By Golly, Ollie!

💾 a blog about books, tea, & geekery

Tag: motherhood

Musings about motherhood (often over a cup of tea)

  • Five March Favorites

    Five March Favorites

    I always seem to start these posts by writing something along the lines of, “I can’t believe [insert month here] is already over. How did another one slip through my fingers?” But alas…here I am…wondering how another month flew by. This is absolutely a reflection of how present I am each day. I’m always looking forward– forward to better weather, forward to when we can feel safe in public again, forward to when my tea budget resets again… Perhaps April should be an exercise in intention and being present. Until then, let’s take a look back at some of my March Favorites.

    The Tea Thoughts Countdown to Spring box focuses on the casual practice of bowl brewing tea

    Tea Thoughts Countdown to Spring Box

    I’ve raved aplenty about Tea Thoughts over on my YouTube channel and my Instagram feed, but I’ve not yet dedicated any space on my blog to Nazanin’s wonderful creations. Nazanin is one of my favorite tea-adjacent creators…nay! She is one of my favorite creators, in general! She designs tea-related stationery and apparel, and she also crafts tea accessories like coasters, teacups, and tea pets. And while I wear my gaiwan t-shirt or sweatshirt literally every week (depending on the weather), it’s her curated tea boxes that have stolen my heart.

    The 2020 Countdown to Spring box was Japan-themed, so we sipped through Bancha, Kukicha, Matcha, and even sakura blossoms! This year, the Countdown to Spring box centers around bowl brewing tea. Day One was an adorable bunny and sakura printed bowl– a chawanmushi, actually– and the following days were teas that we could experiment bowl brewing with.

    I cannot recommend the Tea Thoughts boxes enough. If you haven’t experienced one, I recommend signing up for the Tea Thoughts newsletter, so you can be among the first to be alerted of their arrival in the shop. These boxes sell out quickly, and I believe her Countdown to Spring box was sold out within 24 hours.

    Sipping Yin Rising from Wuji Tea Co. accompanied by my Totoro tea pet

    Springtime Weather

    Speaking of Springtime, I feel as though it has arrived early this year! It’s not uncommon for Michigan to see snowfall in April. I supposed snow could still “grace” us with its presence, but I’m holding out that the clear skies, sunshine days, and 60-degree weather is here to stay.

    I mentioned recently that one of my unofficial New Years Resolutions was to enjoy a cup of tea outdoors at least once a day, but frigid February temperatures kept me indoors all month long. The weather has been so nice recently that I’ve finally been able to enjoy a cup of tea on the back porch again. Lately, I’ve been enjoying oolong teas and green teas while listening to morning birdsong.

    Tea Mail from Masters Teas

    The first of the 2021 harvests are arriving at Masters Teas, and a few were sent my way to sample. Last year, I was lucky to try the 2020 Rohini First Flush Darjeeling, and this year I get to try the 2021 Rohini First Flush Oolong and the Rohini Gold Wire, which is an Autumnal Darjeeling. I also received some 2020 harvests to sample such as Qimen Caixia, Jun Shan Yin Zhen, Ma Liu Mi, Shi Feng Long Jing, and another tea from the Rohini Estate– a first flush white tea! I’ve never tried a white tea from India before, so I’m pretty excited about that.

    I’ve already dipped into the Qimen Caixia because I was certain I had never tried this tea before. Turns out Qimen = Keemun, which I’ve only ever had in breakfast blends. I always thought this tea added a smoky element to breakfast blends, but after trying this tea on its own, I realize it’s more complex than I realized. It offers toasty and honey aromas followed by soft florals on the finish. In later infusions, I notice something that reads as lemon and pine.

    Inaugural sips of 2020 Moon Waffles from White2tea in my new, new Blood Moon Light & Shadow Gaiwan from Crafted Leaf Tea

    My New, New Gaiwan

    I treated myself to a new gaiwan earlier this year. It was a Blood Moon Light & Shadow gaiwan from Crafted Leaf Tea. These kaolin clay gaiwan are fully handmade, and the kiln and firing process creates unique designs, so no two gaiwan look the same. It pours like a dream, and the cup doesn’t become scorching hot like my porcelain gaiwan, which means I don’t burn my fingers. Unfortunately, after about two weeks of owning this gaiwan, I dropped a watermelon on my tea tray, and it crushed the lid. (Everyone gets really curious about the logistics of this one because who drops watermelons on a gaiwan? But, the tea tray and gaiwan were sitting on my kitchen counter waiting to be dumped and rinsed).

    I loved this gaiwan so much that I turned right around and bought a new one less than an hour later, and it finally arrived! I don’t love the design of the new gaiwan as much as the original. The original was a lovely purple color, and my new one is mostly grey with some faded purple along the lip of the cup. It still pours like a dream though! (Also, the cup of my old gaiwan survived, so I imagine I will pair the new lid with the old cup like the heathen I am).

