• 11.21.2007 Thanksgiving Tree
    No Comments

    There’s nothing like hosting Thanksgiving dinner to whip your house into shape. I took a break from indoor cleaning yesterday to do some pruning in the front yard. The desert willow, in particular, had grown especially unruly and threatened to poke the eye out of anyone strolling past our house. A snip here, a snip there, and what resulted was (I believe) a lovely centerpiece for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband said it looked a bit like a tumbleweed…he’ll come around. It takes vision to create no-cost decor! The best part of this centerpiece is that it serves a purpose: it is a “thanksgiving tree.” I cut leaves out of construction paper and ran a tiny thread through a punched hole in each leaf. Each of my guests tomorrow will be encouraged to write what he or she is thankful for on a leaf and hang it from one of the […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 10.29.2007 M is for Money. N is for Nagging.
    One Comment

    N is for Nagging. May I encourage you—don’t do it. Nagging is continuous urging to the point of irritation. When has that ever produced the results or the attitude we desire in our children? This is how I try to lead my children to obedience: 1. Assess what I’m asking for. Is it reasonable, right, and righteous (Biblical)? 2. Communicate my request (not just demand, but explain). 3. Communicate the consequences for disobedience (both physical and spiritual), and communicate to my child the joy of trusting his parent to know what’s right. 4. Follow through with my guidelines; don’t nag. M is for Money. All of us desire for our children to be responsible with money, to grow up to be debt-free, to give back to the Lord, and to be generous. Though honorable, none of these aspirations preclude our children from being lovers of money. Our children will learn […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 10.23.2007 F is for Fiber.
    No Comments

    F is for Fiber Yup…it’s not just for the old folks. Our kids need it for digestive health and for qualitative & quantitative eating habits. Ways we sneak it in at our house: add ground flaxseed meal and wheat germ to oatmeal for breakfast make homemade granola serve only whole wheat (introduce it early and they won’t ever know what they’re missing!) make smoothies with a scoop of psyllium husk at breakfast offer trail mix and dried fruit instead of chips and cookies Green Juice and Garden Patch at Trader Joe’s For more information and inspiration, look here. E is for Enthusiasm. Sometimes I find myself saying “uh-huh” blithely to my kids as they circuitously describe their latest discovery or Lego creation…while my mind wanders off to what I’m fixing for dinner. Then it hits me: Enthusiasm encourages; indifference extinguishes. Let’s help keep the fire lit in our children. D […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 10.22.2007 C is for Celebrate
    One Comment

    C is for Celebrate. When was the last time you celebrated your child’s accomplishments? We are so quick to point out their mistakes, but often overlook a right decision, a good attitude, a choice to share, an obedient response. Celebrating does not necessarily mean new toys or ice cream. Our kids are encouraged by so much less. Around our house, celebrating most often takes the form of praise and acknowledgement. “Caleb, I am so proud of you,” I said to my eldest the other day. “Mama,” he said, “That makes me so happy when you say that. It makes me want to do everything you tell me to do.” (Ha…if it were only that easy.) And to my three yr. old, I said, “And Liam, you did such a great job in sharing with your baby brother.” “Yeah, I did, Mama, and I didn’t even pee in my pants!” B […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 10.20.2007 The ABC's of No-Regrets Mommyhood
    One Comment

    If you are like me, many ideas come to mind throughout the day of things I want to accomplish or be as a mother. Many are but fleeting thoughts as I move on to the next activity, the next scraped knee, the next meal to get on the table. Life doesn’t wait for you to catch up…so, the next 26 posts will be an on-going compilation of some of the many hopes I seek to fulfill as a mom, starting now.  Please feel free to join in.    Being a no-regrets mom can begin today.

    » Continue Reading
  • 09.20.2007 Tea Cozies
    3 Comments

    A hot pot of tea, a couple of girlfriends, a few platefuls of decadent morsels, a bunch of lilacs, 2-3 uninterrupted hours, and a cheery disposition–a perfect recipe for an afternoon tea. Teatimes are about details…the food, the decor, the conversation. One simple way to make your tea extra special is to unveil your fragrant pot of tea with a pretty tea cozy. What I love about tea is not really the lacey gloves, frilly hats, or the sense of being a socialite, but rather the more accessible version of honoring and indulging my guests (who may be everyday moms) with a beautiful portrait of graciousness through feeling celebrated. Cute and pretty over fussy and elitist. Despite the current popularity of taking tea, it’s surprisingly difficult to find simply elegant but contemporary tea cozies that are functional insulators as well. I’ve recently tried my hand at designing and sewing my […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 08.16.2007 Pretty Things to Come…
    One Comment

    Spring is in the air…in my mind. I know the leaves are turning and storefronts are announcing back-to-school sales, but new ideas are in bloom in my head. Everyone, including myself, goes through seasons of feeling creatively anemic. Until recently I was unable to paint, draw, organize fabric, pull out my sewing machine, craft a little this, or embellish a little that. I was just not motivated. Then, I met the blogging world. Blogging is akin to having a bunch of same-feathered friends who always want to talk about what you want to talk about, when you want to talk about it. Don’t get me wrong, my real friends are by far superior, but I currently have no girlfriends who are crazier about crafting, sewing, decorating, cooking, eating, and dressing (clothes, not turkey) than I am. If I sound insanely chipper about being slavishly domestic, don’t be fooled. It is […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 08.07.2007 Entertaining Angels
    One Comment

    You’ve probably never had your next door neighbor over for supper. I haven’t. We live in a day and age where garage door openers allow people to leave and come home without stepping foot into their driveways, when automatic dripper systems water efficiently xeriscaped backyards and eliminate any need for pruning. With such low maintenance outside and so much digital and electronic entertainment inside, how could we have opportunity to know our neighbors? Just one pass through any popular home magazine and you’ll discover that hospitality and having company over is no longer a casual family affair, but a rare and well-planned dinner party to which you invite the most deserving of friends. To demostrate just how deserving they are, the event is usually adorned with eccentric table settings, hors d’oeuvres, and personalized place cards. Though I don’t believe the intention of these how-to magazines is to be pretentious, rarely […]

    » Continue Reading
  • 08.06.2007 What's In Your Pantry?
    No Comments

    I was looking for a jar of hot sauce tonight and realized that I am the only person on this earth that actually knows the complete contents of my pantry. Its shelves are a montage, a collage if you will, a vibrant mosaic of edibles… …Okay, it’s a mess that only I can discern. My dear friend, Anna, has a walk-in pantry whose contents are clearly organized and visible upon entry. She also keeps the shelves minimally stocked, as she shops weekly according to her preplanned menu. Impressive, I know. If you read my last food post on Cioppino, you know my history. My need to satisfy cravings and to cook with no accountablity is why I do not have an organized pantry. Instead, if you were to venture behind the sliding door of my pantry you’d find layer upon layer, row upon row of odd and ends, essentials and […]

    » Continue Reading