How is your weekend going so far?  Mine?  Funny you should ask.  I would have to say my heart is bursting, just like all the flowering trees around here.  The cycle of life is incredible and applies to everything, not just plants and trees.  So many moments or memories in our lives, both big and small, eventually resurface, just like those buds.  Watching all the change happening outside has me reflecting on how much I cherish my past and my own memories.  Even though my life has changed greatly over the years and some of those important people are no longer part of my days, their memories are never truly gone.  And for that, I am grateful.

On a bit of a lighter note, I will be hanging around the house this weekend, reading, gardening, writing, visiting with my own mother and eating dinner out with family on Sunday.  Not having to clean up dishes sounds like a perfect Mother’s Day to me!  I’m looking forward to lots of cuddle time with my babies too, and grateful for those little arms wrapping around me because without them, I wouldn’t be celebrating this holiday for the 11th time!

Oh, and we will be squeezing in a verse or two of Happy Birthday to Mark as his day happens to fall on Sunday this year.  Don’t worry, the kids are making sure his birthday isn’t forgotten.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and I will see you back here next week.

Until then…

Live Well

Out of the blue last Friday morning, the desire to eat al fresco struck me hard!  There was still a chill in the air at 9am but the blue sky and warm sun was promising.  The boys had an early dismissal from school and I turned to Claire and said, “Let’s pack up a picnic and we will eat lunch at the park after we get the boys!”  No complaints from her!

When we arrived at school I didn’t say anything and they didn’t notice the large overstuffed green picnic bag on the front seat.  Claire sort of spilled the surprise, but Jake didn’t quite understand what she was talking about so he never questioned it further.

In fact, they didn’t notice we were NOT going home until we drove down the road to the park.  Happy, happy kids!

We dropped our bags and blankets under one of my favorite willow trees.  The kids ran off to play while I unpacked and set up our lunch.  YUM!  It was so easy to throw together fruits, cheeses, veggies, crackers and olives into the bag along with all the cloth napkins and drinks we would need for the afternoon.  As I was packing the food earlier that morning, I made a promise to myself that I will be doing a lot more spontaneous picnics.  My friend, Sharon is a pro and has been doing this for years!

We love eating outdoors and the fresh air makes everything taste better.  Don’t you agree?

On our way out, the ice cream truck just happened to pull up.  So, I gave in to the pleas and “pleeeeeeaaaase!” from all three and we sat for a few more minutes to enjoy the day.

That day I realized having a packed bag for a picnic, is such a fun way to explore without having to figure out where the closest restaurant is or what time it will be until the next meal.

I want to spend as much time as possible outdoors this year and part of that will be spent eating picnic lunches – maybe breakfasts and dinners too!  And I know a few people who will be right there by my side!

Live Well

My sweet baby, Claire Rowan, celebrated three years of happiness this past Friday.  Full of questions, interests and a love of the outdoors, to say she is content and feels loved is an understatement.  Sweet, smart, strong willed, intentional, quick-witted, hilariously funny, a fast thinker, generous to all and knows how to turn on her charm when needed, she is my girl.  I am completely in love with her and feel lucky to be her mother and proud to say, even at this young age, she is my daughter.

Her birthday morning began with finding a homemade chocolate and strawberry cake placed at her seat for breakfast.  Along with a few gifts from mom and dad and lots of hugs from her brothers, she couldn’t have been more excited.  At times her smiles were almost too big for her chubby cheeks to handle.  She had been talking about her birthday since we celebrated Cole’s back in February so when the day finally arrived it was as if the whole world, or at least her whole world, revolved around her.  I suppose it did and at three years old, why not.

With cake kicking off the weekend, several fun outings and family over to blow out candles in between, it wrapped up Sunday night with strawberry cupcakes.  Do you see an accidentally planned theme here?  Claire loves strawberries – a lot!

Happy?  Yes. Happy indeed.

There is nothing better than celebrating those we love.

Live Well

As a HUGE advocate of literacy for children and adults alike, I want to share with you this year’s World Book Night events, book picks, and resources.

