Family Candlemas

Today we were snowed-in (or more like iced-in) yet again! Day three of trying to work at home with Lilah under foot. It has been a challenging week but nice to be home with my little sweetie too! Every spare moment today we prepared for our Candlemas celebration, thought about the Spring that hopefully is around the corner and other new beginnings and intentions for the new year.

Lilah made beautiful bird nests to welcome Spring birds and Daddy made some blackbirds out of beeswax at Lilah's request. We used scraps of roving, string and stuffing to make little wreaths into nests. I had envisioned tucking and winding the scraps around the twigs...but Lilah choose to decorate the opening instead to make a nice cozy place for the birds. Makes much more sense when you think about it! She was very proud of her nests!

At lunch I started on some crepes for a traditional Candlemas dinner with a raw vegan twist. Being a new Raw Foodie it was the perfect opportunity to try out my new raw cookbook! It was so easy and as with everything I make lately it gave me so much energy and pleasure to make and eat! I added my own little touches, like cinnamon to the apple and flax batter. Then into the dehydrator for 4 hours. I made a raw chopped apple sauce for the inside with hazelnut kream and blueberries to top! So yummy!

We enjoyed our feast then ended the night with candles lit around our bird's nests and a roaring fire. It was nice to actual use the living room...we talked...we played...we read stories. It was a beautiful night and a wonderful way to truly welcome the new year and Spring season.

Even our Goldfish enjoyed the candlelight of our celebration!

xoxo, Laura

Being Happy

Just had to write about the latest and cutest things heard in our house.

We have been reading "Today I Feel Silly" by Jamie Lee Curtis a lot lately. Lilah really loves it and it is a great book that talks about feelings. At the end it asks how you feel today with a cute face you can change the expressions on. Every time we do it Lilah says she is happy which makes me so incredibly happy. The best though is when i ask her what makes her happy she says "Mommy Makes me Happy"! Love it!!

So on top of her super cute expressions of last week she now likes to say how much Mommy and Daddy make her happy...the cherry on top was yesterday when she took my face in her hands and said "Mama you're beautiful"! I'm so in love with her and I couldn't be any happier or prouder of what sweet little girl she is!!

"You're the Best Mommy"

This is what my beautiful daughter said to me this morning and then a few other times throughout the day. I think that is the best compliment I could ask for!! It just makes me think that no matter how many shortcomings I see in myself in striving to be the best Mom, my little girl thinks I already am. Perhaps we should all let ourselves off the hook a little.

I accepted the fact a long time ago that I would not be the perfect Mom, whatever that even is. I have found it difficult in being a working Mom though. Only having a few precious hours a day to spend with Lilah, and many times after a long day of work finding in hard to be 100% present with her in those hours. So I am trying to be present and spend good quality time with Lilah when I can. Whether it doing an exciting new craft project together, reading an extra book at night or like this morning after we had a nice shower we just played in my bed for an hour hunting for treasure under the covers and pretending to be wild animals in the jungle.

Not even a month into the new year and I think my "resolutions" are turning out just fine and apparently even Lilah thinks so! Focusing on me more with my Raw Foods (lost 10 lbs. so far and no more coffee)and getting to the fun classes at the gym. Focusing on family more by not overcommitting and having too many activities (we actual have time to just do whatever we want or do nothing at all). Oh and two blog posts since the holidays...getting there! I think I'll pat myself on the back!!

Hope this helps someone out there...just remember that nothing is prefect and us Moms need to give ourselves a break sometimes becuase I bet if you ask your kids they will think you are the best too!

xoxo,
Laura