    P.S. The 2020 Moon Waffles from White2tea was the first steep.

    Jon and Ollie enjoying snack time at the park!

    Oliver, of course!

    I mean, of course Oliver makes this list every time. He’s my favorite Favorite!

    Toddlerhood has challenged me in ways I did not expect and did not want. Early on, I learned that I have about as much patience as my two-year-old, so we’ve both been working on that these last few months. As a result, we’ve become really good at counting to ten as a way to cool down rising tempers. We also count to ten to help with waiting for me to switch gears from working to giving him a snack or playing a game with him. The downside is, I can’t give him “until the count of five” to do a task he doesn’t want to do because he just counts with me and continues to ignore my requests.

    He’s becoming more and more himself though, and that’s been exciting to watch. He loves playing outside, sliding down the big kid slides, playing hide-and-seek, drawing all over my notebooks and work folders, reading the Narwhal and Jelly Bubble! book, talking to grandparents over FaceTime, singing along with music, playing Toca Blocks, and as always, trying all of my teas.

    I also love hearing from his teacher that he’s a sensitive boy and that his favorite activity is going on walks around the school. She said they push all of the toddlers in strollers, but he’s the only one they let walk because he insists on it. I’m not surprised though– walking to and from school is a big part of our weekday routine. Also, when I dropped him off at school recently, one of his pals ran up to him greet him and hugged him. (Oh, my heart!)

    Honorable mentions

    The Earl Grey chocolate bar from Crow and Moss • My new, yellow fingernail polish • Waking up early to enjoy a cup of tea and a chapter of the Lord of the Rings before the family wakes up • Staying up past my bedtime to sneak in some time with Mass Effect Andromeda • The exciting news that the release of the Mass Effect Legendary edition is a few weeks away, and news that a Mass Effect 5 may be on the horizon, soon

    I hope you had a happy March! Let me know about your March favorites in the comments.

  • Word of Intent: Joy

    Word of Intent: Joy

    The last memory I have of 2020 is Oliver kicking me in the back as he tried to keep himself from falling asleep. I don’t know who dozed off first– him or me– but when I woke up, it was 2:30 AM in 2021. I missed the opportunity to say “so long, sucker!” to 2020 and usher in the New Year with a strange sense of optimism.

    Normally, I have a long list of resolutions that I post this time of year, and ultimately all are abandoned by the end of January, so this year I decided to forego that and instead adopt a word of intent. I tried to do this last year, but ironically, the word I chose for 2020 was “explore”.

    In 2021, I am embracing the word “Joy”. Something I wish I would have done more in 2020, especially as the year dragged on and the negative echo chamber of the internet got louder. Moments of joy were always there. I just didn’t slow down and really appreciate them.

    We are only a few weeks into 2021, but joy has filled my days in so many ways. Like, having actual time off from work, so I didn’t have to juggle that work-at-home-mom life again while Oliver was on Christmas vacation. Like adopting a new habit of drinking at least one cup of tea outdoors each day to enjoy a peaceful moment in the fresh air. Like finally having someone to sip tea with because as it turns out, my husband has a taste for sheng pu’erh.

    On this day, I was going to take a moment to decompress with a cup of sencha because green teas embody those weightless, warm and sunshine days that I miss right now. But, I found joy in a cup of the Forest blend from Tea Spectral instead.

    Not even trying to imply Ollie painted “mom”. I painted; he dumped glitter everywhere.

    Forest is a blend of black tea, orange peel, cinnamon, sage, juniper berries, and natural and artificial flavor. The scent of juicy orange dominates the dry leaf, and it steeps up to a burnt orange or amber color.

    The first infusion was sipped while Oliver and I worked on arts and crafts. The tea was tart and juicy orange against subtle earthy sage and cinnamon. Each sip was vibrant and matched the energy of a toddler armed with a paintbrush and a tube of gold glitter. The second infusion was softer. One where all the flavors were present, including refreshing pine from the juniper berries. It accompanied me as I cleaned up art supplies while Oliver settled quietly in the living room, filling me with false hope that he was getting ready to take a nap.

    I find myself reaching for this blend on snow-quiet afternoons when the warmth and coziness of my home threatens to lull me into a nap. It also pairs nicely with fantasy novels with richly crafted worlds, like the Lord of the Rings.

    Did you set any resolutions or words of intent for yourself this year? Tell me about them in the comments!

    Thirsty? Why not try the Forest blend from Tea Spectral?

