Product Review: Starbucks Discoveries, Iced Cafe' Favorites

You all may know that I am a coffee drinker. (Shocker!) But I have morphed into a complete Iced Coffee drinker. 100% of the time. When it's cold again, (if that happens here in Georgia) I may go back to hot coffee. But don't count on it. 

So when I find myself away from home, I've become one of those high maintenance people who "needs" an iced coffee every couple of days. Well, this past weekend we were in a small town in middle GA, where the closest Starbucks was 35 inconvenient minutes away. So rather than be super crazy and drive that far, I resigned myself to a few coffee-free days. 

(Yes, I could drink the hot Maxwell House offered me. In dire situations, I might. Blame my husband for making me a coffee snob.)

Imagine my sheer delight when I spotted THESE at their local Walmart:

Lance and I agreed it was my DUTY to all of you to buy one and try it. You're welcome. I chose Vanilla and the next morning fixed myself a nice tall glass. 

(BONUS: each serving is only about 120 calories. SCORE!)

So here's my opinion on the Starbucks Discoveries Iced Cafe Favorites. (Find them in your grocer's refrigerator!!)

The Carton is a nice size, there are NO artificial flavors or colors, and it's very convenient. Especially for Summer travels.

However, I personally feel like it tastes more like milk than coffee. Vanilla milk with maybe a hint of coffee. It definitely does not have that punch of espresso flavor that we all expect from Starbucks drinks. I'm sure most of this has to do with the fact that it's in a carton.

The Price is not TOO bad if you consider you get several glasses, (between $4-5) but I really don't think I would try it again. It wasn't enough of a coffee taste for me. And honestly, I would rather wait and have my own iced coffee at home for a fraction of the price. Though these boast the Starbucks name, I don't think they taste like anything you get at the actual coffee shop.

Has anyone else tried these?

P.S. Starbucks has no clue who I am and did not compensate me for this review or product. Although if they knew how many 2.00 Iced Coffees I'd purchased over the years...

Four Things I Think You Should Know on a Wednesday

    1. Lance's dear sweet (Paternal) Grandmother went to be with Jesus today. Her name is Mary. She has been fighting the uphill battle of Alzheimer's for 16 years. A year after her husband (whom I never had the pleasure of meeting) passed away she started showing signs of the disease. She has suffered long. She has been tirelessly cared for by her daughter and son-in-law for many years. She and Mr. Stuckey raised 7 children (one of them being my Father in Law) and she was a star basketball player! There will be a keen loss felt over the next few days as we prepare to celebrate her life, but I am rejoicing today. Literally, my heart has felt such peace and excitement to know that she forever stepped away from a life of pain and confusion into the arms of her Saviour TODAY! What a wonderful Wednesday it must be for her.
And I cannot help but hope that she has met her little great-grandchild. This month our sweet 2nd Stuckey Baby would be two years old. We have blessing upon blessing. Far more than we have heartache. Still a mother does not forget. What an amazing life our God has given us that we live always with the HOPE of Heaven. The blessings and graces are far more than we can count. But I think we should try to count them anyway. 

A sweet moment from our Wedding in 2007

2. Friend, can I ask you something? Are you hurting today? Has someone hurt you? Are the actions (or non-actions) of someone you love weighing your heart like a thousand pounds? Maybe you're reeling at the sin of another that though it has nothing to do with you personally, the news of it shook to you the core.

 Maybe you are trying hard to lean on the chest of the One who made you but you keep looking up, asking, "WHY?!" 

Maybe you're really struggling with the load He has asked you to carry. A sick child. A difficult spouse. A financially tight life with no foreseeable change. Cancer. Miscarriage. Rejection. Perhaps you are carrying far more burdens than one person should be expected to carry. Maybe you're the one everyone counts on and you feel you just *might* buckle from the pressure of it all. Are you hurting or struggling today?  You can tell me. I promise I won't tell a soul. Pinky Promise. But I will point you in this direction. Someone dear shared it with me and I simply must share it with you. 

3. And if you'll forgive me for the complete pendulum swing, are you going to dotMOM??!!!

This year is my very first opportunity to attend and I am so excited. The fall conference will be held in Chattanooga, TN this year and I can hardly wait. I would LOVE to see you there! Some of the amazing speakers include, Vicki Courtney, Jen Hatmaker (YAY!) and Angela Thomas. All of which I've not yet had the privilege of hearing. This is me, EXCITED.



4. One of my very favorite companies, English Tea Paperie has decided to start offering PERMANENT FREE SHIPPING!!!

ETP is an amazing source for personal stationery & gifts! Chloe hand designs or draws each and every design on the site, making them 100% unique and so special.  She is amazingly talented and a joy to work with. English Tea Paperie has a beautiful selection of Monogram Notes, Social & Scripture Notes or even custom design services-- so if you have not already, check them out!