Coffee — Page 2

My Simply Perfect Morning Routine… #IDandMe

“A morning without coffee is like sleep.” – Author Unknown… If you’ve read even just a few posts here on this site, you know that the majority of my bloodstream consists of coffee. I crawl out of bed, slither like a helpless jelly-fish to the kitchen to brew my first pot of coffee, and after a few cups of caffeinated goodness, I’m magically transformed into a super mom, ready to take on the challenges of my busy day. Yes, my name is Meagan, and I am a coffee junkie.

“Coffee is a beverage that puts one to sleep when not drank.” – Alphonse Allais

I like pretty much any coffee drink, to be honest. I’ll drink a fancy shmancy drink at Starbucks, and I’ll chug down a cheap cup of coffee from the 7-11 if that’s all I can get access to. {If you were lost in a desert, would you turn down a glass of water because it wasn’t a designer bottled brand? No. And when I haven’t had my coffee, I get pretty desperate for hydration too…} And while I do drink a ton of basic brewed coffee, my fave, especially in the summer, is a perfectly sweetened iced coffee drink. Here’s how I make my home-blend:

International Delight Creamer {I usually use Non-Fat French Vanilla, but I do mix it up from time to time}
International Delight Original Flavor Iced Coffee in a carton
Coffee-cubes – extra strong brewed coffee frozen into ice cubes

I throw a few of the coffee-cubes into my rad International Delight cup, pour the pre-made Iced Coffee {cartons available at Walmart and Safeway} over the cubes, then throw on a splash of creamer to sweeten it up just a bit. Stir it up, and enjoy an amazingly delicious, super quick pick-me-up anytime, made right at home. {Remember how much money I saved when I switched to Iced Coffee from International Delight for a month?} Sooooo good.

“Behind every successful woman…is a substantial amount of coffee.” – Stephanie Piro

This is my daily coffee moment… I love to mix up a glass of creamy iced coffee, then head out to the patio with my drink and my laptop, to get some early morning work done before the craziness of the day begins. It’s such a nice way to get started… sunshine, the sound of the birds singing in our field, and a perfectly blended iced coffee to get me revved up and ready to tackle my to-do list.

Check out International Delight’s new Coffee Creamer packaging on Facebook!

Enjoying a coffee at home will be even more special for 4 lucky winners! Enter to win $1000 toward your dream kitchen and an International Delight Coffee break Kit, by completing these two steps:

1) Re-pin my coffee moment photo on Pinterest

2) Come back! In the comment field below, tell me you pinned and share your special coffee moment.

jjjEnjoying coffee at home will be even more special for 4 lucky winners! Enter to win $1000 toward your dream kitchen and an International Delight Coffee Break Kit, by completing these two steps:

•1. Re-pin my coffee moment photo on Pinterest. (* this will clearly be defined by blogger)

•2. Come back! In the comment field below, tell me you pinned and share your special coffee moment.

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ddddEnjoying coffee at home will be even more special for 4 lucky winners! Enter to win $1000 toward your dream kitchen and an International Delight Coffee Break Kit, by completing these two steps:

•1. Re-pin my coffee moment photo on Pinterest. (* this will clearly be defined by blogger)

•2. Come back! In the comment field below, tell me you pinned and share your special coffee moment.

ThisEnjoying coffee at home will be even more special for 4 lucky winners! Enter to win $1000 toward your dream kitchen and an International Delight Coffee Break Kit, by completing these two steps:

•1. Re-pin my coffee moment photo on Pinterest. (* this will clearly be defined by blogger)

•2. Come back! In the comment field below, tell me you pinned and share your special coffee moment.

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This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight June Sponsored Conversation. The opinions and text are all mine. International Delight Sweepstakes and Rules.

Posted by Meagan Paullin on June 13, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution |

Learn how the #IcedCoffee Challenge put $121 bucks in my pocket

You guys know that I love coffee, right? I’ve told you what my life is like when something happens and I don’t get my coffee, and about my crazy life that drives me to drink…. too much coffee each day. But, while I am totally and completely content to drink regular home-brewed coffee in the mornings most days, I have serious iced coffee cravings in the afternoon – and prefer it in the mornings too as the weather gets warmer. The trouble is, those iced drinks at the coffee house add up really quickly! So, since I’m a finder of “Smart Solutions for Busy Moms” – I found a solution!

The Iced Coffee Challenge Results

Remember way back at the beginning of the month when I started this Iced Coffee Challenge? Well, I estimated that I spend around $4 bucks a day on a coffee house drink – although there are quite a few days when I drink more than one! But based on JUST one per day, the awesome little counter widget in my sidebar shows me that I’ve already saved $121.87 this month!!! Can you believe that? Over $100 extra bucks in my pocket, just by switching to the International Delight Iced Coffee, that comes in a carton so I can serve it at home. And the best part? This stuff is seriously good. Like, addicting good. I’ve never ever found an iced coffee drink that I could buy off the shelf and actually enjoy – but this totally rocks.