    Already tried the Forest Blend from Tea Spectral? Check out some of these tasTEA recommendations:

  • Five November Favorites

    Five November Favorites

    Did November actually happen? I’m not entirely convinced it did. But, that sort of happens at the end of the year, doesn’t it? February drags on for 100 weeks, but October, November, and December slip by as we scramble to welcome the holidays. I actually struggled to come up with this month’s list of five favorites. That’s not to say November was a crummy month; I just can’t seem to recall much happening! After digging around in my memories, I came up with these Five November Favorites.

    Finally Breaking the Cycle of Sickness

    This is Oliver’s first year out in the world. We have been relatively isolated up until now, so as a result, Oliver’s immune system is getting a crash course in viruses. He’s been stuck at home at least one day a week since mid-September, but he finally went back to school for a FULL week at the end of November (just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday, haha). Hopefully, he’s back to school full-time going forward though. Aside from giving me time to focus on work, he really seems to flourish in the environment. His teachers describe him as sociable, and they always talk about how much everyone in the class loves him.

    Oliver’s Artwork

    Another perk of Oliver attending JR Preschool is all of the art projects he gets to work on and bring home. The latest additions to our fridge include these jive turkeys! I’ve been thinking of getting a scrapbook so I can collect his artwork in a safe space.

    Thanksgiving

    I like to joke that my favorite hobby is feasting, which is why I love Thanksgiving so much. This holiday looked very different though. Normally, we drive down to Ohio to have dinner with my family; this year, we stayed home, and I cooked Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. It was a small feast, but I think I managed to include all of our favorite side dishes. Alongside turkey, we enjoyed green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Oliver wouldn’t touch a morsel of it. Instead, he ate Cheerios, a handful of cashews, and two spoonfuls of peanut butter.

    The surprise Christmas card and sample of Issaku sencha from Japanese Green Tea Co.

    I’ve been craving Sencha lately (which is a feeling that’s deserving of its own post), so I was delighted to discover an unexpected Christmas card sent from Japanese Green Tea Co.! I’ve never received a Christmas card from a tea company before, so receiving this brought me joy and made me feel extra special. Included in the Christmas card was a sample of the Issaku Sencha, which is the highest grade of Sencha produced by the Arahatean Tea Farm.

    Infusion one of the Issaku Sencha was thick and offered aromas of steamed, buttered veggies and luscious umami, and infusion two offered bright notes of sweet, springtime grass. This one took the chill out of a cold November morning.

    Geeksteep Podcast

    If you’re new to my blog or YouTube channel, let me tell you now that I am a capital-G-Geek. So when Geeksteep, a podcast pairing tea with fandoms, launched earlier this year, I knew I was going to be obsessed. I love Kelly and Marika’s passion for Geekdom as well as their critiques and social commentary on the films and comics they explore. I also just really, really want to be their BFFs. Make sure you’re following their Instagram, blog, and Twitter. And of course, subscribe to their podcast on Apple Podcasts (or Google Podcasts or Spotify).

    Honorable mentions:

    Transitioning Oliver to his big boy bed | Nestle’s Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough | The first, real snow of the season | the Harmutty Estate Assam from Chado Tea | Dian Hong, always.

  • This is Not a Glamorous Post About Tea or Motherhood

    This is Not a Glamorous Post About Tea or Motherhood

    I may have romanticized my gongfucha sessions– written about how it’s a meditative practice that lets me decompress while exploring tea more intimately. And some days, my gongfucha sessions are exactly that. But, most days it is just a tea brewing method no different than brewing tea western-style with a cup infuser. Most days, it just keeps my hands busy and my mind focused on work when I would rather be lounging on the couch, playing video games. Some days, it is a fleeting refuge between my toddler’s tantrums. On days like that, I like to steep familiar teas, like the Yunnan Golden Buds (Dian Hong) from California Tea House, which was most recently sipped while hiding beside the refrigerator and out of my toddler’s line of vision. (Surely I’m not the only mother that does this? On second thought…don’t answer that).

    The Yunnan Golden Buds appears to be fuller, uniform wiry leaves with a fairly even ratio of dark brown leaves to downy, golden buds. The dry tea smells malty, and after being tossed in a warm gaiwan, sweet molasses and cocoa scents surface. After an initial 10 second steep, the tea produces a rich, brown liquor that offers malt and cocoa aromas. There is a mild, drying sensation on my tongue, but no bitterness.

    Around the corner, I hear Oliver throw the TV remote over the baby gate, and after it clatters across the kitchen floor, he emits a guttural sound and shouts, “MOTE! MIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!” We have entered the “MINE” phase of toddlerhood, and no amount of parenting books and blogs could really prepare me for it. I immediately prepare a second infusion as Oliver yanks at the baby gate, threatening to tear it down.