Here are the 2013 book picks. (If your local, independent store is out of stock, Powell’s, one of my favorite online booksellers, has the list ready to ship! )

Events happening around the US.

Resources for teachers, parents and others.

Get involved!

Not that any of us need one more thing to do, but this one is a must do reminder; read with your kids!  Both you and your children will benefit on many levels and it’s still one of the best ways to spend quality, slow-time, with each other.

P.S.  NO cell phones allowed!  That’s an order!

Live Well

For obvious reasons you will find throughout this site and knowing me in person, Earth Day is one of my favorite days of the year.  Maybe I was a bit too excited about today, when during the drive to school this morning the words, “Kiss the ground today kids and be thankful you live on this beautiful planet!” came pouring out of my mouth.  Jake responded with an “Eww!” and Cole laughed, “Really Mom?”

Alright, so they aren’t as grateful as I am to see the blue, sun-filled sky and the buds of spring all around.  They may not yet share my passion for clean, minimalist, simple living but I know for a fact that I am impressing upon them the importance of being mindful of how they live.  How do I know?

• They call me “Miss Organic”
• Question which items are recyclable before discarding them
• Help me sort out clothes and household items for donating and willingly offer up their toys
• Decide, without any help, which veggies will be planted in our garden this year
• Have improved their food waste down to a minimum (without too much nagging)
• Know it’s better to borrow than buy when it makes sense (using our library is a big one)

The list goes on and on and my heart swells with happiness knowing I am teaching my children to respect the earth as a living, breathing entity.  They are constantly reminded by me to show consideration and empathy for other people and animals that inhabit this planet with them now and for many lifetimes to come.  I want them to know the biggest thing we borrow is Earth and we should leave it in better condition than when we got it.

On Friday night, the kids, my mother-in-law and I went to our local library’s Earth Night event.  Without hesitation they got right into the rhythm of the evening with tree seedling handouts, fresh organic vegetable pizza to taste, a mini-lecture from the Queen of Dirt around here, Gar Wang, creating art from old books, and much more.  I think it may have been one of those moments in my life when I looked around and witnessed two of my favorite worlds colliding in a most perfect way.  Learning about green living IN the library.  Heaven on earth.

A few fun links to celebrate, learn about and share on Earth Day:

Documentary both Jake and Cole STILL talk about a year later! (WATCH IT!!)

A quiz to test your knowledge as an Earthing!

Books & Movies for the kids

Make it a billion +1

For kids and teachers alike

Dusting myself off from all the dirt and grass talk, I just want to say this,

“It doesn’t matter what shade of green you are; even the lightest hue can make a difference.”

Live Well

It is Spring here and with this season comes more soccer than usual for my two oldest boys, Jake and Mark.  Yes, I do consider Mark my fourth child, but let’s leave that for another time.  Claire, not wanting to be left out of anything her siblings do, is ready and willing to cheer on Jake.  If this little one had her way, she would be right there in the middle of the big boy games.

Her dad makes sure she has the proper footwear, just in case.

Ridiculously cute cleats aside, what are your plans for the weekend?  Besides the aforementioned games, one taking place in NYC, we will be celebrating upcoming Earth Day tonight with a local Earth Night event.  Lots of creating, learning and fun.  Followed by a date night after the kids are tucked into bed.  If time allows on Sunday, I’m hoping for a bit of early garden-prep in the beds.  I’ve spotted weeds already and I’m determined to stay ahead of those maddening plants this year.  Wish me luck!

Whatever you do, take a deep breath, enjoy and I will see you back here next week.

Until then…

Live Well

Jake is currently studying religion in school and had been assigned to select two specific faiths for study, research and reports.  Catholicism and Buddhism were his choices and he has been researching, reading and writing about them for a few weeks now.  Thinking I would be of some help with his projects as I was raised Catholic, although I no longer practice, and believe in many ideals of Buddhism, I was thrilled when he shared his choices with me that first day.

