Twelve Gifts

Even though I do not deny my age, I still find it somewhat impossible that this past Thursday marked 15 years since I graduated from college.  Fifteen years....I've been out nearly four times longer than I was in.  Can that be for real?  I mean...can it?

Emotions run high for me normally; so add in Abby's PreK graduation on Wednesday and pregnancy hormones, and you can just imagine the hot mess I was for the latter part of the week.  But you know what, the tears that flowed were certainly tears of joy.  And hope, and wishes, and faith and pride and gratitude.  Not a single sad tear in the bunch.  Sure, PreK is ending, but that really only means that something new is beginning.  A whole new chapter of life for Abby--and us!--to conquer.

Throughout Thursday, I spent a lot of time thinking about the four years I spent at Elon and the incredible graduation weekend we enjoyed as the Class of 1999.  There was the class picnic following the Baccalaureate ceremony; a classy yet casual affair that offered delicious southern food and hospitality.  There was the small group of us who walked over to the stage set up for the Commencement ceremonies and danced, talked, laughed, cried and reflected.  Yes, we even sang "Party Like it's 1999" a little too loudly.  Although, on Graduation Eve, what, exactly is "too loudly?"

I also reached for one of my most cherished gifts from Graduation.  A book called The Twelve Gifts of Birth.  It might seem strange to receive a book about birth upon my college graduation, but not only did it connect back to our Baccalaureate speaker, but it was given to me by my dear friend Richard--and it was perfect.  Richard served as the Chaplain of Elon College during my time there and I was his Teaching Assistant for 3 years.  We developed a very special bond; one that I treasure to this day.  In fact, when it came time to marry Mark, it was Richard we asked to perform the ceremony.  This gift, a wonderful compliment from Richard, including a heartfelt inscription for me, has now become a very, very fond wish I wish for Abby...and for Sprout!

I find new meaning each and every time I read its simple, yet powerful, words, and as I read it to my daughter on Thursday evening as I tucked her into bed, I was touched by the knowledge that Sprout was also hearing these words.  The book takes a mere moment to read, but its lesson lasts far longer. 

The twelve gifts are:  Strength, Beauty, Courage, Compassion, Hope, Joy, Talent, Imagination, Reverence, Wisdom, Love and Faith.  In a word driven by materialism, I cannot think of better gifts to bestow upon someone.  I'd like to think that I was able to develop and apply these gifts not only during my time at Elon, but in every day that's followed since I left.  And now, with great expectations, I share them with my daughter so that she, too, can realize her potential and celebrate her Twelve Gifts of Birth.

The words, a gentle reminder of some of the very best things in the world.  I especially like the passage that accompanies the gift of Reverence.  We're reminded to, "...appreciate the wonder that you are and the miracle of all creation."

Strawberry Sorbet/Yogurt

5-Minute Healthy Strawberry Frozen Yogurt

I may or may not be craving ice cream these days.  Maybe Sprout is craving it or maybe I only think I want it because it's an indulgence that I'm trying to justify by calling it a craving.  Either way, I'm practicing a whole lotta restraint and going miles out of my way to NOT pass any ice cream shops on my drive home each day. 

Then I saw this gem of a recipe and it could not be easier.  Honestly, my 4.5 year old daughter did just about all of the work...even some of the clean up! 

What I love about it is that it satisfies both my need for the icy cold ice cream thing but the sweet candy-like flavor of, well, candy.  Duh!

We decided to get a little crazy in the kitchen (we're like that, ya know?!) and we used 2 cups of frozen strawberries and a cup each of frozen peaches and frozen raspberries.  I did manage to forget to add the lemon juice, but still found the flavor to be quite delicious.

I will neither confirm nor deny that it tastes extra yummy when delivered by one's husband and eaten in bed while reading.  Shhhh....no judging, right?!

Cheers to YOUR version of this healthy and yummy treat!


 
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 min

What You'll Need:

4 cups frozen strawberries

3 Tablespoons agave nectar or honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt (non-fat or full fat)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

What You'll Do:

Add the frozen strawberries, agave nectar (or honey), yogurt and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor. (I used my blender b/c I don't have a large food processor) Process until creamy, about 5 minutes.