    Infusion two moves away from malt and instead offers sweet potato aromas alongside savory cocoa, but my sip is interrupted by the sound of the bathroom door opening and the sink faucet turning on. I nearly tear down the baby gate myself trying to get to Oliver, who is standing on the toilet and splashing in sink water. This used to be a fun activity for us, but during a brief moment of having my back turned, Oliver clogged the sink with an entire roll of toilet paper. In 2020– the year of toilet paper shortages nationwide! I’m still recovering from that trauma, but dragging a soggy Oliver out of the bathroom isn’t any better. As we start to cross the threshold into the hallway, Oliver lets his body go limp and screams a thousand screams (approximately).

    Infusion three through six are a blur of sips stolen from beside the fridge in between attempts to build a Lego tower and consoling an inconsolable toddler. The Yunnan Golden Buds isn’t an overly complex tea, but delicious all the same. It is forgiving during distracted moments and delivers a consistent cup of cocoa, malt, and sweet potato. It’s the flavor profile I found myself reaching for the most when I needed comfort this year– when the world began shutting down, when the months blurred together into some appointment of time never experienced before, when all I wanted were sunny days but was delivered rain instead, and now during moments of toddler-infused chaos.

    This story does have a happy ending, but not before getting slapped across the face by a flailing two-year-old and shedding tears myself. I stood there, embracing Oliver and swaying with him, which was as much a coping method for myself as it was to soothe him. Within five minutes, he had succumbed to sleep, the very thing he had been fighting. I shuffled him to the bed and tried to return to my cup of tea, but I found my arm trapped beneath his tiny body. So, there I laid for the next hour and a half, lest I risk waking a sleeping bear.

    Luckily, I have just enough of the Golden Yunnan Bud for another gongfucha session, but I think this time I will sip it in a moment of peace and not just to find a moment of peace.

    Thirsty? Why not try Yunnan Golden Buds (Dian Hong) from California Tea House!

    Do you have a favorite tea to sip when you’re searching for a moment of peace? If not, what do you like to do to decompress? Let me know in the comments!

    Already tried the Yunnan Golden Buds from California Tea House? Check out of some of these tasTEA recommendations:

    Disclosure: the Yunnan Golden Buds was provided to me free for PR purposes. My thoughts and opinion of this tea are ever my own.

  • Five October Favorites

    Five October Favorites

    Normally, I am of the ilk that says, “I’m glad to live in a world, where there are Octobers”. But with election day looming overhead, Oliver having more sick days than school days, and always feeling behind the eight ball at work, I just sort of feel…burned out. So burned out that I replaced my tea rituals with cups of coffee because I’ve needed something stronger to power through this month. I always try to sit back and reflect on all of the good things that happened during the month because perspective always improves my mental health, but this month was tough…so, here goes:

    Celebrating Four Years of Marriage!

    Four years of marriage kind of sneaked up on Jon and I. We had a low-key celebration which included having an Ollie-free afternoon, enjoying a restaurant-cooked lunch in the socially-distant safety of our car, and indulging in some much-needed retail therapy. I think it’s been two years since I’ve been shopping? And the only pants I had were pre-pregnancy pants, which means I’ve spent the last two years sucking in, haha!

    We followed that up with a Friday Date Night a week later. After tucking Ollie into bed, we enjoyed a livestream performance of the new Puscifer album while sipping mead and sparkling Malvasia Bianca from Caduceus Cellars.

    All of Oliver’s New Words

    During my last Five Monthly Favorites, I mentioned Oliver was starting speech therapy, and three months later, his language is exploding. It has been so interesting to hear the words he learns and uses. He’s mimicking everything right now, which is anxiety-inducing considering Jon and I historically have had…colorful language. But, right now, he’s obsessed with making animal sounds (especially horses, sheep, and frogs), practicing letters of the alphabet, saying “hello” and “goodbye” to the cats, and telling mama and dada to sit.

    All of the Tea Mail

    Okay, even though I’ve been drinking mostly coffee, I’m still buying and receiving all the tea! Recent additions to my stash include Ollie-friendly blends from the kind folks at Little Rituals, breakfast blends from some new tea companies, like Us Two Tea and Prairie State Blending Co., and of course, I may have indulged in a few blends from DAVIDsTEA (because I really did need more Salted Caramel Oolong and Pumpkin Chai in my life) as well as the Adagio Teas Wicked Teas and Advent Calendar.

    MyTeaPal App

    There is a new app that has many tea lovers making heart-eyes. Jenn over at Tea Leaves and Tweed recently wrote about the app in her post, Blending Technology and Tradition, and several of my other tea blogging friends have raved about the app as well. It’s not released to the public yet, but since I was subscribed to the MyTeaPal newsletter, I was granted early access, and OMG I’m so excited to use this app. Right now, I have taken on the arduous task of cataloging my entire tea collection in the app, but I am so excited to start using it for tea tasting notes, and I am especially interested in the Flavor Dictionary!

