This whole house-selling business is exhausting. I get up early to work on house projects and stay up late wondering how we will manage showings and what house we will buy. Like the addict I am, I'm making coffee a lot more regularly now. As recently as six months ago, I was grinding beans by hand and futzing with a French Press. To be honest, I couldn't tell that the finished product was much better than what my parents make with a drip machine but I liked the routine.

Jason from Thunderkiss Coffee introduced me to a better way: the pour-over method. The pour-over eliminates grounds in the mug, bulky appliances on the counter, and about 60 seconds from pour to sip.

The Way I Pour

I fill and start the electric hot water kettle. As that's warming, I pull out my mug, paper filter and $3 plastic filter cone. Someday I'll spring for a vintage ceramic cone and reusable gold filter but for now I'm hanging tight with the cheap ones.

I scoop a heaping tablespoon of ground coffee (that's right, I buy pre-ground coffee now because our hand-grinder was a mess and I realized I needed to upgrade to an expensive burr grinder or give in) into the filter. Typically by this time the water comes to a boil. I allow it to cool for just a second (Coffee Geek says coffee brews best at 192-204F) and fill the filter.

As the water drips down, I add more until my cup is filled. I usually unload or load the dishwasher in the 1-2 minutes I'm waiting for the coffee to finish.

Toss the grounds into the compost collector, rinse the cone, and I'm ready to face the day.

How do you brew?

PS. I'm sorry that I didn't take a picture of the final product. I was, you know, tired.

Thanks to Crystal Light for sponsoring this post. To learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight.

Mornings begin here with coffee, like many other American households. Coffee duty is all mine because I am the one who wakes up first and wants the energy zap of caffeine right away.

I use a french coffee press to extract coffee from the beans, motivated by the excellent flavor it produces, lack of electronics required, and ease of cleaning.

I turn whole beans into grounds with a coffee mill. I could say that the reasons for this are the same as the french press, as a hand powered grinder is one less thing to plug in and provides more fine control than a cheapo electronic grinder.

The true reason, though, is that I enjoy starting my day with a small physical activity and time of reflection. As my hand makes the rounds and the beans whir under the burr, I intentionally set out my goals for the day or reflect on the previous day. I breathe deeply, ignoring any interruptions by the chickens, dogs, or child.

I'm always sure to find a caffeine buzz somewhere, but days that do not start with milling beans by hand are days when I feel a little off. My simple morning ritual, my moment by myself to gather my thoughts, grounds me for the day.

Remember, visit http://www.facebook.com/crystallight to learn more about how Crystal Light can flavor your day with 30 refreshing flavors. I was selected and paid for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity, as I do.