Around this time every year, I feel frazzled and tired. I often feel like the year flew by with little fanfare and minuscule progress. Without taking time to actually reflect on the year, those feelings of weariness and discouragement scream loudly. But God once again showed he’s good. He taught me that “accomplishment” sometimes means getting things checked off a list, but other times it simply means tiny steps of growth that maybe no one else sees. And both the check marks and the baby steps warrant celebration and gratitude.

I sat at the kitchen table with a blue plastic bowl full of applesauce, spoon-feeding my son, Josiah. My three-year-old twins ran laps around the house, and for a few moments I savored the fact that they were playing well together. No fighting, no tantrums, no tears. I overheard whispers about superheroes, and I knew what was coming. They stomped upstairs to retrieve their blankets and within a minute stood next to me asking for help tying on capes.

This cocktail is made with eggnog, vodka (it's extra good if you use vanilla flavored vodka!), and cold brew coffee. It's comforting, creamy, and has the hit of caffeine you need (or use decaf cold brew if you prefer). Make a batch for a crowd if you're entertaining, or just shake up one drink for yourself. (And if you're looking for the mocktail version, you can omit the vodka. The combo of cold brew and eggnog is still soooo good!)

I've been in a "fruit plus herb" rut lately. I love that combination (grapefruit and thyme, cherry and sage, etc), and you'll likely be seeing much more of it on the blog, but it was starting to feel like those were the only flavor pairings I could think of. When I was given the chance to come up with a cocktail recipe using Hangar 1 Straight Vodka, I promised myself I'd do something other than my go-to fruit and herb combo.