    The Last Day at the Park Before Oliver Got Sick…Again

    Most October days are overcast and rainy here in Michigan, but we had a sunny and crisp day recently, so instead of driving Oliver home from Jr Preschool, we decided to walk home. (My village may be rather boring, but the fact that we live within walking distance from both the school complex and the library brings me joy). We enjoyed seeing everyone’s Halloween decorations as well as trees of red and orange and yellow. I swear I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen Fall colors this beautiful. Oliver also stomped on every crunchy leaf and and jumped in every puddle.

    We stopped to play at the park between our house and the school, and I think Oliver spent an actual hour going down the one slide. Then, we meandered over to the other park down the road, and Jon met us there shortly after. We traipsed across soccer fields and baseball diamonds, and we ran up and down a giant hill. (Of course, more sliding ensued). Eventually, it grew too cold for my jacket, and I had to lure Ollie home with the promise of spaghetti for dinner.

    Honorable mentions include: Beating Dragon Age 2 | Tony’s Chocolonely bars | Voting by mail | First to Love by Blaqk Audio | Finally having a workspace that isn’t at the kitchen table | Decaf Coffee because it forces me to reach for a cup of caffeinated tea | My new crockpot | Listening to Oliver talk in his sleep

    What are some of your October favorites? Let me know in the comments!

  • Five July Favorites

    Five July Favorites

    I feel like the month of July flew by faster than any other month so far. But, that’s sort of how it happens, right? As the end of the year approaches, days and weeks and months just sort of slip by faster and faster and before I know it, I’m sitting down in front of the computer and typing obligatory year-end blog posts. It doesn’t help that I’m struggling with being present and living with intention. Everything just sort of feels like auto-pilot right now, and I don’t know how to turn it off. So, as usual, I am taking a moment at the end of the month to reflect on all of the great things that happened because sometimes I just need a little reminder. Here are my five July favorites:

    Oliver’s New Toys

    “New toys” also happened to be one of my May favorites because let’s be real– they are just as much for me as they are for my toddler. I can only play with pipe cleaners so many times before I need to hide them in the back of the closet so Oliver can’t find them. Our new batch of toys include jigsaw puzzles, counting bears, color-sorting activities, and a 500-count sticker book. And, you know– “500 stickers” sounds like a lot, but in the hands of a toddler, it’s really not. Despite all of the new toys, coloring remains Oliver’s passion.

    Speech Therapy

    During Oliver’s 18-month wellness visit, we were referred to a speech therapist because Oliver only had three words, and he was very reluctant to use any of them except “no”. At first, it was one of those moments when I felt like I was failing my son, but following a particularly vulnerable Instagram post a few weeks ago, I learned that speech delays are actually really common. I was astounded by the amount of tea friends who reached out to me and let me know their kiddos went through speech therapy too, and it made me feel less alone.

    As for the actual speech therapy, Oliver kind of loves it because he gets to play with someone who isn’t me for 45 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, he felt frustrated at first because he’s never had to use his voice to get something before, but after 6 or 7 appointments, he’s experimenting with a bunch of new sounds, and he has even added three new words to his vocabulary– “nana” (banana), “yeah”, and “cee-cees” (Reese’s…peanut butter cups). His voice is so gosh darn adorable!

    ALL OF THE TEA

    It’s my birthday month, and I may have gone a little overboard in purchasing tea. Highlights include the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai from Calabash Tea, Sleigh Ride from DAVIDsTEA, the Chocolate Spice and my new latte kit from Just Be Tea Co., and of course, the Birthday Tea from Adagio Teas. Seriously though, the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai and the Chocolate Spice are deserving of their own post or their own TeaTube video, so watch out for those as the weather starts to cool and Chai season settles in.

    The Crime Junkie Podcast

    My dad introduced me to the Crime Junkie podcast during my recent visit to Ohio. He mentioned that two of the episodes were about a serial killer that prowled the streets during the 1980s…about an hour from where he used to live. After listening to those two episodes, I was hooked, so I have been binge-listening the podcast. Unfortunately, the only time I get to myself these days is after everyone has gone to bed, which means I’m listening to true crime podcasts until one in the morning. The episode about the Monster of Miramichi was especially horrifying, and every creak and cat-paw shuffle sent electric jolts of panic shooting through my body.

