Originally posted by divinewrite link=1203051064/0#10 date=1203377000
) ,. it is absolute madness in the mornings here too,.. I have three kids that Im also making breakfast for as well as giving instructions to, on where to find lost shoes,. ties,.homework etc... utter chaos I tellya. The last thing I needed was to be spending time in that chaos stuffing around with grinding,.dosing, tamping, heating extracting and frothing aaaaaargh,.. last year I thought there was no way I could add one more thing to my already hectic life with these kids or I would implode (you sound like you know exactly what I mean here!!),..but you know what?.. Im doing it all and more in the mornings this year and its a breeze now (even have time for me to relax for a short bit and enjoy some real nice coffee )after doing it every week morning for a month now. You just need to get into a nice but very organised routine and youll be doing it all seemingly without much more effort and soon without even thinking. At the beginning of the school year I trialed a new breakfast routine which is working very well and Im keeping it
. At least there is less squabbling and madness and 15mins of relative peace while the kids wake up nicely as they dine(youll know what I mean by the time yours are pre-teens). With my eyes still half closed at 6:50, I stumble downstairs and go straight to the coffee machine and turn it on, then wake each child, turning their lights half on (they know this is their first call and they have about 10 more mins). I then go get all the breakfast foods, milk juice, glasses, plates, bowls, spoons, knives and coffee/choc making stuff out of the pantry and fridge and arrange breakfast stuff in the middle of the kitchen bench for them to be able to reach without moving from their seats
. I deliberately make a bit of noise too while Im at it
. I make three frothy hot chocolates complete with marshmallows and put at their places at the bench. Pop muffins in toaster as I go to give the kids their second and final call turning their lights fully on. Not "its time to get up for school" cos thats not very appealing to them it seems, and they bury their heads under the covers when I say that... but "your breakfast & hot choc is ready for you". I toss the cooked muffins and/or toast on a big plate in the middle and they stumble out to their seats. They sit and sip hot choc and poke marshmallows for a few minutes,. then slowly butter their muffins/toast and make their cereals while sitting there. By this time,.. I have woken up properly(Im not a morning person),..its all quiet,.. peace.. arrrr.... its then that Im able to measure a little scoop of beans to throw into the grinder,..few seconds later I have fresh ground straight into my portafilter,. a few quick tamps and pour two shots as I froth enough milk for both cups. I leave the kids to eat and go sit at the computer for the next 10-15mins and enjoy one cup,..then the other. By the time Im finished,.. the kids are finished and heading off satisfied to get showers and dressed(and not cranky & arguing all the time like last year) and I can clean it all up at once while I give instructions to the kids about lost items etc. Then its a quick shower for me and all out the door by 8:15. Last year we were all over the place,.. kids getting their breakfasts at different times, me cleaning up mess after mess,.or them clashing and trying to get their breakfast at same times some mornings and fighting cos theyre tired and cranky and not wanting to start another school day. Me not having time for me in the mornings, or for coffee(instant back then urgh) and me being angry because of it all. Im never going there again, it is bliss now by comparison and Im really enjoying the mornings,.... OMG..who said that?
Yep,.. treat yourself to a grinder,.. work out a regular measure of beans that will give you just enough grind for your portafilter (Im using a spare double basket, but often estimate by hand now that I know what that much looks like in the hopper). This step will take you just a few more seconds and soooh worth the trouble.

Leave a comment: