This Moment

Joining SouleMama...

"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


Simple joy...

Yarn Along: Mother's, Daughter's, and Pom Poms

I am really almost done with my daughter's scarf.  It's about two thirds of the way there...just need a little more length.  I spent a few hours Friday practicing purl stitch and cable stitch.  I took the advice many of you lovely ladies gave me and found some tutorials on YouTube.  It seemed easy...so I grabed my yarn and needles and got to it.  I was hoping to have a picture to share, but I must confess, the stitches looked rather...well, not good.  I need to do a little more practicing before I post any pictures.


On the reading front, I finished The Brazen Bride.  It actually got quite good once the story focused on the hero and heroine's pursuit of The Black Cobra...the mystery leader of a group of assasins wrecking havoc in India.  I just started reading Bed and Breakfast by Lois Battle.  It's a story about a widow who is estranged from her three adult daughters and their journey towards reconciliation.  It is very engaging and I am enjoying it very much.


Isabella and I are steadily working on Harry Potter, Book 1.  She is enjoying it immensley; especially since we see little bits of the movie as we read.  And I am enjoying reliving the magic!


Linking with Ginny.

Provoke and Ponder: A Week-Long Reflection

Joining A is for Akari…

“A new Wednesday ritual...some inspirational words to carry you (and me) through the rest of the week.”

A quote I’ve been pondering all week.

“Life knocks us all off course at one time or another, I tell them, and right now it’s my turn. I let them see me cry a little, I accept every hug that comes my way, and then I remind myself, over and over…that when a door closes, another one always opens. I am simply going to need to keep an eye out for it, so that when I see it, I’ll be ready to walk through.”
~K. Kenison in The Gift of an Ordinary Day


You can read more about my pondering here.


What is inspiring you today?

Weekending: Going it Slow

This weekend...

Hung out with the teens on Friday…Souplantation and conversation about summer plans.

Did bits of cleaning and tidying in between longer moments of laziness.

Lots of reassuring a frazzled husband…had to dig back into thesis proposal writing memories to help him get his bearings. I hope it helped.

Dinner with friends on Saturday night…homemade gnocchi and tiramisu…heaven.

Spent some time reflecting on my funky mood of the past few weeks.

Dinner with friends again on Sunday. Truly blessed to have such great friends.

All said, it was quiet with a general sense of calm and moments of laughter. Not a bad weekend at all.

How was yours?

Linking with Amanda.

Monthly Reflection

I have been feeling very uninspired lately.  Not sure of it’s the hectic pace we seem to be living at as Luis nears the end of his first year of his MSW program, or the thoughts of the adjustments we will have to make come September when he begins again, adding an internship along with his three classes and full-time job.  At this point, the months of summer seem to stretch before us as a welcome respite from the chaotic life we have been living this past year, yet, at the same time, insufficient as I try to figure out how we are going to pack one school years worth of quality family time into two measly months.

As I ponder all of these certainties, eventualities, and possibilities, an overwhelming feeling of defeat fills me, which leaves no room for inspiration of any kind.  The past few weekends have passed practically uneventful, as I don’t do the chores I should be doing or start the projects I should be starting or make the plans I should me making.  Friday comes and I feel drained.  I end up half-heartedly getting through the weekend.  Then Sunday comes and the work week looms before me with all of the stressing and rushing and juggling that accompanies life in our household these days.

Today…as I sit on my couch and stare out my window, the dust bunnies sweeping past, the unfolded laundry in a pile beside me, I look for some words of comfort from someone who has been there, done that.  I randomly open my copy of Katrina Kenisons’ a Gift of an Ordinary Day and I come across these words:

Life knocks us all off course at one time or another, I tell them, and right now it’s my turn.  I let them see me cry a little, I accept every hug that comes my way, and then I remind myself, over and over…that when a door closes, another one always opens.  I am simply going to need to keep an eye out for it, so that when I see it, I’ll be ready to walk through.

How appropriate!  I am definitely having an off-course moment and it’s gratifying to read the words of another who has gone through the same moments in life and can offer words of wisdom to help me view my circumstances, not as a deep well I have fallen into and can’t seem to climb up out of, but more like a waiting room with many doors, one of which will open at any given moment and provide me with an opportunity to take a new path.

So, for now, I suppose I will simply accept and find peace in this place I am in and trust that life knows where it is taking me…and when the time is right, I will know the path that I must follow next.  in the meantime, I will work on surrendering my worries of the future and my expectations of the present, and simply enjoy what I have right now…dust bunnies, a pile of laundry, and a beautiful spring day!

New Look (for now)

Hello, all.  Just wanted to assure you that you're in the right place.  I've been trying to find a template I like and so have been playing around with various options.  I like simplicity and the previous template was just not working for me anymore.  I would love to add a photo to the title background, but that is proving to require more technological knowledge than I apparently posses.  I have also tried downloading templates and those also require techy skills in order to arrange the gadgets to my liking. I see an HTML class in my future :(  Any and all advice is welcome, but for now...this is it.  I hope to spruce it up with lots of pictures in my posts!  

This Moment

Joining SouleMama...



"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Nature's perfection...

Yarn Along: Feeding the Mind and Soul

Given all the yarn and knitting paraphernalia that I own, you would think I had a whole closet full of hand-knitted items.  But alas…it’s just the scarves as usual.  

I am almost done with my daughter’s very colorful pom-pom scarf.  I underestimated the amount of yarn I would need and had to go back for more.  I also started a new scarf with multi-colored ribbon I found on sale at Tuesday Morning.  I love the Fall colors and can’t wait to wear it!!  I’m using a brown suede and the fun fur, along with the ribbon.  Since I’m not skilled in different kinds of stitches, I usually use three yarns to give my scarves pattern and texture.  Sigh!  Someday I’ll be able to make amazing things like so many of you ladies :)  This weekend I also bought a crochet book.  For some reason one needle seems much less intimidating than two.  We will see how it goes.

As for reading…in the romance category I’m currently zipping through The Brazen Bride by Stephanie Laurens.  She is my favorite historical romance author and this is the third book in a quartet…but I have to say she goes a little overboard in this one.  Seems the characters spend more time in bed than trying to catch the bad guys.  Suffice it to say I’ve been skipping a lot of pages :(

Isabella and I finished Charlotte’s Web.  She absolutely loved it and I enjoyed sharing this wonderful story with her.  It got me thinking that perhaps it was time to delve into the magical world of Harry Potter…for the second time.  We started reading The Sorcerer’s Stone.  So far, so good.

And…every once in a while I read another chapter of Just Food or The Last Lecture :)

Linking with Ginny for Yarn Along. 

My Moment

Things have been very hectic around here. With Luis in the home stretch, writing papers and preparing for finals, I have been pretty much going it alone. Therefore, my camera has been sitting on shelf collecting dust and no words have been begging to be written. Since we have been spending our time doing instead of documenting, I didn’t have a photo to share last Friday for This Moment. I was bummed, but did enjoy seeing everyone else’s photos.

Then on Friday afternoon my home was suddenly bursting with life! My son had asked if he could invite friends over for burgers. He was cooking for everyone so how could I refuse. I did the shopping in the morning, as it was my day off, and come 3:30pm we had full house…my son and his three friends, my daughter, my husband, my mom (who wasn’t about to miss out on the fun), and, of course, me. As the afternoon wore on my senses were assaulted by the sounds of food prep in the kitchen, my daughter’s giggles as she danced along with the Wii, the chatter and laughter of four teenagers, and the smells of burgers grilling, I realized this was my moment. In the middle of the chaos that accompanies feeding hungry teenagers and keeping the conversation appropriate for a seven year old and ensuring that there is enough peace for my husband to write, I was filled with an overwhelming feeling of happiness and an absolute certainty that all is as it should be…that there is no other place on earth I would rather be than right here, right now.

Linking (a little late) with SouleMama.

What's Cookin': Easy Breezy Mac and Cheesy

Being a full-time working mom, I’m always looking for fast, easy, and healthy recipes for weekday cooking.  A few months ago I hit the jackpot when I found a fantastic mac and cheese recipe in my issue of Food and Wine.  I have made it several times and it’s always a hit…so thought I would share it here for any out there needing a good mac and cheese recipe. 

A disclaimer…this recipe is healthy in that uses all real food ingredients, but don’t expect low-fat or light.  I recommend getting all ingredients measured out and getting the pasta boiling before starting because it goes very quickly once you start the sauce.  I love this recipe because it’s basically fool proof.  I’m usually generous with the cheese and I often use medium cheddar instead of sharp for a milder flavor.  I also adjust the amount of smoked paprika…it is a very strong spice and Julian prefers less smoky and more cheesy.  So tweak to your heart’s content and happy eating!!

Stovetop Mac and Cheese (aka Easy Breezy Mac and Cheesy)

1 cup extra-sharp cheddar coarsely shredded

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups milk

1 cup fontina cheese coarsely shredded

½ cup marscapone

Salt

8 oz elbow macaroni

1. In a very large saucepan, melt the butter.

2. Whisk in the flour and paprika and cook over moderate heat until bubbling, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.

4. Stir in the remaining cheddar and the Fontina and cook over low heat until melted.

5. Off the heat, stir in the mascarpone and season with salt.

6. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.

7. Drain and add to the cheese sauce. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until hot and bubbling, about 2 minutes.

8. Spoon the mac and cheese into bowls, top with the cheese crisps and serve.

Click here for the original recipe.

