Happy Weekend..

May yours be sunny, slow & spent with the one you love ♥

Side by Side

Friends.. the concept sounds simple.. school-aged stuff, really.. how to read, how to tie your shoes, and how to be a friend. To treat others as you would like others to treat you.. right? and yet.. it seems this word is used so casually, as if somewhere along the way we forgot what it means..

For me, a friend is much more than say, someone who can view my Facebook Profile. I mean, is it enough now to simply be considered a friend that we have stopped actively acting as one? A friend is not just a noun.. it's a verb.. it's a relationship (and as far as I know, that takes a lot of commitment).

The friend I aspire to be to the people in my life (and to the ones I haven't met yet) is someone to lean on.. someone to count on.. someone to pour your soul to and feel loved for every inch of who you are.. for every downfall, heartbreak & hardship in your life that makes you your undeniable self.. and know they're always there to love and support you through every happy moment.. every heart-melting happy moment.. to share every success.. relish every triumph.. and applaud every accomplishment.

Though there are few, I am thankful for the friends I have.. for every positive influence.. smile.. belly laugh.. every glass-that's-half-full-kind-of-friend. I am a better person having shared my life with them.

Here's to all the friends who share their lives together. side. by. side.

Friendship

"Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.
'Pooh', he whispered.

'Yes, Piglet?'

'Nothing,' said Piglet.. 'I just wanted to be sure of you.'"

_A.A. Milne



Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

I believe it was Julia Child who once said "if you want a low calorie dessert, eat a piece of fruit". I say.. lets find a middle ground.. somewhere between deprivation and indulgence.. between not inviting sweet treats & having them overstay their welcome on your hips.

At the risk of sounding cliché.. how do we find foods that are nutritious and delicious? As a mother, I struggle with my own paradoxes.. I love organic, all natural foods, but I also love the look on my son's face when he eats a french fry. Now that Leo is eating a variety of solid foods, we have adjusted our family meals to make them appropriate for his little tummy.. and I refuse to sacrifice taste for nutrition. So, I've started experienting with recipes, offering food that is healthy and appetizing, and creating meals that are not only friendly to baby, but to our bodies, health & hearts as well.

One recipe I particularly adore is my Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake. (I've thrown the fruit in just for good measure). I adapted a recipe from Cooking Light, and altered it to create the perfect breakfast, snack or treat for the little one. I have taken out almost half of the recommended sugar (insert gasps here) and replaced some of it with unsweetened applesauce. Most of the ingredients in this recipe are organic and I have bravely replace the original call of white flour with whole wheat.

Now friends, if you are concerned this recipe won't be sweet enough for your liking, may I recommend the addition of a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle of powdered sugar, scoop of ice cream, or my personal favorite, spread of jam (raspberry, that is).

This requested recipe is husband, baby & best friend approved.. which is why I have decided to share it with you. After all, we could all use a little more sweetness (without the added sugar). May you be blessed with full bellies & full hearts!

Lemon-Blueberry Bundt Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
juice of one lemon
4 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk
2 cups fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk.

2. Place 1 cup granulated sugar, butter, in a mixer; beat at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (about 4 minutes total).

3. Beat in applesauce, vanilla, lemon juice, sour cream and buttermilk. Add all but 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture; beat at medium speed just until combined. Toss blueberries in reserved dry ingredients; gently fold into the batter.

4. Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes in pan; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

Buon Appetito!

Happy Tuesday

"Every day opens and closes like a flower"_John Muir

a farewell to yesterday..

 & a warm welcome to today..

May yours be full of flowers

for my Mama..

Having a mother like you has been one of the most beautiful blessings in my life. Because of you, I grew up in a home full of love, warmth, support & affection. You've been with me through my greatest moments & my most diffcult hours. You are not only my mother, but my best friend. You've helped me become the woman I am today. But the greatest gift you've given me is the example you've set for my most important role in life.. my role as a Mother. I am forever grateful for all you have done & continue to do for me each day.

I love you.

& for every Mama..

Thinking of you & wishing you all the happiness your heart can hold.

 ♥ Happy Mother's Day ♥

Blessings

He who gave birth to this Mother.

♥

My life. My love.

My Little Leo.