Serve the frozen yogurt immediately or transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 1 month. (Yeah...like it'll last that long.  Puh-lease!)

MOMents

I've been sitting at my computer for the better part of an hour trying to write this post.  And sure, it sounds super cliche, and maybe it is super cliche, but I really don't know how to capture what it is to be a Mom.  It's Mother's Day, and I'm feeling the need to be all profound and deep...but also ridiculously simple and basic.  

When I was younger, I loved to watch awards shows.  Grammys, Oscars, you name it.  The end of year countdown lists were also a favorite; top videos of the year, top news stories.  Then I got to a point where it was too overwhelming because there were so many, and it seemed that every station had a different list.  I went from "gotta watch 'em all" to "can't even look at one."  That's how I feel right now trying to write about my Mom and my own experiences in Motherhood.  It's almost too much.

One of my very first blog posts ever was on this topic.  I reread it just the other day, hoping for some extra inspiration.  Not that I need extra, really.  I mean...my Mom is pretty fantastic, and being a Mom is also pretty fantastic.  There's plenty of inspiration there.

I love to read blog posts by other Moms about issues they face with their families.  My friend Sarah shared one called "Whack A Mole" that had me nearly crying with laughter.  Funny thing is, I find myself shying away from addressing similar issues because I fear I'll come across as whiny, or worse...like I don't love my daughter.  Glennon didn't sound like that.  Her post is hilarious---read for yourself--and I found myself nodding in agreement several times as I read it.  Bet you did, too.  I don't even have three kids, but I could totally relate to several points she illustrated with brilliant humor. 


The thing is, Motherhood is a whole book of adjectives and emotions.  And usually in the span of 30 minutes, too.  We can go from loving our kids so intensely it makes us want to cry to being ready to send them to the moon all during a single episode of Doc McStuffins.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  On a short, 4 minute drive to the grocery store, you can have a very tender exchange with the little munchkin sitting behind you in the car seat as well as a moment where you think (just for a second, and not really) about trading her in for the week's groceries.

As Moms, we all have our moments.  The shining example moments in which we handle everything perfectly, and the less than stellar moments where we scrape by by the skin of our teeth (and I bet we have more of the latter than we do the former, even if we like to think it's the other way around).  Like most of life, it's about balance....not getting too high on the highs or low on the lows.  Easier said than done, I know.  Believe me, I know.

I am the Mom who got so frustrated with her daughter during a morning drop off, that I left without our kiss and trademark goodbye phrase.  I simply buckled her into the car seat in my Mom's car, closed the door and drove away in my own car.  I cried the entire way to work, feeling like the biggest jerk.  I called her when I got to the office and she answered the phone with a small voice.  "Mama, why'd you walk away?" she asked.  I picked up the shattered pieces of my heart, and told her how sorry I was that I didn't handle my frustrations properly.  "It's okay, " she said to me.  "I'm having breakfast now and I'm making you some artwork for your office when I'm done."  Clearly, the wound was deeper on my end; she was already moving on and seemingly unaffected.  Which, somehow, breaks my heart even more.




I'm also the Mom whose favorite moments with my daughter are those in which we're apologizing to one another.  It may sound absurd, but it's so beautiful to me to have those real, honest, intimate conversations about what we did that wasn't right/nice/kind/fair/appropriate and how we can handle it next time.  There's a bonding that takes place that I would not trade for anything.  It's also a huge relief to find the beautiful out of the less than.  Slam the door and walk away.....sit down and discuss it and pledge to be/do better.  Yell at her for something minor...hold her in my lap and tell her that no one is perfect and we all make mistakes, but we learn from them.  She doesn't want a perfect Mom.  She wants me.  Warts and all.  And that is the very core of unconditional love, isn't it?


There are those fundamental, basic Mom moments--getting yourself and a kiddo ready to leave the house in the morning.  The simple every day moments of baths, meals, tying shoes, helping with reading.  There are hundreds of those moments before 8am most days.  We can go through the motions without even realizing what we're doing; car seat buckled, backpack packed, school project tucked inside carefully, book order signed, check enclosed, hair brushed, show & tell treasure selected....