    Making Time to Write Again

    I noticed the dust settled on my blog again, but that’s my usual M.O. I contemplated abandoning BGO! because I wanted to invest my limited me-time on my TeaTube channel, but…I just can’t seem to let go of this space. It’s been my writing outlet for far too long; even just thinking about abandoning this blog for good made my world feel out of balance. So instead, I’ve turned myself into a night owl again just so I could write! (and/or create, in general) The only downside in every creak and cat-paw shuffle sends electric jolts of panic shooting through my body even when I am not listening to the Crime Junkie podcast.

    Honorable Mentions

    My birthday • Dropping Oliver off with family, so Jon and I could go on an almost-proper date (we ordered takeout and then ate in the middle of an abandoned parking lot because I’m not about to mess with the Rona) • Sharing tea with family • Sipping Hou Kui for the first time • Tea lattes • Park days • Sipping Laoshan Green Tea for the first time • The handwritten note from Just Be Tea Co. thanking me for being part of their community and wishing me a happy birthday • The unexpected (free) 1 oz. bag of Chocolate Spice from Just Be Tea Co. because it was my birthday • The best chicken soup I’ve ever eaten • Finally finishing Beowulf

  • Oh My Darjeeling

    Oh My Darjeeling

    I am unkempt hair and peanut butter jeans. Crayon scribbles on the walls and desk and couch. Teetering piles of work and dishes that still need to be put away. Oversteeped breakfast blends tamed with honey and milk are much better suited for me. But, once in a while, I make time to indulge in a cup of Darjeeling tea– a tea that feels so elegant I pull down the fine china from the cupboards and sip from dainty teacups instead of tea-stained novelty mugs.

    I’ve sipped quite a few Darjeeling teas this year. Its fruit and floral aromas remind me of sunny Spring days, and I think we could all use a few more sunny days in our lives rights now. But, among my favorites is the 2020 Rohini First Flush from Masters Teas (free for review purposes). The leaves of the Rohini First Flush are a beautiful array of colors– dark brown, green, fuzzy silver tips, and sepia– and when gently tossed around in a warm cup, they smell rich, honey sweet and a bit like tart grapes. After the leaves have steeped, they are undoubtedly floral and almost like strawberry jam.

    The first infusion is mellow. It steeps to a pale amber and offers subtle golden raisin and floral aromas, but infusion two is when this tea sings. The color of the tea deepens, and the flavor is punchier. Bold floral notes burst through on this infusion, and as the tea cools, it transforms into sparkling white grapes. The third infusion is once again mellow. Floral notes are still prominent, but it trades refreshing grapes for golden raisins once more. When I sip this tea, I am reminded of sparkling white wine and an unexpected weekend of decadence when Jon and I were upgraded to a luxurious suite at the Great Diamond Island Inn during our trip to Maine. It is a much needed vacation while still being locked away from the world amid a pandemic.

    What do you like to reach for when you need a little escape?

  • Five January Favorites

    Five January Favorites

    The first month of the Roaring Twenties is over! And so soon, too. It usually seems like January drags by, but I don’t even know where this month went. Hopefully, that won’t become a mantra for this year– I don’t even know where this month went.

    January was a cold and soggy month filled with ice and snowstorms and perhaps going a little stir crazy so even spending the afternoon grocery shopping sounded fun. But, not everything in January was so dreary. It’s always good to take a moment to reflect on all of the positives, so here are my Five January Favorites:

    Discovering the Great Start Parent Coalition

    I said I wanted to both explore in 2020 and find new experiences to bring enrichment to Oliver’s days, and I discovered a wonderful program– the Great Start Parent Coalition, which provides a plethora of resources to families in the community.

    There will always be this thought badgering me about whether or not being a work-at-home-mom was the best decision for Oliver. I often feel selfish for keeping him home with me, and I feel like being in daycare, at least at his current age, would provide him more enrichment and definitely more socialization. Lately, I have been considering enrolling him in a morning program two or three times a week so he has the opportunity to be around other children more, and also so I can have a few hours of uninterrupted work without all the mom guilt associated with not giving him my undivided attention. But, until I finally make that decision, I have the Great Start Parent Coalition and their biweekly play dates to break up the week.

    I’m not sure if this is something Great Start does in the summer, but at least in the winter, kids from infants to five years old meet up every other week on a giant indoor soccer field and run around like little maniacs. Oliver loved his first play date, and we are eagerly waiting to go back next week.

    Watching Oliver Turn into a Tiny Human

    One of the reasons I love staying home with Oliver is I get to watch him accomplish new things. This January, he learned how to point to his belly button, ears, nose, teeth, and head. He jumped for the first time, and he loves to stomp his feet. He is obsessed with climbing steps (with mom right behind him, of course). And he knows how to hiss like a snake, growl like a lion, and quack like a duck!

