Freedom from Self-Improvement Day!

I missed this yesterday but think it's such a great idea I'm posting it anyway. I'm trying to come to a place of loving myself while still making positive changes, realzing that we women are ridiculously hard on ourselves and need to be doing lots more self-love and lots less berating, criticizing and general self-hate.

Apparently Jennifer Louden feels the same way as she created this wonderful holiday from self-improvement!

From Jennifer Louden, International Freedom from Self-Improvement Day creator:

"Ever since I learned of International Talk like a Pirate Day (September 19th), I’ve wanted to create a holiday that felt as fun. Sitting in meditation one day, the idea came to me: what if we all collectively gave up on being any different than we are, just for 24 hours? What a perfect holiday for a me to create? After all, I’m the perfect paradox: my mission in life is to help people feel how perfectly okay they are and I constantly struggle with evaluating myself for everything I’m not doing or didn’t do right.

I hope you’ll celebrate with me and invite all your most self-critical and hard working friends to join in. Send a few Freedom From e-coupons, sign our declaration, download our PDF of ideas for celebrating (and send that to your friends too), and post how you are getting into the groove on our special blog. And while you are at it, enjoy our celebrity line-up of short audios to inspire you to slip into the Freedom From mood!

Can you feel the lightness?"

Check out her website and blog and if, like me, you didn't celebrate this yesterday, I encourage you to do so today. There's no time limit on self-love.

Happiness Is...

*a lovely Mother's Day Brunch at Kali's house! We drank Mimosas, ate croissants and shared laughs with my Mom as well as Kali's boyfriend's family. She did a wonderful job as hostess. Thank you, sweetie!

*perfect, heartfelt gifts including a gardenia bush from Sam which I can't wait to plant in my garden, professional photos of my girls, and some fun little items from my daughter who appreciates my need for a bit of silliness in my life. Thank you, Bambi, I have been using my Hello Kitty pen all day and am smiling from ear to ear! And thank you to Kali for the vintage Journey albums, can't wait to put them on the turntable but in the meantime I'm admiring Steve Perry on the covers. oooh-la-la!

*fabulous ice cream cake, a perfect accompaniment to champagne!

*watching an afternoon chick flick with Lily & Bambi; the movie stunk but we had so much fun anyway!

*a late-night gift from Lily: the most beautifully-written letter I have ever received, caused me to sob & laugh at the same time. She is such a great writer, and has such a good heart. The best gift a Mom can get from her teenage daughter is a reminder that she's doing a good job...and that she is loved. Thank you, Lily, for that, and also for the incredible homemade cd you burned for me! John Mayer is playing right now, perfect background music to my fun day.

Thank you to all of my girls for the absolute best Mother's Day! I love you all and am so incredibly blessed to have you. You are my reason for living, and the only accomplishment that really matters is having given birth to you. I love you...so very much.

Sweet Escape

I am tagging along with Beren who's on a business trip, having a grand ol' time so far. We ate lunch at a reeeal fancy spot called Hogsbody, shared the biggest burger I've ever seen in my life and still left some on the plate! So much for Meatless Monday. groan. It was delicious, though, I must admit.

Tomorrow while Beren works I'll probably putter around the city, perhaps do a little shopping or hang out at the amazing waterfall hotel pool! There's a science convention going on here, though, lots of cute geeky men running around so I'm not sure if that's the best idea. *wink*

I love these little road trips, they are forced relaxation for me, an opportunty to read, play on the computer, shop...all the stuff I feel guilty about doing when I'm at home. It's a sweet little escape from the daily grind, an opportunty to just play relatively guilt-free. Oh, I still worry about the kids and I'm ever-so-glad to go home, but 24-36 hours away is just the right amount of time for me to refresh & renew my spirit and return a better mom as a result.

Wish you all were here to play with me!

Happy Mother's Day

Mom O Matic posted this and I just had to share. Be forewarned: It's a Mother's Day tearjerker!