And then there are the kind of Mom moments that blanket you in a feeling of maternal instinct so strong it's palpable.  Moments like registering her for school.  Did we really just do that?  Did we really investigate multiple options, make a sound choice and share the care of our child with others?  Yes, we did.  Of course we did.  Moments like gathering my entire family during my Grandfather's funeral and sharing how we explained things to almost three year old Abby and asking them to be on the same page.  Did I really, in the midst of our own grief, make sure that Abby was protected?  Did I make others see me as a Mom, not "just Amy" in that moment?  Yes, I did.  Of course I did.  Moments like explaining death yet again just this past month when Abby's teacher suddenly and unexpectedly passed away.  Did I make every effort to strike the balance between showing her my emotions and being strong enough to absorb hers?  Did I trust my gut and take her to the viewing, believing that we would be able to help her through any questions, reactions and observations?  Yes, I did. Of course I did.  I'm a Mom....it comes with the territory.  It can't be--and I wouldn't want it to be--all popsicles, princesses and tutus.  
 
When I was pregnant with Abby, someone told me (and God bless do I remember who, because I would love to give credit where it's due) that everything is a phase; it'll all end.  The good and the bad, it's all fleeting.  At the time, like most pieces of advice, it didn't register.  But now?  I find myself sharing it with anyone who will listen.

It's about staying present---because the moments can change on a dime.  There was a night when Abby was just a few weeks old.  She was crying and crying and crying and crying. We had 4 or 5 books out on the bed, all shouting solutions at us from the pages.  We had her swing in our room, her bouncy seat, her bassinet...nothing was working to calm this child down.  Nothing.  We were tired, frustrated and feeling totally lost.  And then, she stopped...I don't know when, or how, or what the trick was, but the point is, she stopped.  In that moment, I honestly believed she would never stop.  Now, I cannot even tell you exactly how old she was when she did that. 

I don't remember exactly when she slept through the night or the last time she sucked 2 fingers instead of her thumb.  I don't know the specific last day she wore a diaper and I can't remember when we took away bottles for sippy cups and then sippy cups for tidal wave cups (you know--the ones that hold 2 ounces of milk, until they spill, and then somehow it's a tidal wave of 200 ounces!?).  These things simply happen---at least, as I think about them now.  But in the moment, they seemed as impossible as catching the moon in a jar.



As I type, she's still upstairs, fast asleep, laying horizontally across her big girl bed.  And Sprout is kicking like crazy, probably asking for breakfast.  This is a moment to be present.  This is the last Mother's Day I will celebrate with only one child.  I want to pause, to soak this in.  To think about what it means to be creating this life inside of me, and marvel at the life that is my sleeping child upstairs.  To know this child before I meet him or her, and to know, without a doubt, that he or she is loved beyond words.  And yes, I'm quite certain there will also be moments where I'll want to send Sprout to live with gypsies.  That's all part of being a Mom, right?!

I could keep writing---now that I've started!!---but I was just paged from upstairs.  "Moooommmmmyyyyy, come on up.  We have presents for you."  And, after a long pause, "Can we go to McDonald's for breakfast?  That's where I'd go it if was my Mother's Day."  So if you'll excuse me, I have presents to open and shoes to tie and hair to brush and wipes to pack for the inevitable syrup-covered face that I will kiss so many times today I'll lose count.  Today, it's about recommitting myself to enjoying all of the MOMents....the good, the bad, and the ugly...and yes, the sticky!

Mango Guac...for real!

May 3 is Hug Your Cat Day.  Okay.  I don't have a cat, so someone's going to have to pinch hit for me on this one.

May 4 is Star Wars Day.  Ummm, R2D2, C3PO...that's about all I've got there.

And May 5 is, well, it's Cinco de Mayo.  Or as some folks I know call it, "Cinco de Drinko."  Hey, whatever works.  

Normally, I'm not a huge fan of Mexican food.  We've talked about this before.  But, if there's a legitimate reason to give a nod to flavors Mexicana, especially this flavor, I'm in.  And by "give a nod to" I, of course, mean "eat this like there's no Seis de Mayo!  Let's not get confused, though--I don't need a reason for this particular treat, but having one makes me feel a whole lot less guilty about inhaling this as soon as I make it.  The recipe says "Serves 4-6."  Yeah.  Sure.  If you say so...