Sunday Blessings

Sunday was one of those days.
You know the days...
You don't want to clean another surface, launder another article of clothing, or cook another meal.
You just want to curl up with a good book and tune out the world.
However, given that Luis is in the home stretch with school and feeling very overwhelmed, I knew I couldn't have an entire "Me" day.
So...

This Sunday, Bella and I did a little painting

and a little cutting

and hung some curtains

and created a sanctuary.

She had a great time playing with her doll

and dressing up

and having a tea party.

This smile was better than any book or any "Me" time I could have had!!

How was your weekend?

Linking with Amanda for Weekending.

This Moment

Joining SouleMama...
"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


Cheating again this week.  A little piece of my soul...


Listen here.

(Not Quite) Wordless Wednesday

It’s been quiet here lately.  I’ve been swamped by work.  See all the red.  Those are urgent emails and assignments.  Hoping things slow down soon.  Hoping…

Food Troubles: Part Two

Remember my food obsession?  It has officially become a food dilemma.  Since March I have completely revamped (or tried to, anyway) the way our family eats.  I have been shopping regularly at the Farmer’s Market, I have practically eliminated all packaged foods, and I make from scratch home cooked meals an average of 5 days per week.  I have made my own almond milk and my own strawberry jelly.  A typical snack around here is apples with cheddar cheese cubes as opposed to packaged snacks.  I am buying free range eggs, free range chicken, and fair trade coffee.  I have done all this and yet I’m in a food PANIC!!

Why?  Because I don’t know what to eat!!  I have become hypersensitive about food!  I don’t trust labels that claim food is organic, natural, glutten free, whole grain, or farm fresh.  I mean…can Skippy peanut butter really be natural?  Can Fruit Loops really be whole grain?  I am not even reassured when I go to my local Farmer’s Market grocery.  Is all that packaged stuff really good for you just because they sell it at Trader Joes or Whole Foods?   The other day I was listening to NPR and they were talking about healthier potato chips.  HOW CAN THERE BE A HEALTHY POTATO CHIP?! 

I think back over the past couple of months and I am glad I made all these changes, but can this be sustained?  How much longer until I give in and buy frozen mashed potatoes so I can cut my kitchen time down during the work week?  It just seems to me that eating healthy shouldn’t have to be this hard.  Just eat real food right?  But what if it’s not organic or free range?  What if the cantaloupe comes from Guatemala?  I wish I could just walk into my local Sprouts and buy my groceries and KNOW that I’m being good to my body and the environment.

I am currently reading a book by James E. McWilliams called Just Food:  Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsible.  I just started it, but what I’ve read so far makes sense.  He talks about the branding of food…how industries have hijacked terms like organic to cash in on the food craze currently sweeping the nation…and to some degree it’s hard not to agree.  I wish I had a big back yard where I could grow my own fruits and vegetables or live by a farm where I could buy sustainable meat.  However, my choices are limited and I often feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.

So I am appealing to all you out there.  How do you make food choices for your family?  Do you sacrifice some things to attain others?  Is there a happy medium?

This Moment

Joining SouleMama...
"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


I'm gonna cheat a little and offer up a few words this week.  Last Saturday Julian and I participated in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women in memory of my cousin, Lisette who passed away in February (see this post).  It was bittersweet...missing my cousin who was taken away far too young and humbled by all of the women who have braved and conquered this horrible disease.  The feeling of love...for my son who got up at 5:30am to do this with me, for my husband who donated the remainder of the money needed for me to reach my goal of $1000, for all of the people, the tens of thousands, who gathered this day to show their love and support for the surviving and the lost, and for my cousin who I think about everyday...was overwhelming.  A moment to savor and always remember...

Yarn Along

So last week I came clean about my love for knitting and lack of skills…and I promised I would participate in Yarn Along today. So without further ado…

“Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?” Linking with Ginny

I have been knitting this scarf for my daughter for far too long. I don’t seem to have as much knitting time these days…or maybe I just don’t make the time…but I’m hoping to get this done before Fall. I made a similar scarf for myself and Bella loves it. It’s soft and fuzzy and fun. She is anxious for it to be finished…and so am I.

As for reading…I feel like I need to give a little background on this one. I LOVE to read!! Mostly I love to read romance. It defies all explanation, but it is my reality. I have been reading romance for 20 years. I own over 200 hundred books and have read twice as many. I started reading historicals exclusively, but these days enjoy contemporaries much more. I am picky about what I read, but in the end I’m looking for a good story with a happy ending. It is my guilty pleasure. I will also read “real” books from time-to-time, and I have only recently started reading more than one book at a time. I find I need a little romance fix in between the “real” stuff :)

So that being said…

I am currently reading E.B. White's Charlotte’s Web with Bella at bedtime. She is enjoying it and I’m enjoying watching her enjoy it,

I am perusing my new Food and Wine and Yoga Journal,

I am gaining knowledge from Just Food: Where Locavores Get it Wrong and How We Can Truly Eat Responsibly by James E. McWilliams,

I am feeding my soul with The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, which I am reading on my Kindle,

And I am indulging in Susan Wigg’s Marrying Daisy Bellamy.