My new morning routine

Pretty fresh flowers from our garden, my local daily paper, and a big glass of creamy and delicious iced coffee at home = Perfection. With the weather finally getting warmer, there is nothing better than relaxing on the deck in the early morning, feeling some sunshine on my face, while drinking this stuff over ice. And, it’s not just me lovin’ it and savin’ big bucks. Check out everyone else’s stories and savings results on Twitter – just search #IcedCoffee.

Seriously delicious savings

There is no way that you can tell me that doesn’t look amazing. And if your dreaming of how good it might be right now – you will NOT be disappointed when you try it in real life. It’s my new favorite drink – and in total honesty, it’s better than most of the coffee house drinks I used to buy anyway! And since I’m on a super strict budget to save for our airfare to Reviewer’s Retreat {where I’m speaking – yay!}, and BlogHer, the $100+ bucks a month that I’m saving will be a HUGE help in paying those expenses. What could YOU do with an extra hundred bucks next month? Find out by switching YOUR coffee house drinks to new International Delight Iced Coffee too!

Follow International Delight on Facebook and Twitter – for updates on new products and promotions!

{Disclosure: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All experiences, results, overuse of the word “awesome”, and photos are my own!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 30, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 7 Comments

My #IcedCoffee Challenge – Big Savings So Far!

Saving Money in the #IcedCoffee Swap Challenge!

I started this challenge at the beginning of the month, to see how much money I could save by switching from coffee house drinks to the uh-may-zingly delicious Iced Coffee in a carton from International Delight. To help me see those savings add up – I added a cool little gadget to my site, that automatically adds up the $4+ bucks a day that I’m not spending at Starbucks! See it over in the sidebar? Awesomesauce.

“A morning without coffee is like, sleep.” – Author Unknown

Most of you ladies know that I was invited on a last minute conference trip to Fort Worth, Texas last week. It was amazingly educational, amazingly fun, and amazingly BUSY!! We started at 7am and were running all day until 11pm. The hotel room had a coffee maker – but it only made 2 cups. So I staggered downstairs to the lobby in search of more caffeinated goodness to help me get started – and found the beautiful sight of a Starbucks sign! But – the part that was NOT good was the price!!! Yikes – It was close to $7 bucks for my usual drink – ACK!! That is NOT smart spending. And it really helped me realize what an awesome savings I’ve been seeing from NOT buying coffee house drinks this month.

“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” – Flash Rosenberg

So what was the FIRST thing that I did when I got home again from Texas? Sleep. Ok, but the SECOND thing I did was go grocery shopping – and stock up on more of my FAVORITE Iced Coffee drink – the Mocha flavor from International Delight. I had to adjust my savings widget down a bit, to make up for my over-spending while traveling. But I’ve still saved over $70 this month – which is pretty exciting right? That’s some sassy new spring fashions shopping! {And, since I often would get MORE than one coffee house drink per day – and the calculator is only counting ONE drink per day – my true savings are actually much higher!}

“Coffee smells like freshly ground heaven.” – Jessi Lane Adams

I’m always searching for simple ways to save my family money – so that I can share them with you too. I love that with this Iced Coffee Swap, you’re not giving up anything, so it’s an amazingly easy way to save some extra cash in your families budget! What do you think? Do you want to try it too? Let me know how much YOU could save this week by switching to International Delight!!

I’m saving BIG BUCKS doing the #IcedCoffee Challenge – Join Me! sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/04/my-ice… #Cbias

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) April 18, 2012

Want to learn more? Follow International Delight on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on new products and promotions!

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 18, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 3 Comments

Easy Iced Coffee Swap Saves Big Bucks! #IcedCoffee #Cbias

“A morning without coffee is like sleep.” – Author Unknown

You guys know by now that I’m a total coffee junkie. I don’t just drink it – I chug bucket loads of it. All day. Every day. Without it, I’m like a tired mommy jellyfish, slithering along the kitchen floor. But with it, I can almost function normally, and act like a responsible adult. {Notice I said “almost”…. Lol.}

“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” – Flash Rosenberg

I drink all types of coffee – I’ll drink a full pot of regular brewed coffee by myself in the morning, I like a hot mocha drink when it’s cold out – But I definitely prefer an iced coffee drink. The problem is, I’ve never been able to make a good iced coffee at home. And I don’t have the extra budget to invest in a fancy espresso maker. So I end up buying a lot of coffee house drinks – but since I’ve been using some of the awesome free financial tools available on LearnVest.com to help me track my spending, I realized that those $4+ drinks each day are taking a HUGE bit out of my monthly budget! We have some big expenses coming up this summer, and really need to save every penny we can, and cut out the extras. But I just can’t give up my beloved Iced Coffee drinks!! So, you know me – where there’s a mom-life challenge, I’ll find a Smart Solution, right?

“Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with.” – Terri Guillemets

My Smart Solution?? Switching from coffee house drinks that cost around $4 EACH, to the totally amazing new Iced Coffee drinks from International Delight, that are around $4 bucks per CARTON!! Can you say, “Big ol’ Savings!!??” Oh yeah. Plus, since I’m on the Nutrisystem diet right now, and am super excited to be losing some pounds, drinking one of these iced coffee drinks saves me a boat load of calories versus one bought at the coffee shop. More dollars in my wallet + more inches lost on my waist = Happy Momma. For reals.

“Decaf? No, it’s dangerous to dilute my caffeine stream.” – Author Unknown

I’m super excited to see my savings add up – check out the awesome little gadget over in my sidebar… That little baby will be adding up my savings all month long, to show how much money YOU can save by simple swapping out ONE coffee house drink a day, and enjoying an International Delight Iced Coffee drink at home. {What? You’re a momma on the go? Get a sweet travel mug or cup like I have, and bring your iced coffee with you. Easy peasy.}

Follow International Delight on Twitter and Facebook – to stay updated on new products and promotions. You can also see everyone else who’s doing this coffee-swap savings challenge too, by following the hashtag #IcedCoffee!

Share Your Thoughts –

Have you tried the awesome new iced coffees from International Delight – I’m so lovin’ all 3, but I think that the Original flavor is my fave. Do you love ’em? How much do you think you spend every month on coffee house drinks – and are you ready to try this savings solution too? Share some comments – I love hearing from you guys!

{This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias. All photos, opinions, and savings results are 100% my own.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on April 3, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 8 Comments

Win a Gevalia Luxury Prize Package {3/5}

My name is Meagan, and I’m addicted to coffee….

If you’ve read even a couple of posts on this blog, then you know I am a total coffee junkie. I drink a full pot in the morning by myself. I like an iced coffee in the afternoon. Sometimes, when my darling toddler is in full-on adventure mode and I have more piles of work to do than usual – I’ll just keep that pot brewing me new cups of dark & delicious liquid-energy all darn day. And, being such a serious coffee lover, I can tell the difference between different cups of coffee. I’m always looking for new brands to brew, but as a budget momma, I just can’t justify the high-cost on some of the premium varieties, you know?

Tall, Dark, Rich, & Smooth – What more can you ask for in a cup of coffee?

I used to order Gevalia coffees by mail – back in my early 20’s. I loved the flavor of the coffee, and loved the convenience of having it shipped right to my door each month. I had kind of forgotten about that experience until I got this fun package from MyBlogSpark a few weeks ago… As soon as I opened it I remembered how fun it was to get a monthly delivery of amazing new varieties of coffee, and hoped that the products were as good as they used to be. They had sent me over a couple of types to try out –

House Blend: A Gevalia favorite, House Blend is a robust yet never bitter coffee. This roast has a captivating aroma that is only matched by its exceptional flavor. (Medium/Dark Roast).
French Roast: Gevalia French Roast is a coffee of impressive richness and dimension, expertly crafted from prized Arabica beans grown in Colombia and Brazil. Hints of aromatic smoke give this dark-roasted French Roast blend an intense, yet uniquely satisfying flavor. (Dark Roast).

Let me tell ya ladies – these totally did not disappoint me. I’m not sure if it’s just that I appreciate things more now in my old age, {lol, but seriously – I’m over 30 now. With gray hairs and frown lines. I’m creeping up over that hill…} or if they’ve made changes to their coffee, but it was even better than I remembered it. The French Roast was especially impressive – I love a dark coffee, but hate spending a ton on the couple of expensive brands that I liked best. And so many affordable dark coffees have a burnt or bitter taste to them. But this was perfect – a totally smooth French Roast. A dash of vanilla creamer, 10 minutes of quiet “me” time with my newspaper = total heaven.

