Simplicity Parenting Book Club

I'm really excited about Clean's Simplicity Parenting Book Club. I got my book two weeks ago after several people suggested it. Not long after that this online book club came up. I read the introduction today and I can't wait to start.

The book is Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne, M.ED.



The book looks at four main aspects of simplifying our lives and therefor our children's lives.

Environment: De-cluttering too much stuff at home.

Rhythm: Increasing predictability by introducing rhythmic moments for connection and calm.

Scheduling: Soothing violent schedules brings moments for Being into all the Doing.

Unplugging: Reducing the influence of adult concerns, media and consumerism on children and families to increase resilience, social and emotional intelligence.

This Mom is looking forward to ridding my house and life of stuff. I'm very excited about how this book club and blog is bringing a community of like-minded people together. Really, did I mention that I'm excited? Who's with me?

some whimsy

This Mom Loves my goofy girls.

whole 30 - day 2

Today was pretty easy-peasy. I had some sweet cravings this afternoon so I dished myself up some apple slices with a tablespoon of coconut butter. Wow. Sweet overload. It definately cured my craving.

This day was beautiful. Jr and I had a good time at playgroup. The girls and I spent some time after school playing in the sandbox. The hubby got home in time to help get the kids to bed.

This Mom Loves when everything goes as planned. Now let me be clear, today did not just fall into place. I chose to eat right and spend quality time with the kids. I can do this.

whole 30 - day 1

This weekend was a toxic one. I spent Saturday morning at the salon getting my nails done for a big event that evening. Although I had not been eating 100% clean my body was not used to processing the amount of toxins I inhaled at the salon. The minute I left I felt dizzy and shaky. I drove a little farther toward home and my head started to throb, I felt nauseated, and could barely concentrate. I went straight to my chiropractor to get adjusted. By the time I got there my pupils were different sizes and I was so sick I felt like crawling out of my skin. I got my adjustment and still felt awful so I sat in the back room with the lights out and an ice pack on my neck. I threw up. The chiropractor adjusted me again and I called my husband for a ride home. The hubby took Magoo to our family's March birthday party, I nursed my little Jr down for a nap and crawled into my bed to sleep for the next two hours.

That evening I felt better but still had a headache rattling around in my head. The next day I was still feeling the aftermath of all those toxins and my body was working hard to get rid of them. So today I started my Whole 30 - one month of clean living. Although I was eating about 80% paleo already, this program cuts out all the stuff that's wrecking my body and pushes "the “reset” button with [my] metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices [I’ve] been making."

I had a clean day. I'm proud of myself. I could have slipped up. It would have been easy to get a latte and no one would have known...but me. Today I ate clean and I'll do the same tomorrow. Does anyone want to join me? This Mom Loves a challenge.

{this moment}

{this moment} - 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.

high heels and a messy kitchen

This weekend we have two big events to support (and as it turns out lots of little events too). Magoo's school is having a Spring Silent Auction with music and tasty desserts. I signed on to make some of these tasty desserts. I mixed up a batch of Vanilla Coconut Cupcakes this afternoon and Carrot Cupcakes this evening. Both will be headed to school tomorrow in their pretty tulip cupcake wrappers.

Jump ahead to Saturday evening and the hubby and I are going to the Blue Ribbon Ball, a fund raiser that will kick off Child Abuse Prevention Month. The semi-formal event will benefit a group that I support. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary of supporting families and will be unveiling a new name. They will have a dinner, drinks, dancing, and a silent auction. I'm really looking forward to this event. The hubby will be wearing his kilt and I bought a hot new pair of high heels, a fancy blue dress, and am even getting my nails done.

Hopefully we'll get a chance to pop over to the school function too on Saturday. We have so many wonderful things to do this weekend. There's barely enough time. Oh, and I didn't mention the my sister and my brother's family will be in town to celebrate all the March birthdays in our family. Whew. This Mom Loves the excitement of this weekend with family and friends. This Mom Loves that I get a night out with the hubby. This Mom Loves that my kitchen smells like cake.

I adapted the coconut cupcake recipe from Elana's Pantry and used her Classic Carrot Cake recipe and divided it into cupcakes instead.

Grain-free Vanilla Coconut Cupcakes
1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 eggs
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 honey, warmed
1 Tbsp Vanilla
unsweetened shredded coconut to top

In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, blend eggs, coconut oil, honey and vanilla. Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Pour batter into paper lined muffin tins. Top with unsweetened shredded coconut. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Spring is here!

