is a recipe I created and photographed for Florida Milk. Go over and check out their newly revamped  recipe page: Most of them are created by yours truly! Enjoy

Here is the link: Vanilla Spice Latte