Don't Worry, Be Happy

Worry.. we all do it.. some of us more than others. Me? I'm a professional worrier. Give me troubles and I'll worry about them. Some days I'm plagued with them. It's as if a hungry worry monster was inside me demanding to be fed. It has just always been a part of my life.. something I learned to accept.. a hand I've been dealt.. and for the most part, I've been able to control it. But my life changed thirteen months ago.. well, rather thirteen + nine months ago - motherhood (thats right, for all of you who didn't know, 1. motherhood really begins when you become pregnant & 2. I was not dealt the hand of good math) It was like a whole new world for me. All new things to worry about. Let's put it this way, my worry monster was satiated. (or to put it in layman's terms.. he was STUFFED) Now, a mother's worries are simply Nature's way of protecting her children.. and I'm grateful for them. But, some days I would even worry about worrying. The road's been lonng, and though it continues, I'm starting to feel like I have a grip on things.. I've always hated that term "grip on things".. the words firm, tight, tense come to mind.. sounds like more worrying to me, folks. So, let's go with - I'm starting to feel some relief from the worries (I'm sure if you ask my husband he would not concur, but it sounds good to me) Where was I? Oh yes, worrying less & living more.. I mean, who has time to enjoy anything when you're worrying about something else? Where did all those worries go, you ask? Well, in the wise words of Miss O'Hara,  "I can't think about [them] right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about [them] tomorrow." Scarlett may not have been the brightest or the most stable, but I think she had something there. Now don't get me wrong, your troubles should always be talked about because, as many of us know, when we don't discuss something that's bothering us, it has a way of manifesting itself into the rest of our lives (a troubles monster, if you will). We think by not talking about an issue, it's going to go away, but actually the opposite happens. So, by talking about it, you inevitably take away the monster's power.. or appetite (just go with it) But your worries? They'll always be there.. today, tomorrow, whenever you want (and when you don't want) and they won't. change. a. thing.

My suggestion? Make like a 19th century southern belle & R.E.L.A.X. put your feet up. watch an episode of I Love Lucy. have a glass of wine.. or two.. or three.. Or, do what I like to do when I'm down, enjoy the little boy that tugs at my heart strings..

So, for your viewing pleasure, here's a look at that little boy, a sunny day & a big open field (almost big enough to fit all of his energy, happiness, curiosity & of course, my pride :) Enjoy!

"Here is a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don't worry, be happy

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double

Don't worry, be happy..."

_Bobby McFerrin



Follow your Bliss

Our lives lead us down many roads, and sometimes the hardest part is discovering which path to take to follow your dreams..

dreams.. not the kind we have while we're sleeping, but the kind that keep us up at night..

there are no maps to guide us on this journey or to show us which path to choose..

there may be setbacks.. obstacles..

some days that are filled with echoeing stillness..

but we have to pick ourselves up & get back on the path.. or find the courage to start a new one..

no dream is ever too big or too small.. and it is never to late to listen to your heart..

I am on the journey of following my bliss.. my passion.. adding beauty & richness into my life.. and finding what truely inspires me to be creative everyday..

if you followed your bliss.. where would it lead you?

Happiness

"Happiness is a warm puppy" _Charles M. Schulz

The Unexpected

The weekend has come to an end (hopefully one that was sweet & slow) & as the new week approaches, I feel a taste of disstress.. okay, if I'm being honest, it's more like a generous helping. My mind is consumed with the nuances of everyday life.. my bills, my to-do list.. my laundry practically mocks me. Much of our lives are filled with what we should do rather than what we want to do.. but it is in the middle of these mundane moments that life happens.. a baby's smile.. a kiss from a loved one.. the wag of your best friends tale.. a laugh shared over coffee.. a delightful meal.. or even just a sunny day. Sometimes, though, we're too busy waiting - for work to be done, for the weekend to come, for summer to be here - to appreciate these moments. We need to find peace in the blah blah blah's of everyday life.. it is here, amidst the hustle & bustle, where we find the unexpected garden nestled in the heart of the city..

So, as a new week emerges.. I remind myself to enjoy every moment.. every cloudy one that makes each sunny one sunnier. The beauty of life is in relishing the journey. Whatever journey you are on, embrace it.. and remember to always stop & smell the tulips..