I waited and waited and it's finally here. Spring came in Sunday with a good rain. The last of the snow in our yard melted and the buds popped on our maple tree and lilac bush. After a morning of errands and a nice visit at Grandma and Grandpa's for lunch Magoo and I dressed in our rain gear and went out for a walk. We spotted a cardinal and more robins then we could count. We found some flower shoots and splashed all the puddles we could find. I really don't get very excited about getting out into nature when the weather is less than sunny and 72. I've really been pushing myself to get out there with my daughter because she loves it so much and it's really so good for her. It's really good for me too. Usually once I'm there and deep in play with Magoo I'm really glad I got myself outside. Really I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate Spring than this rainy day adventure with my eldest daughter. This Mom Loves how becoming a parent allowed me to grow and change in ways I never imagined. I love that such a simple activity can bring me closer to my daughter.

{this moment}

{this moment} - 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.

...even in Australia

I butted heads with Magoo today Big Time. This Mom Loves her spirited child.

Spring Break

Magoo was on Spring break this week. It gave us time to do things together that we don't normally get to do. The girls did a lot of dancing. Junior loves dancing with big sister. We built a fort in Magoo's room almost everyday. The girls really loved that. We played outside in what I hope is the last snow of the year. Magoo helped me build a snowman and we girls splashed puddles, made snow bricks, and got full of muck and mud from the garden. The hubby was home this week to help me wrangle the children. Although he did have a love of work to do and spent the days in his office downstairs it was nice to get a smooch now and then and have a nice family meal every night this week.

I am really ready for Spring break to be done however. I thrive on routines and with the hubby and Magoo home all week our routine was off. It will be good for Magoo too to be back in a rhythm. She misses her friends at school and I'm sure she will have a lot of fun this week playing in the mud at school. I already have the bag packed with extra clothes to send to school for the muddy season.

This Mom Loves family time but looks forward to the return of rhythm in our home.


sorting books


watching Pooh Bear while Mom takes a break


lots of fun building a snowman with Magoo


dancing in the morning sunshine


puddle splashing

{this moment}

{this moment} - 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.

misunderstanding

So this evening I had Junior in my arms while fixing dinner. The hubby is working from home this week so when he finished his work day he came up and we had a chat. As we were chatting Junior holds her finger out and says "boo-boo" or so I thought. I said, "Oh, I'm sorry you have a boo-boo" and kissed her finger. At which point the hubby says, "She said booger not boo-boo." This Mom Loves my little one's increasing vocabulary and I hope I can manage to keep up with it.

Spring is coming

I picked up a couple of books to get us excited about Spring. Not that we really need a reason to get excited about warmer days, planting the garden, and the return of twirly dresses. I ordered The Singing Year. This book and CD has takes you through the year with Waldorf verse and offers suggestions for seasonal activities. I'm looking forward to adding more song into our days. The other book I picked up is The Story of the Root Children. Mother Earth wakes up the little root children when the snow starts to melt and they must get ready for Spring. I'm sure this will become a favorite. This Mom Loves the changing of the seasons and establishing rhythm in our home.

please, Springtime don't be late

The past couple of weeks we've had sickness in the house. Junior had a rough fever last week and Magoo got it this week. Fortunately both girls managed to get well quickly. I roasted chicken tonight so I used the leftovers to make a few quarts of chicken stock. I'll make up a pot of chicken and vegetable soup for lunch tomorrow and that boost our recovery.

The hubby will be home most of the week and Magoo is on Spring break this week so my menu planning will be slightly different. We'll do our grocery shopping tomorrow and the grocery bill is going to hurt. Since we've started eating paleo our grocery bill has tripled. We just picked up a 1/4 grass-fed cow and signed up for our Summer CSA. I'm hoping that shopping in bulk and freezing our bounty will make our food dollars go farther. I know that menu planning has helped. I've noticed that we have a lot less food waste now that I have a good rhythm to our weekly meals.

It's March and Spring is just around the corner. Fresh air and sunshine will do us some good. I'm really glad I get the hubby to help wrangle kids this week. I'm hoping I can come up with enough to keep Magoo busy on her break. I think this week can be good. This Mom Loves family time. This Mom Loves family meals. I'm really glad I'll get a lot of that this week.

{this moment}

{this moment} - 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.

The Spring Edition is Out!

photo from Kendra

Seriously, I can not even explain how much I look forward to each new edition of Rhythm of the Home.

Spring is coming, spring is coming
All around is fair.
Shiver, quiver, on the river,
Joy is everywhere!

The Spring edition has a list of craft projects for little ones as well as ones for grown ups, a spring reading list, and an article on eating seasonally. I know we in Wisconsin really have another month of winter left but I'm daydreaming about my garden, getting our CSA boxes, and tromping in the mud in my new Bogs. Sweet, Sweet Spring is in two weeks and I'm hoping I can take the family out to watch the maple syrup being made and learn how I can tap my own maple tree next year.

I can't wait for the layers of clothes to come off. I can't wait for the eagles to show up on the Mississippi. I can't wait for warmer, longer days. This Mom Loves the new beginnings and new adventures that Spring can bring.