Mango Guacamole

What You Need:
3 ripe avocados
1 mango, peeled and diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1 handful cilantro, snipped
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 lime, juiced
Willpower!

 




What You'll Do: 
In a large bowl, mash avocados with a fork until only some chunks remain. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

I mean, really. Easy and super yummy!  You could up the ante a smidge by making your own chips---a healthier, less greasy/salty version if you so desire.  Just sayin'.

However  you enjoy it, THAT is the point...ENJOY it!  Cheers to you and your yummy, healthy celebratory snack.  Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some taste-testing to do!

May-be You Should Stop Thinking

MAY-be You Should Stop Thinking

Ha.  That's a good one, right?  How many times have I said that to myself?  I often lament that I cannot take my head off at the end of the day in much the same way I shed shoes that I've worn well beyond their comfort or the necklace that feels far heavier than it did when I put it on 10 hours earlier.  Wouldn't it be cool if you could remove your head just as easily?  Stop the thinking, the over-thinking, the analyzing, the replaying....all of it.  Silenced for just a little while.  Sigh.  Not an option.

Sometimes thinking is good, though.  It's the over-thinking that can be a real pain in the ass.  I can say ass, here, right?  It's my blog.  Okay.  Anyway, the old "paralysis by analysis" can be problematic.  Have you been there?  You spend so much time thinking about something that you never actually do it.  Guilty.  Oh yes, I'm guilty.

Case in point:  It took me THREE months to finally make a move and jump on the Beachbody concept.  Yeah.  THREE months of thinking about making a change, THREE months of stressing over clothes that no longer fit properly, and THREE months of wondering if I could/would actually do the workout.  What a waste of time.

Looking back--because we all know that hindsight is 20/20--I can be that person who proclaims, while kicking herself in the butt--I mean ass!--that I wish I had started sooner.  If I had only known then what I know now....

So, consider this a cautionary tale from me to you.  MAY-be you should stop thinking and start acting on your thoughts.  Would it help for me to tell you that the program I finally started after those THREE months of thinking was Turbo Fire?  Would it help for you to know that with it, I lost 10 pounds and 11 inches?  Okay, would it help if I told you that this awesome program, the one I consider to be my soulmate workout, and the one that turned things around for me in a big way is on SALE this month?

Yep, you read that properly.  Not only am I here to tell you about a great program, and save you TIME considering it, I'm ALSO here to save you money on purchasing it.  I'm just that kinda girl!

Why do I love this program?  And why do I get so excited to talk about it?  Because it WORKED!  It's super fun, the music gets you going (even if it does get stuck in your head, what's wrong with that!?) and did I mention IT WORKS!?

Not only are the workouts great, but the trainer, Chalene Johnson, is a force.  She's fun, she's energetic, she's REAL and she inspires the heck out of pretty much everyone that meets her.  Think I'm simply building her up?  Check it out for yourself and you'll see what I mean.

And, for the month of MAY, TurboFire is being offered at promo pricing in a Challenge Pack.  A Challenge Pack, wow---that's a whole different story!  With a Challenge Pack, you'll receive this fantastic workout, ONE month of Shakeology in your favorite flavor PLUS access to a kick-ass Coach (ahem! That's me!).  You could even snag a spot in a Challenge Group if you want...I mean who wouldn't!?  Challenge Groups are serious game-changers.  Again, if you don't believe me, sign up for one and you will quickly realize that I'm right (sorry, it's just true!).


Alright, summing it all up now....TurboFire ROCKS.  STOP thinking and start DOING.  Snag it at a GREAT PRICE and let's get you rockin' out to songs like this.  Come on...don't pretend you wouldn't want to be "jab-hook-crossing" to that catchy little ditty.  

Now that you're properly intrigued, click HERE to check out the AWESOME DEAL and what the heck, tell a friend while you're at it.  Can you honestly tell me that NONE of your friends would want to get healthier and have fun doing it?  Cool!  Let's get Turbo-ing!