How To Make The Perfect Iced Coffee At Home and Things I'm Loving Lately

After not buying coffee for over a month, I keep finding it easier and easier to just not buy a coffee. By this time in the summer, I would have easily purchased an iced coffee to go multiple times a week.

The problem of making iced coffee at home, at least I have found, is that it is just too inconvenient. I never think to start it the night before so it can sit in the fridge overnight to get cold. If I tried to make it by pouring the hot coffee over ice, it would become water-y and a weird, lukewarm temperature. When I want my iced coffee, I want it now! And I don't want it to be all water-y either.

So, I found the perfect way to make an iced coffee so it is ready to go in as much time as it takes to make a cup of hot coffee.

The solution to making an iced coffee for you that doesn't require refrigeration time:  A MARTINI SHAKER! Genius! (Thanks Ryan for thinking of it!)

How to:
1. Make coffee as you usually do-just a tad bit stronger. I used our new french press (love it!)
2. Pour ice into the martini shaker and add your hot coffee.
3. Shake. The martini shaker instantly makes the coffee cold so you don't have to wait for it to chill sitting in the fridge.
4. Pour into a to-go cup and leave the house.

Yay! Iced coffee when you want it and the way you want. Love it!


Other things I'm loving lately:

1. This post! How cute!!! I had a 300 pound English Mastiff when I was growing up and I am trying really hard to convince Ryan that our next dog should be a French Mastiff. I LOOOOOOVE really big dogs and these guys are no exception

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Wouldn't these little guys be a perfect addition in our home??

2. This pairing of cheese and crackers. MMmmm delicious.

3. The show, Extreme Weight Loss. 

4. My new french press.

Questions for you:

1. What are you loving lately?

2. Do you like really big dogs? 

Friend Makin Mondays-My Community

Happy Monday Folks! I hope you all had a great weekend. I had a really good weekend, especially Saturday, but first, another installment for Friend Makin Monday. 

Kenlie has a another fun set on her series Friend Makin Mondays. If you're new to this, here is what she writes:

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

This week's topic: My Community

1. Where were you born? Did you grow up there?

I was born in Boston but grew up in a town outside of Boston until I was 9 years old. My family moved to another small, suburban town, half-way between Boston and Providence, which is where I consider the place I grew up. 

2. Tell us about your favorite spot in your city.  

I lived in a part of Boston called Brookline for a about a year when I was in my early 20's and really testing out my independence for the first time. Near my apartment, there was a grassy, park area where people would bring their dogs, lay out, read, etc. It was small, quiet, and hidden but I loved it. I would bring Bauer, my Olde English Bulldog, down there with me and I would read. I loved it. 

3. Do you volunteer for any organizations? If so, will you tell us about it?

Not for any particular organization. 

4. Tell us about your favorite local restaurant. 

Local people in my area will absolutely know about Town Spa in Stoughton, Ma. We would spend so much time there back in high school. They are known for their pizzas, french fries, but especially the honey mustard sauce. I still go back and order pints of honey mustard sauce to take home. Their pizza is so infamous around here that they began the pizza by mail! 

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5. Has your city ever experienced tragedy?  If so, how did it recover?

The Boston Marathon bombings. 

"Today I learned if you mess with Boston, Boston will shut down the entire city until they find you. Don’t mess with Boston"

Marathon To be honest, I don't know where that quote originally came from but I think it's the most honest and appropriate way to answer this question. 

6. Share at least one unique thing about your neighborhood. 

I just bought my house a few months ago in a new to us town, so I am still getting used to it and learning about it. I will say that there are two different farm stands within walking distance from my house (I really gotta go there more often!) 

7. If you could do one small thing to change your community, what would you do? 

I live in a quiet suburban town, very close to conservation land and a state forest. I love living "in the woods" with amenities very close by but I also live near the Outlets and it causes some horrible traffic. I would change the traffic situation.

8. The Powerball is currently up to 400 million dollars. Would you move to a different place if you won?

Not at all. We just bought the house here a few months ago! I would pay off my mortgage though! 

Now it’s your turn to answer this week’s questions! Don’t forget to come back and link up in the comments! Happy Monday

Friend Making Monday-10 Things That Make Me Happy

Aaaah, Monday. We meet again. It is Friend Making Monday though and after a busy weekend (where I completed 4 things from my 101 in 1001 list-read about it tomorrow), I feel ready for Monday. Weird, huh?

Anyways, Friend Making Monday...here's what Kenlie writes:

"If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section here at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

I found this last week and decided to join in on the fun again this week. 

10 Things That Make Me Happy

1. Puppies.  Seriously, there is nothing better than a puppy sitting on your lap or curled up next to you. Puppies and dogs are instant smiles for me.

The day we took Mulder home

Love this one of Mulder. 

2. When Ryan and I finish each others sentences or say the same thing at the same time. For some reason, it makes me feel good knowing that we think similarly.

3. The tree in girls area. Let me explain. Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I went to an overnight camp as both a camper and a counselor. During my last few summers as a counselor, a bunch of us would gather around this one particular tree in the middle of girls area and read. That's where I fell in love with reading

4. Dancing. There are times when I hear music and it literally hurts from the inside to sit still.


5. Which leads me to "So You Think You Can Dance"

6. Moments when the teenager feels well deserved pride. Like last week, he finally did a pull-up on the pull-up bar we've had for over a year. He has been trying and trying all year long and he finally did it. Watching him finally do the pull-up and seeing the smile on his face was priceless and it is one of my favorite moments with him.

7. The girls. I know I've spoken about them before but I can guarantee I will be laughing till my stomach hurts when i am with them, especially if we play the dirty name game.

8. My afternoon phone calls with my best friend, Julie. We don't live near each other so we spend most of our friendship over the phone.

9. The feeling of going to bed without having to set your alarm for the next morning.

10. Nieces and nephews. I promise I am not being biased, but these little ones are the cutest!

Your turn to answer this week's questions and link back up.