    Family Dinners

    Every Parenting 101 book emphasizes the importance of family dinners, but we have been without a kitchen table ever since Jon and I moved into the house three years ago. We’ve spent the last year hovering around Oliver’s highchair and the kitchen counters while eating, but we finally bought a kitchen table.

    It feels like the family dynamic shifted the first day we sat down to dinner together. We were forced to tune into each other, and it was great. I think Oliver appreciated that we were finally sitting at his level too because he just kept whipping his head back and forth to look and Jon and I, and he had this huge smile on his face.

    #TeaMail

    Japanese Green Tea Co.
    CraftedLeaf Teas
    Plum Deluxe
    Matcha Life Co.
    white2tea
    white2tea
    Esteas

    I think I received packages every week with tea-related goodies. Some of them were sent for review (thank you Japanese Green Tea Co., Esteas, and Plum Deluxe). Some were sent to test the interest in a new subscription service, like the Adagio communiTea. And some I purchased because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone; I wanted to explore more single-origin teas and new steeping styles. I am so excited to dig into all of it though.

    The Burgeoning Desire to Create

    This really started back in December when I overhauled my blog, but I haven’t stopped since. Granted, I took a break from blogging last week, but in my defense, I was filming, editing, and posting a daily YouTube video! I have also made it a point to post daily over on Instagram, and I’m just really loving the tea community over there right now. I’m learning and discovering so much!

    Honorable Mentions

    Visits from family. Re-establishing my 8 glasses of water routine. Finally tackling the stairs which became shelves at the end of my pregnancy. Destroying Jon in a game of Rummikub…twice. Finishing the Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. Amy’s Black Bean Burritos. The library, always the library.

    How was your January? Share with me in the comments!

  • Five December Favorites

    I know we are three days into the New Year already, but you know how it is with these wrap-up posts… I like to take a minute (or more realistically an hour that gets edited down to about 12 minutes) and reflect on the month and really focus on some of the more positive experiences because I’m obnoxious like that.

    Really there was so much more than just these five favorites though. There always is, like:

    ++ The random 50-degree weather we experienced during the week of Christmas. Ollie and I stretched our legs outside, had lunch on the front porch, and played basketball with the little basketball hoop/soccer net he received for Christmas.

    ++ Trying to get caught up on Tea with Jann YouTube videos. (I mean, Jann, in general, is the kind of content creator and community builder I admire, so there is that, too).

    ++ Getting Oliver down for the night by 9:30, sometimes even sooner, so I can take some time to decompress before I go to sleep. Some parents are awesome at the whole bedtime routine and manage to get their child into bed before 8, and their kids sleep through the night, and that is just not us (sadly). I aspire to be one of those parents!

    ++ My mom bought me a handheld game of the Oregon Trail, which is pretty rad.

    ++ Getting to spend time with family during the holidays, but even more important, Oliver getting to spend time playing with his cousins.

    ++The two new books I received for Christmas: the Body by Bill Bryson and Paperbacks from Hell by Grady Hendrix. I 100% cannot wait to dive into them. I’ve been on a nonfiction bender recently.

    And, now I think I can finally be done with 2019. What were some of your December favorites? Also, I hope you had a swell December and a Happy New Year, too!

  • 2019 in Review

    2019 in Review

    Right about now, my Twitter feed is filling up with snarky tweets that #SumsUp2019. Was this year really so bad, or is it easy for people to focus on the things that didn’t go right at the year’s end? This year wasn’t always easy or enjoyable for me, but I think it is easier for me to find and reflect on all of the amazing things that happened this year as opposed to all of the bad things.

    A New Start

    2019 started with a new job– an accounting assistant position, which allows me to work remotely from home so I can raise my son. In 2018, when my maternity leave was coming to an end, I still hadn’t made any attempt to find childcare for Oliver. I didn’t realize it at the moment, but I was avoiding the task because the thought of leaving Oliver in the care of someone else terrified me. This anxiety was not unique to me; I think most mothers, especially first-time mothers, are scared to leave their child in the care of someone else. But, also floating around my subconscious was the knowledge that I would be returning to hour-long commutes (each way), and a job that would require me to work upwards of 60 hours a week, leaving little time to raise my son. The moment I said out loud I wanted to stay home and raise my son, I had two potential job offers on the table. It was the best position I could be in– one made possible with all of the incredible experience I received at my previous job and my husband’s support because this meant taking a drastic pay cut since I would only be working part-time hours.

    Oliver

    Because this new job lets me work from home, I had front row tickets to watching Oliver grow up this past year:

    • He tried solid foods for the first time, and now he loves spaghetti, avocados, watermelon, chicken and rice, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and yogurt.
    • I watched him roll over for the first time, and I watched him crawl for the first time.
    • I watched him take his first steps!
    • I heard him say his first words, which was “dada”, although now all he wants to say is “mama”.
    • He turned ONE.