Gevalia brings Swedish-style luxury to the Supermarket

Now, coffee of any type is a Busy Mom Solution. It helps you get things done – it gives you the energy for 204 more rounds of peek-a-boo, the strength to not smack your husband when asks why you’re wearing two different shoes {we all have those days}, and the courage to grab the cleaning spray and tackle that horrible odor coming from under the kids beds. But what makes Gevalia extra special is that it’s a seriously good, total luxury product – but you can now find it right at your local Safeway or other supermarket, at an affordable price. Most of us don’t have the money for a ton of premium brands in our lives, and cut a lot of corners to make ends meet. I love that this new selection of Gevalia Kaffe is a perfect solution for every mom – fabulous living on a frugal budget. {Still not convinced? Check out the comments on their Facebook page too – there are some great ones from fans!}

Win Your Own Gevalia Package Too!

One lucky winner will get a sweet shipment of the exact same goodies that I got –

(1) sample of the House Blend from Gevalia Kaffe
(1) sample of the French Roast Blend from Gevalia Kaffe
A Gevalia Kaffe branded coffee mug

Sounds good, right? Use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below to get your entries in. I’ve partnered with a few other of my favorite blogging buddies for this giveaway too – if you see this on their pages, don’t worry – you only need to fill out the form on one site, and it enters you on all of them! And if you’re feelin’ lucky, check out the rest of the giveaways in my sidebar – the more you enter, the more chances you have to win!

{Disclaimer: Kraft Foods through MyBlogSpark has provided sample product to me and is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but
solely by me.}

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on February 28, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways | 4 Comments

Busy Mom Solution: #IcedCoffee in a Carton!! #CBias

“A morning without coffee is like…. sleep.” – Author Unknown

I’m a coffee junkie. As hardcore as you can get. Without my coffee, I’m like a tired, floppy, useless jellyfish… Well, you know, if jellyfish had deadlines and toddlers and laundry and stuff. But just like Clark Kent could emerge from a phone booth transformed into Superman – Each morning, after a couple of cups of coffee, I emerge from my “mom-cave” office as a Super Mom.

“I believe humans get a lot done, not because we’re smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee.” – Flash Rosenberg

Here’s the problem though… Jellyfish struggle to make coffee. I cannot even tell you how many times I have totally failed at brewing my first pot of the day. I’ll add water, but no coffee. I’ll add the coffee and the water – but forget the filter. And best of all – Forget to even turn the darn thing ON. There are only 4 steps – water, filter, coffee grounds, on switch. It should be simple. But when you’re a morning jellyfish type, it’s not. When I heard about this new International Delights Iced Coffee, that comes right in a ready to chug container, I was intrigued – but skeptical. I’ve never been a big fan of other ready-to-drink coffee beverages. But I figured hey, this will be a great option for those mornings when my first pot of coffee is a disaster, right?

{FYI – My computer crashed this week, and I lost some of my pictures. So – A few other lovely ladies that sampled this coffee let me borrow a few of their pics, so I could show you how much this stuff rocked! This pic above is from The Gunny Sack – Check out her idea for Peppermint Frappe!}

“Chocolate, men, coffee – some things are better rich.” – Leon Truong

{This picture of iced coffee deliciousness comes from Southern Yankee Mix – Doesn’t is just make your mouth water?} I love ANY type of coffee – But a good iced coffee is the best. But – here’s the problem – All of the ready-made coffee drinks are too artificial tasting for me. So – You’re wondering – “How was this new International Delights Iced Coffee?? Get to the point already!!” – Drum roll…. It totally knocked my socks off!

“Coffee is a beverage that puts one to sleep when not drank.” – Alphonse Allais

This International Delights Iced Coffee comes in a carton like juice or milk, and there are three different flavors to choose from – Mocha, Vanilla, and Original. {This pic of a refreshing glass of creamy coffee goodness is from the super-lovely Someday I’ll Learn} They’re all totally perfect, but in different ways. Here’s the scoop – The Vanilla was my favorite. Sweet, but not too fake-sugary sweet. Just pour it over ice and drink. So good. The Mocha obviously is more of a chocolate-y flavor, a hint of sweetness. The Original is less sweet for those of you that like your coffee a little more basic – and is a PERFECT base if you like to mix in other flavors.

“Behind every successful woman is a substantial amount of coffee.” – Stephanie Piro

There you have it – a super simple solution to those of you who, like me, need buckets of coffee to live. You can get these soon {January 15th!} at your local Walmart – I’ve been stalking mine like crazy, waiting for this to come in. I drank all 3 cartons I got within just a few days. Let me know when you see it in your neighborhood – and let me know if you’re lovin’ it too.

Stop by and give big THANK YOU’s to the lovely ladies who shared pics to help me write this post for ya…. Someday I’ll Learn, The Gunny Sack, and Southern Yankee Mix! They rock :)

And make sure to stop by International Delights on Facebook to stay updated on new products and promotions!

{Disclaimer: This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias. #CBias All overuse of exclamation points is my own real enthusiasm.}