A sober birthday celebration.

This weekend was our first night without the kids. The occasion was for my husband's upcoming birthday [his golden one, to be precise]. Going into it you would think 10-months of sobriety would push one to order their first drink at dinner! Negative.

Instead it looked more like this.

To justify my drink of choice:

1) I love coffee. 

2) I was sitting by a window where it was below zero outside. And while bourbon serves a similar purpose of body warmth, note previous statement above.

With my beverage preference aside, my post today is merely to share with you a delicious restaurant here in town; Doc Crow's. It's known for it's large supply of whiskey & bourbon [again shocking why my "when in Rome" instinct didn't kick in] where the atmosphere is rustic modern, and historical. 

For apps, the whole table [minus yours truly] indulged in three rounds of oysters, while I stuck to my own little side of shrimp cocktail.

Then came the entrees.

As you can see, the portion sizes are nothing short of huge. Staying alongside my better judgement, I decided to go with the grilled salmon & rice [borrrring]. The last time we ate here, I ordered the beef brisket tacos, fried okra, and lima beans!! Sadly, my post-pregnancy provision does not approve of such indulgences yet, so I surrender to the fish. Although, it was quite tasty. On the contrary to my "light" meal, two of our friends ordered the famously ginormous "Bubba" burger; which is on a list of America's Over-The-Top Burgers.

Wowsers.

We all know the best part about any dinner is usually the end... the dessert. To no surprise, however, I did not get any. So I suppose that puts this entry at a disappointing close. Muh-bad.

Nonetheless, the food was good, the company was great, and the night ended with us surrounded by a bunch of intoxicated adults riding wooden horses inside a church. I could totally elaborate on that, but the summary of it sounds so much more enticing, right?! Ok ok, so it was a Home Builder's function where we went to support a friend who helped sponsor the event, where they placed bets on people riding wooden horses on wheels. And yes, in a church. Quite the show.

That Moment I Question My Normalcy

I love coffee. 

Like... 

Really. It doesn't have to be caffeinated to get me through the day. A simple decaf will do just fine. I simply just love the taste of coffee; especially coffee flavored ice cream. YUM [pregnancy hormones take over].

But on a serious note, I do love coffee and I've mentioned it once before. It was in one of my early formative blog posts [aka very elaborate and colorful]. So if you happen to view it via dreadful plug in, then my apologies for the corniness.

Moving on. I have come to realize with my love of coffee, that I may have established an obsessive relationship with my Keurig. 

I really don't know what I would do without it. I almost feel like going back to a regular coffee maker would be like returning to the stone ages [as if I've ever lived in that era, but that's irrelevant].

The convenience of placing a small container in the machine, and pushing a button is glorious. Of course you have to remember to fill the water from time to time or, well... fail.

But the options of different flavors makes it all the more fun. Usually we stick to a basic medium roast, but every now and then the husband will get fancy and buy some kind of holiday flavor. 

Sadly, decaf is limited so I don't get to enjoy the flavored brew. Although I'm grateful, because then I'd have no excuse to stock up on my Pumpkin Spice & Peppermint Mocha creamers. Cha-ching!

And finally, I love the Keurig for the simple fact that I can use my sweet little caddy [wedding present from a bestie] and set up all the containers like a Marriott concierge breakfast getup. 

 Or at least I like to think that's what it looks like. More or less.

SPICE me up!!

There's no doubt Fall has made its mark as a favorite time of year for many of us. There's so much to enjoy this season!! To name a few, head on over to BlueDaisy in the Bluegrass, where my dear friend shares the joys of her own Fall Bucket List! I recently made a short list of my own expectations, as well, but had not yet touched on the one tiny, isty-bitsy, anticipatory item ...

"...don't mind if I do."

Oh yes. Starbucks is now serving their PSL. Holy Latte! I'm a happy woman.

Marking their 10th year of serving this delicious goodness, I have delightfully indulged into the celebration. Before any of mommy friends, or moms-to-be, get unraveled... I order decaf. You know, by definition meaning "coffee that doesn't work." Fortunately for me, I LOVE coffee no matter the effects. Ha! It's true.

My only other enjoyment, while waiting for my sweet nothing, is gazing at their always unique coffee mugs! I just love them. And for the record, I encountered that awkward moment of someone watching me take a picture of these ceramic objects. All for the love of blogging. *sigh*  

 Oh, Pumpkin Spice Latte... You are a true joy in my life. Thank you for always gracing your appearance at this exceptional time of year. Caffeinated or not, you serve purpose in my heart! Love always, your biggest fan!! ;)

Espresso yourself... [a coffee confession]

...the caffeine? ...the taste? ...the aroma?

All of the above would be suitable reasons why I love desire this popular morning beverage. Although, for me, it would be ...

 morning   afternoon   evening

Now, I'm not talking caffeine overload - only necessary in the morning, to avoid my inner Oscar-the-Grouch. Decaf is certainly my alternative for those afternoon/evening cravings. 

Dependency on any kind of caffeine stimulant is not ideal, and avoiding it at all costs was a lifestyle choice many years ago. Now? ...it seems I can't live without it. Well, at least a little bit. Restraining from this addictive beverage is something I'm beginning to consider, given our future plans for a 2nd pregnancy. This could be a tough challenge! Although, it's comforting to know (credit: WebMD) caffeine withdrawal is possible without severe effects. Luckily, my intake of caffeine is not excessive. 

The MOST challenging part of it... is the creamer!! 

Decisions! Decisions!

My everyday, go-to creamer, is the sugar free Delight French Vanilla. Every now and then, the hubs and I will experiment and try something exotic. Although, one of the most anticipated days of the year (secondary to Christmas, of course) is...

...the Starbucks announcement of their seasonal Peppermint Mocha!! Mmmmm. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Of course, until that glorious time of year, I often opt for the generic (yet, still tasteful) Coffee-Mate "Peppermint Mocha". Trust my taste buds! I have tried different brands, but this one takes the cake!

Lastly, I am a guaranteed sucker for a nice café. I'm talking:

...but, given the reality that I do not live remotely close to a real café in France, I'll take a Starbucks (or the local Coffee Crossing) table outdoors in the sunshine. 

Regardless of my surroundings, I'll never refuse a good cup of joe - which by the way, has two interesting theories regarding the history of its term.

 

Check it out, here.

So, there's my confession. Was it a serious one? No. However, it is something that needs restraint. In the meantime, the hubs would be happy to know:

Haha.

Love to you all!! Hope you have a blessed day!! :)

photo credit: 1 2 3 4 5