Treasure Hunt

Those of you who know me in the "real world" are aware of the fact that I hate shopping..at least, I hate traditional mall shopping. From the time my kids could handle it themselves, they have done all of their school clothes shopping on their own. Once she could drive, I would pay Kali to take her younger sisters and I didn't feel a bit of remorse over it. I was happier, and so were they because I am simply no fun to shop with. They can all tell you stories of me having episodes of sensory overload where I'd have to make a hasty exit from whatever store we were in, go sit somewhere quiet and just breathe. I know, it sounds silly, but that's just how I am. Now & then I'll brave the mall if I'm 1) alone and 2) not on a time limit and 3) it's not even slightly busy.

Now, I do love "treasure hunting" which takes place in consignment shops, thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, even department stores such as Ross & TJ Maxx. I could spend hours & hours poring through those types of places. In fact, I often get so immersed in my hunt for treasures that I lose all track of time. It's like I'm in this twilight zone where nothing else exists except for the baubles and trinkets before me. I always head straight for the housewares first, it's where I spend the most time and money. I adore aprons, old Pyrex, milk glass, cloth napkins, etc. etc. It's just heaven to me! Fortunately Beren shares my passion and when we travel we constantly seek out new shops to visit, rarely leave there emptyhanded. The excitement comes, of course, from the unknown, the surprise of findng just the right item that you might not even have known that you needed! It's just such a thrill, really.

So yesterday I went to breakfast with Lily, Bambi & Sam, then to our favorite thrift store. I wandered the store for an hour, loading my cart with the most wonderful treasures! My favorite find of the day was a gorgeous heavy milk glass pitcher, the kind with the raised bumps all over it. (Sorry I am not a professional collector, I just know what I love!) I can't wait to fill this with iced tea or perhaps even champagne punch for our Mother's Day Brunch tomorrow! I left the store with four bags full of goodies, my wallet only $35 lighter.

A successful hunt indeed!

Cast of Characters: Introducing Bambi

My youngest daughter has been the hardest to "name" here, there aren't any particular goddesses or characters that she's attached to and despite my nagging she hasn't been able to come up with anything. So I'm going to use what I'd originally decided upon, the nickname she was given when she was just days old: Bambi.

When Bambi was born she developed a very bad case of jaundice and had to be kept in the hospital for a week, spending hours under the UV lights, doctors threatening a blood transfusion if her bilirubin count didn't go down quickly. We were terrified, of course. I had a c-section and went home after a few days but we went back & forth every couple of hours to see her, and while I was home I was expressing breast milk for the nurses to give her at night. With 6-year old Kali and 17-month old Lily at home, and me recovering from major surgery, it was stressful to say the least. Thank the Goddess, Bambi didn't need a blood transfusion and we were finally able to take her home 6 days after she was born, on Father's Day. We brought her in the house and I kneeled down so that Lily could see her...at that point Lily took one look, petted her head and with the biggest smile on her face she said, "Hello, Bambi." Now, we have no idea why she called her this but it was just the sweetest moment, I've never forgotten it and have affectionately thought of her as Bambi ever since.

Bambi has always been calm and peaceful, the most gentle and sweet child ever. She is often quiet but make no mistake, there is tons going on in her head! She's a Gemini which makes her a bit unpredictable, you never know when the "other twin" is going to show her face! When she was a baby she had the amazing ability to calm me..I would just cuddle her into my arms and I would immediately relax with her little body curled up next to me. Honestly, a hug from her still has this affect. Incredibly smart, a talented artist, wonderful friend, the best daughter anyone could ask for, this is my youngest child.

She is an amazing soul, I've never met anyone else like her in my life. I am just incredibly blessed to have her, my sweet litle Bambi..my baby.. my little dear.

On My Hearth: White Beans with Cheese and Basil

I haven't tried this recipe but it sounds so delicious, and so easy! I love white beans; seems like this is a modern version of the "butter beans" recipe my Mom used to make. The basil in my garden is still hanging in there despite the drought and heat, am looking forward to picking some for this dish!

White Beans with Cheese and Basil

Adapted from Lose Weight the Smart Low-Carb Way, by Bettina Newman and David Joachim (Rodale Press, 2002).