Sunday Blessings

On this special day just for mothers

I got two homemade cards from my children (the best kind, if you ask me)

I enjoyed some early morning reading time

I ate a delicious breakfast made by hubby

I started a 750 piece puzzle with Bella

I received lots of Mother’s Day wishes via text and Facebook

I sent lots of Mother’s Day wishes via text and Facebook

I called the most important mother’s in my life (Mom, Grandma, and my stepmom)

I didn’t wash dishes, cook, clean, or perform any of the plethora of tasks that usually suck up my time

I went on a shopping excursion with the family

I feasted on one of my favorite Mexican dishes cooked by hubby

I played Cranium with Luis and the kids

I laughed so hard I cried

I was peppered with lots of hugs, kisses, and I Love Yous

I savored every minute of every hour of my time with my family

I wondered why everyday can’t be Mother’s Day

I realized that maybe it could…all depends on how we choose to live it.

How was your Mother’s Day?

Linking with Amanda for weekending and Rachel for reality check.

This Moment...

Joining SouleMama...
"{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."


Early morning time to myself...

Almost a Knitter

About two years ago I was rummaging through the dollar bins at Target and found a pocket sized Knitting for Dummies book.  I had always been fascinated by people who could manipulate yarn and needles and create fabulous works of art.  I thought, well it can’t get any easier than Knitting for Dummies…so I bought the book, some yarn, and a pair of needles and got to work.

 

Casting on was no big deal, but knitting the first row was one of the most frustrating things I have ever done in my life.  I felt like…a dummy…and not even a very good one apparently, since this little book was telling me that even a dummy like me could knit!  After several hours of starting over many times, I abandoned the project, convinced I was way more than just a dummy.  However, the next morning, refreshed from a good night’s sleep, I picked up the needles and yarn again and viola!  It was like magic!  I knitted one row, then another and another.  Several days and many dropped stitches later I had knitted my first scarf!!  I felt so much satisfaction at having created something with my own two hands that I decided to knit a scarf for every important lady in my life. 

Thirteen scarves later I am still going strong.  I have not been able to move past scarves or a straight knit.  I try to make up for this by getting creative with my yarn.  I usually use yarn and ribbon together to give my scarves a look of complexity that my stitches lack.  I have to say, I have made some very pretty scarves, but I often wish I could move beyond a straight knit and/or a scarf.  I have a couple of books on knitting which teach other stitches, but they are complicated and intimidating.  I am a visual learner, so I gravitate towards books with lots of illustrations, but they just look like a big jumble of needles and yarn to me.  And the lingo!  It’s like I’m trying to read a foreign language!  I have considered classes, but they are either too far from where I live or offered during the weekday when I am at work.  I sometimes feel like I picked a hobby better suited for a stay at home mom, but I love the feeling of calmness that comes from knitting and the pride I feel when I finish a scarf.

Over the past weeks I have been watching what others in blogland have knitted and crocheted and I am amazed by the beautiful things that can be created with a bit of yarn.  I have contemplated a few times linking to Yarn Along and In My Basket (since I'm also a reader...more on this is a future post), but I feel like my straight knit scarves are just not worthy.  However, I’ve decided to go ahead and put myself out there next week.  Perhaps this will motivate me to make more of an effort to seek ways to improve my knitting.  If nothing else, I hope it will at least motivate me to knit faster.  So be warned….you will be seeing a lot of scarves here on Wednesdays.  Pretty scarves (I hope), but scarves nonetheless.  And I look forward to any suggestions or advice!

A Walk Around the Neighborhood

The weather here has been kind of finicky lately…cold and rainy one day, then in the eighties the next.  Last Thursday we took advantage of a perfect evening to take a walk around the neighborhood.   We love taking family walks when the opportunity presents itself, and this was the first after several months of cold and rain. 

Bella took her scooter.  She loves to zip ahead, practicing her balance. 

The city put up this mural about a year or two ago.  It’s a beautiful way to spruce up the huge stone wall that wraps around this residential community and reminds us of our city’s rich history.

We saw lots of flowers on our trek…a sure sign that spring is in full swing.

Bella especially liked this one…a lone bloom amongst a plethora of flowering bushes.

Our walk would not have been complete without visiting Papa New Guinea, the community guinea pig. 

He belongs to a resident, but apparently he doesn’t like his cage and so they let him out on the grass to nibble.  The first time we saw him, a couple of weeks ago, we thought he was lost or abandoned.  We were prepared to rescue him on Easter, but we found out he does have a home, so now we just enjoy watching him roam about.

But the best part of our walk...

Spending time with my two most favorite people!