Steeped Coffee Single-Serve Bags

steeped coffee bag with package

As long as I have been alive, my mother has been an avid coffee drinker. I remember when instant coffee bags were invented – they’re like tea bags, but with coffee in them, and they are supposed to taste better than instant coffee crystals that you just stir into hot water, because there is some brewing involved. It seems like a good idea for when you are out of coffee for your drip machine or French press, or for camping, but honestly the brands she has used in the past have never worked for me. I like my coffee medium-strength and the best I could ever get out of the instant bags has been…not great.

I tried Steeped Coffee last fall before the holiday season began, in advance of my mom’s annual Thanksgiving visit. I had dreams of introducing her to a new brand that would blow her mind, and I also had high hopes of identifying a better backup for my own coffee habit. This is what grabbed me about the brand:

…each Steeped Pack contains hand-roasted, ethically-sourced, Direct Trade coffee that’s precision ground to showcase the distinctive flavor profile of every crafted blend.

The sample pack contains Light, Medium, Dark, Extra Dark, and Decaf, and includes instructions on how to brew the coffee for maximum flavor. I settled down to try it…

coffee package with brewing instructions

coffee bag with package and mug

coffee mug with brewed bag

woman smiling holding coffee mug up to her face

It is tasty!

No sweat. If you follow the directions and use really hot water, the flavor is strong and rich. The true test was my mother, though. When she visited I gave her the Steeped Coffee bags and she loves them. However, she left them behind. Good thing I can just order them and send them to her. The company even offers a monthly subscription box. They offer fun little accessories, too.

Steeped Coffee
$15-39 per box
steepedcoffee.com

I received a complimentary sample pack to facilitate this feature. To have your product or service featured on Agoura Hills Mom, please contact me at ki*@************om.com

Summer in Agoura Hills

summer in agoura hills park

Early summer, before every day stretches into an endless parade of searing hot sun-scorched misery. The first concerts in the park, the ice cream truck, the trips to the beach. The feeling that school doesn’t start again for a long, long time. We adults know the truth, that school starts again in just a handful of weeks, but even though the kids are getting older, we shield them from it. How many more years will summer mean a break for them? For now, let them feel the freedom. Let them play.

summer in agoura hills beach


Chatbooks Instagram Cards – the Easiest Holiday Cards You’ll Ever Make

chatbooks instagram cards return address

If most of my family photos eventually end up on Instagram, doesn’t it make sense to use the app to make my holiday cards? That’s what Chatbooks thought too, so it came up with the Instagram card function in its holiday card department! All you have to do is open Chatbooks, integrate with Instagram, and select the Instagram card option. The app automatically pulls in 4-9 of your most-liked photos from the year.

Luckily you can then customize it by swapping out photos, otherwise mine would have pictures of temporary tattoos and a DeLorean in it. I’m sure I’d get a lot of questions.

Easy Design

Here’s the number one reason it was so easy: there’s only one design option. This layout:

chatbooks instagram cards screenshots

Choosing a holiday card layout is the stage that takes me the longest in making my cards every year. This year it was a snap! I made the initial draft with my phone in the app, and then pulled some different photos in to complete the design, and ordered my shipment. It arrived about a week later. (This means you still have time.)

Great Quality

chatbooks instagram cards

I’m impressed with the quality of the card stock and the printing. It’s hefty weight paper and the colors look fine. It’s not too good to be true! The only thing that’s not super top-notch is the free return address printed on the back of the envelope. It seems like I did it on my own printer at home. But hey, it’s included. (The blurry second line is my fabulous digital artwork.)

I recommend Chatbooks Instagram cards if you haven’t yet done yours and you want to take care of it quickly. No deliberation or second-guessing yourself. Boom, you’re done and you can settle in to make your list, check it twice, and get yourself in the holiday mood.

Chatbooks Instagram Cards
$1 per card with free shipping
Chatbooks.com – use the smartphone app for the Instagram option

I received a complimentary set of cards to facilitate this review.