I love my ekobrew!

I must rave about this new, reusable filter I bought for my Keurig coffee maker. I read about it on Amazon while looking for a water purifier (to use with my Keurig as well). It's claim to fame is being green because you use your own grounds instead of the expensive, disposable k-cups that Keurigs are known for. I try to keep my footprints to a minimum by reusing and recycling as much as possible. Our family regularly has 2 recycling bins each garbage week, we use the canvas tote bags for any store purchases, many food items in plastic containers are reused for storage containers once the food/condiment are gone, lights off when not in use and we even tried the battery-powered Neuton mower when we first purchased our house (that's a whole other story).  In fact, it's pretty ironic that I have the Keurig to begin with because they are known for their wastefulness. I guess a man's love for coffee is stronger than the will to keep the earth clean and beee-autiful.

Anyways, back to the story...

Within the first few weeks of having the Keurig coffee maker, my guilt began to haunt me as I threw away plastic K-Cup after plastic K-Cup. I regularly drank 2-3 cups of coffee every morning so you could imagine how much waste was created during the week.  I went out and purchased the Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter from Amazon even though it had mixed reviews. To put it simply, it stunk. The coffee always brewed weak, the filter was somewhat difficult to clean, water leaked around the My K-Cup because there wasn't a good seal from the coffee maker to the filter, it was made of a cheap plastic that didn't scream quality and you had to remove the K-Cup holder from the Keurig before inserting the My K-Cup Reusable Filter.  It was a pain and the taste was horrible.

(Keurig My K-Cup Reusable Coffee Filter.)

So... I stopped using it and continued purchasing more disposable K-Cups.

That is, until I stumbled upon the ekobrew Refillable K-Cup.

(A nice, compact cannister for the filter arrived on my doorstep within a week.)

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical after the previous failed attempt with a reusable filter, but now I am a believer.  The coffee tasted great, water did not leak around the seal, the filter cleaned with ease and it's made from a plastic material that seemed very durable and well built (that's also BPA free).  It also came with an instructional booklet... something the My K-Cup didn't include.

(The filter is the same size as a K-Cup and fits inside the Keurig coffee maker without removing any parts)

I love to buy whole beans and grind them myself.  The taste is very fresh and the flavor is amazing.  The ekobrew lets me use my favorite coffees and I get to save lots of money in the process.

(The ekobrew fits nicely into the Keurig without fussing or jiggling)

Before the Keurig, I used to brew a pot of coffee then dump out most of it.  Now I can have 1 or 2 cups of great-tasting coffee without being wasteful.

(The coffee brew great and the flavor is maintained.  Not at all watered down like the My K-Cup reusable filter brew.)

If you own a Keurig and are skeptical about reusable filters, don't be afraid.  Break the cycle of waste and try the ekobrew, you'll love it!  It's now a staple in my morning routine.  

St. Joseph, MI.

On our first family trip, we did a short photo shoot on Silver Beach in St. Joseph, MI.  The weather was cold and windy so we weren't out for long.  All of the photos below were shot with a Nikon F100 / Nikon 24-70mm AF-S lens loaded with Fuji Pro 160s 35mm film.  Leah had so much pulling the sand onto her legs and covering them up.  Lots of smiles from this 6 month old!

Now traveling with her in a car for 4 hours is another story...

(Happy as can be!  This is the first time she's sat on a beach... too bad the weather was cold or she would have been in Lake Michigan.)

(Look dad, I'm making a sand angel...)

(She buried her little legs underneath the sand.  She had so much fun playing.)

(What's the point of being on a beach if you can't taste it?)

(Cheeeeeeeeese!)

(Enjoying the view... or at least wondering where mom and dad went!)

James and Katrina's Wedding.

Should I be scared?

Look what I found in our flower garden this morning...