Unfortunately, or fortunately I suppose because he is obviously capable of doing work on his own, I sat by the sidelines and watched him read books, discover facts and history online and produce reports.

But alas, he informed me Monday on the ride home from school, he needed to make a Catholic food to take in the next day.  WHAT?  Seriously?  Again, raised an Italian-Irish Catholic, leaning heavily on the Italian side of food and traditions, I was stumped.  What the heck is a Catholic food?  Then after Mom decided to do HER homework, I realized I had been raised on many traditional Catholic foods that coincided with the church holidays and celebrations.

Discovering baked goods were on the list, Jake and I decided it would make sense to choose one of these instead of a more complicated hot dish.  Looong story short, we chose hot cross buns since they are traditionally made for Good Friday, which just recently passed.  They are easy to whip up, minus the rising time in between, and you end with perfectly proportioned treats for his classmates.  Done!

At least that’s what I thought.  Three recipes and two days later, this morning we finally have hot cross buns for his class.  Last night while they were baking, they smelled exactly like I remember when I was younger and looked even better when finished (ehh-hem) if I do say so myself.

The first two recipes were just bad all over and never made it into the oven.  Ree came to my rescue with her version and wow – perfect little sweet puffs of goodness all wrapped up in a bow or cross if you will.  Someday I will thank her in person with a full on kiss!  Yes, the other recipes were THAT bad and coming from someone who grew up in my grandmother’s kitchen, you know they must have been.

Because The Pioneer Woman has already taken the time to write out the recipe, complete with step-by-step pictures that I hadn’t the time or energy to take, I will send you over to her for the how-to.  But do come back and share any cooking tidbits or personal recipe favorites you may have from your own religion or faith.

I’m always up for a kitchen challenge! (Obviously)

Live Well

What are your plans for the weekend?  Mark and I decided to have a bedroom makeover and tomorrow most of the furniture will be delivered and put in place!  I’m super excited because we have never had much more than a bed and side tables in our bedroom for the 13 years we have been together.

I have an amazingly talented friend who helped us with the entire process.  Elizabeth captured our natural and rustic style without breaking the bank.  She is a design genius!  It was both fun and challenging for me (I can’t make decorating decisions!) and if Mark agrees, I would love to show you the results.

Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you back here Monday.

Until then…

Live Well

P.S. Photo of Claire and one of her cousins that she treats like her own real life baby doll.  So sweet!

mindfulness ~ the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something

Do you ever find yourself saying something cringe-worthy to your child only to have immediate regret?  It has been happening more often for me lately and I’m not sure why.  Too much work to do and not enough time for my creative outlets?  Possibly.  Mommy needs a vacation from her life for a few days?  Probably.

Whatever the reason, where is that much needed “pause-before-speaking” I am frequently talking about?  When harsh words come spilling out of my mouth, the hurt feelings sit like a puddle on the floor at their feet.  In that moment I could just cry.  I say I’m sorry and give a lingering hug while telling them I shouldn’t have behaved that way.  Apologies aside, there is still damage done to their little souls.

Now, I am not swearing at them or turning into a raving lunatic, but my less than gentle reminders and frustrated feelings that get a rise out of me turn into unproductive exchanges.  The only lesson learned, or not, is what I shouldn’t be doing in those moments.  What the child on the receiving end learns is it’s OK to express yourself in that manner and boy that is NOT what I want to teach them!

No parent is perfect, I know this and I am no where near that unrealistic standard, nor do I want to be.  Having said that, I know better and my kids deserve better.  They should be treated with the same respect I am requiring of them to treat others.  Why then, is there a double standard in this category for most of us?  In fact, if they spoke to me in the tone I do to them at times, they would have some sort of consequence to deal with.   Maybe I should have one too?

I may just run that by them and see what they come up with as sufficient punishment for my bad behavior.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Tell me, what do you do to remedy those situations?  Better yet, how do you prevent them from happening?  Are you finding it’s triggered by circumstances? I have read wonderful parenting books and taken in all the obvious resources for being mindful of my little one’s feelings, but I would love to know I am not alone in trying to find better methods of expressing frustration.