Think of this divine--and economical--main dish as having all the appeal and comfort-factor of macaroni and cheese, but with only 91 calories and 11 grams of carbs, no wheat, and lots of fiber and nourishment from beans.

Using canned beans makes fixing this hearty dish a snap, and it will keep in the fridge for several days.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cans (14 - 19 ounces) cannellini or other white beans, drained, 1/3 cup liquid reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425F.

2. Place the beans and reserved liquid in a large mixing bowl and partially mash the beans against the side of the bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in the oil, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix in the basil.

2. Place in a shallow 2- to 3-cup baking dish, and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Serves 6.

Helpful Hints:
This dish may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350F oven for about 20 minutes.

Recipe courtesy of Care2

A New Routine: Part 3

I've been doing this new cleaning routine for a couple of weeks now, as best I can in between the "stuff" that's been going on in my life. I'm finding the Daily Chore page to be a huge help as it keeps me on track and gives me a sense of accomplishment. If nothing else, at least I can complete the minimal daily tasks to keep things running smoothly.

What I've learned so far:

*Do all of the morning chores before sitting down to the computer. So far today I've marked everything off my list and had extra time to put a loaf of banana bread in the oven. I am nearly ready for work, just have to finish dressing, grab my purse and head out the door. I now have an hour to myself to read, play on the computer, etc. When I walk in the house after work things will be tidy, dinner will be planned, and I can easily move onto the afternoon tasks. Cool!

*Have good supplies on hand. I need to buy some rubber gloves that fit (one size fits all does not work with my small-ish hands) and some new cleaning cloths, but I've recently replaced my vacuum and mop and that has made floor cleaning much easier to tackle. "The right tool for the job."

*Even when you don't feel like doing it, JUST DO IT ANYWAY. No matter how big my case of don' wannas is, once I get started, do just one little thing, I can't stop. I get on a roll, in the cleaning zone, and before you know it the house is spiffy and I feel so much better!

Now if I can just get the deep cleaning stuff under control I'll be in good shape!

On My Hearth: Mom's Banana Bread

For as long as I can remember, my Mom's been making this banana bread. It's so delicious and simple, there's no reason to try any other recipe! Since I have some brown bananas on my counter, I'm going to whip up a batch for my co-workers this morning. I'm sure they'll thank you, Mom!

Sam's Banana Bread

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (2 medium) mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 350'. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in banana, milk and vanilla. Add remaining ingredients and stir by hand just until combined. Pour into 9x5 inch greased loaf pan. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely before slicing.

Suburban Sprawl

To further the discussion about plastic bags and shopping in general, Patty over at Morning Ramble has been posting a bit about the demise of walking, a whole book was written about the rise of sprawl and its impact on the nation, and I just came across an article on Treehugger which bemoams the ever-increasing Suburban Sprawl:

Ten Things Wrong With Sprawl
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 05. 7.07

Treehugger often says that cities are the most sustainable way to live. The converse is that suburban sprawl is probably the worst. Preston at Jetson Green points us to James M. McElfish of the Environmental Law Institute, who lists ten problems with sprawl:

1. Sprawl development contributes to a loss of support for public facilities and public menities.
2. Sprawl undermines effective maintenance of existing infrastructure.
3. Sprawl increases societal costs for transportation.
4. Sprawl consumes more resources than other development patterns.
5. Sprawl separates urban poor people from jobs.
6. Sprawl imposes a tax on time.
7. Sprawl degrades water and air quality.
8. Sprawl results in the permanent alteration and destruction of habitats.
9. Sprawl creates difficulty in maintaining community.
10. Sprawl offers the promise of choice while only delivering more of the same.

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So, what can we in Suburbia do about it? I have two commercial grocery stores within walking distance of my house, but it's not a comfortable walk and they are not the best shopping for organic, healthy foods. For that store I need to get into my car and drive. I so wish lived somewhere that I could walk to easily, pick up fresh items needed for that day, ala the "French way." Since I'm not in the position to move right now, are there other options? I'm open to thoughts and ideas, dear readers.