    Not everything has been easy on the child-rearing front though. We had some obstacles to overcome this year too, but again, the privilege of being able to work from home and raise him helped ease the anxiety.

    • Oliver was diagnosed with torticollis and plagiocephaly, so every Wednesday for three months, we spent an hour at physical therapy.
    • When physical therapy wasn’t enough to correct the plagiocephaly, we had to get an orthopedic helmet to correct his head shape. It was a commitment both in terms of time and finance, but the results were worth it.
    • Oliver was diagnosed with an egg allergy, and now we always have to have epi-pens nearby just in case.

    Travel

    Considering Jon and I are new parents, the fact that we were able to travel so often this year blows my mind! Sometimes we were even able to drop Oliver off with grandparents and steal away for much needed alone time!

    Cleveland, Ohio

    First, we took a long weekend and explored Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland probably isn’t on the top of anyone’s list for travel destinations, but it’s actually a cool city. We admired the view of Lake Erie. We watched a stand-up comedy show at Hilarities. We wandered through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And coincidentally, the MLB All-Star games were taking place that week, so there was a baseball convention going on that had a lot of free and family-friendly activities.

    Motor City Comic-Con

    Jon, Oliver, and I spent a day exploring the Motor City Comic Con, and we left determined to make this an annual family event going forward. We spent most of the time exploring Artist Alley, and we purchased so much art that we have yet to display in the house. But, highlights also include seeing the top, left portion of David Tennant’s face, fangirling over Felica Day from afar, and this photo opportunity featuring baby Hulk meeting the real Hulk!

    The Renaissance Festival

    Jon unknowingly made my 5th-grade dream come true. Back in fifth grade, my class was supposed to go to the Renaissance Festival; however, my family moved away right before the trip was supposed to happen (this was actually a recurring theme in my youth– missing out on field trips because my family moved. I also missed out on the 6th-grade field trip to Washington DC as well as the senior field trip to Washington DC). But, I digress.

    Jon, Oliver, and I found ourselves up in Holly, Michigan, and transported back in time. The Renaissance Festival was somehow better than I imagined. We feasted on smoked turkey legs, watched a Scottish Strongman Competition, saw a knight in shining armor preparing for a joust, and sipped a bloody mary from a little eatery called Bloody Mary Queen of Scots, haha.

    Munich, Germany

    We also jet-set across the Atlantic and spent a week in Bavaria. We spent most of our time wandering around in Munich, Germany, drinking beer, participating in and recovering from Oktoberfest, and tasting foods at the outdoor, weekend markets.

    Salzburg, Austria

    We also rode the train down and spent a day in Salzburg, Austria, which is quite possibly the most beautiful city I have ever visited. The elaborate, Baroque architecture was exquisite, and the buildings were so tall that I literally felt dizzy looking up at them. I even admired the sprawling Alps from a castle that was constructed back in the 1100s!

    New York City

    Most recently, I spent a day in New York City exploring Manhattan and doing all of the touristy things I never thought I would have the opportunity to do, like walk around in Central Park, see the Statue of Liberty in person, eat a slice of New York pizza, and experience the sensory overload that is Time Square. I also connected with one of my longtime pals, Bianca; she’s one of the only friends from high school I keep in contact with.

    Books & Tea (and other things)

    This year was terrible in terms of reading. I started a bunch of chapter books, but I only ever finished reading three (that’s one more than when I posted the other day). And, since once upon a time I considered myself a book blogger, it’s embarrassing to admit that! A lot of the time, I claimed I didn’t have the time to read, but even when I did find the time to read, I just wanted to decompress in front of the TV. You guys, I watched like eight seasons of Grey’s Anatomy this year. I’m almost current with the series. I did read a LOT of children’s picture books though.

    My tea consumption increased drastically though! So did my tea collection even though I was on a tea buying ban. Weird how that works, right? And because I was drinking so much tea, I took the leap and started a youtube channel focusing on tea this year! I realize though I’m still pretty slow at posting content to my channel; the filming and editing process is very time-consuming. I might spend an hour filming, and then several hours more editing all of the material down to a coherent video that’s only 12 minutes long. It’s still a very satisfying and very rewarding process, and I love the small community I’m involved with on Youtube as well.

    But, as much as I love Books & Tea, I realized the identity no longer suited me, so I took the leap and upgraded to a dot com. I also started working toward a writing routine at the end of the year, and this has improved my productivity and interestingly, my creativity too. I’m really hoping I can keep up this new routine so that my blog flourishes in 2020!

    How was your 2019? Share with me some of the highlights of your year in the comments!