I would love your feedback and help.  Thanks!

Live Well

Are you a blogger?  Are you thinking of starting a blog for yourself or your business?  Before you begin reading up on the how-to and technical aspects, do yourself a favor and download a copy of Blog With Purpose – The Workbook from social strategist and content marketer, Melanie Biehle of Inward Facing Girl and Genuine Mix.

It seems like everyone has a personal blog these days and your favorite retail stores and small town shops and businesses are dipping into the blogging pool along with the rest.  With so many blogs out there already, where do you begin and what is the right way to go about all this blogging anyway?

In Melanie’s e-workbook you will get straightforward advice, thought provoking exercises and real life examples from someone who has been on both sides of the blog.   What you won’t get is mundane chatter telling you how to design a layout or who should host your domain.  Don’t worry, Melanie generously offers plenty of resources for all aspects of blogging to help you in those areas as well.  Designed as a hands-on workbook, you are actively engaged and come away feeling more confident with your intentions for blogging.  Brilliant!

I know Melanie personally and can attest to her knowledge on the subject matter.  Along with her witty persona and charm, she is pretty darn smart, and was kind enough to make a stop here at TerraSavvy on her E-Book Blog Tour to answer a few of my question.

Q. What was your motive behind creating Blog With Purpose?

To create a sinister diversion so I can get closer to my real job of ruling the world. Or maybe because I wanted to teach bloggers, business owners, and marketing departments how to take blogging advice and apply it to their own brands.

Q. You recommend the reader figure out their “why” before they begin blogging.  With all you have on your plate currently, from family to business clients, what is your “why” for blogging these days?

At this point, I can’t imagine not blogging. I love being able to incorporate all the things I love to do into one outlet – writing, graphic design, and photography. I love the community aspect of it. I love sharing cool art, design, photography, and stories with other people. It’s like it’s part of me now. Blogging is part of who I am.

Q. Throughout the workbook, you encourage your reader to stay focused.  Can you tell us one of your favorite tricks that help you stay on task, either while engaged in a specific project or working toward a long term goal?

Ha! What’s that phrase? The cobbler’s children have no shoes? Focus is a constant struggle for me. I’m learning that having so many interests is both a blessing and a curse. During a “normal” workday I try to set limits for myself on social media and email. It doesn’t always work. I have used a timer to keep myself on track which, weirdly enough, provides enough of a structure that actually tricks my brain into doing what I tell it to do.

Q. When choosing a business collaboration for your blog and weighing its value, do you have a go-to formula or set of guidelines you rely on?

Not really – a lot of it is based on feeling and interest. If it involves working with sponsors for Inward Facing Girl and I’m pitching the idea, it’s only going to be something that I’m super interested in doing and that would be relevant and interesting for my readers.

 Q. You are offering an online workshop starting mid-April.  Can you tell us a little more about it, and where we can sign up?

Sure! It’s a six-week online workshop about the “fun” part of creating content – not a bunch of “rules” about how many days to post, how many times to tweet your post, and how many pictures of your lunch you should take in a week. I had such great response to the exercises in Blog with Purpose that I wanted to do more with that form of teaching, but this time I wanted it to be interactive so I could be more involved. We’re going to spend time on exercises that show us how to access the part of our brain where creativity lives. There will be assignments and an interactive community where we can chat and give each other feedback on our work. Participants will learn how to create meaningful, original content, as well as the types of exercises they can use to get things going when the creative well runs dry.  If you’d like to learn more about the workshop be sure to sign up for my email list! I’ll be sending out registration information soon.

Q. One last question.  What is your obsession with antlers anyway?

Oh, antlers…they’re a symbol I use to affectionately mock my industry. They’re as ubiquitous as striped shirts, ombre, and instagrams of our lunch and feet.

Thanks Melanie, for stopping by and sharing insight into your easy to use and fun to read, workbook!  And I think I will start using a timer for my own daily productivity – great advice!

Download your copy here and start to Blog With Purpose today.

Live Well