tea time!

Hot tea? Seriously?
When I think of tea... I think of proper old ladies, with fine china teacups, pinkies extended, carefully sipping their tea. I do not fit that description. However I have quickly discovered that I enjoy a good cup of tea, as much as I enjoy a good cup of coffee (gasp!). It's a different kind of enjoyment. I think that tea is lighter and not as acidic on my stomach. Seems to be great for a spring/summer morning, while coffee is heavier, stronger, and just the smell warms me up when I'm cold in the winter.

I should add that I have not formerly been a cold (sweet or unsweetened) tea drinker either. I just never really liked the taste. Anyways, I decided to switch from coffee to hot tea for two weeks to see if it changed how I felt. I was having acidity issues with my stomach, especially at night time, when drinking a cup of decaf after the kids went to bed. So far so good. I have had a morning or two in which I've missed the extra jolt of caffeine, but the tea is giving me a warm drink to sit and spend my (Bible) quiet times with, which is when I most enjoyed my cup of coffee.

I got on the tea "kick" after a friend and I wandered into a new store in our mall, called Teavana. My eyes were opened to the variety of tea.. and to the intrigue (& taste!) of loose tea vs. tea bags. I have since "invested" in a tea maker and two varieties of their tea. I brew the tea and then pour it into my insulated travel mug. (Regardless of whether it's tea or coffee, it's got to be hot!) I'm planning another trip to the mall this week to pick up another blend or two, with another gal friend who likes tea.

My daughter and I have enjoyed a mother-daughter tea time, in which I got down two tea cups from our china set and we had cookies and tea together one day after school. She loved it!

My little man has taken quite the interest and points and says, "TEA!" when I set it up to brew. He likes watching the loose tea leaves swirl around and then settle over the time it takes to steep the tea.


What about you? Sworn coffee-only drinker or open to hot tea as well? If you do drink tea, I'd be interested in hearing about what you've had, color/flavor-wise.