My mother, through her openness to life, gave me the gift of my life, natural and supernatural. In gratitude, twenty-two years ago, I chose the path of motherhood, so that I could give what I myself have received. If I am honest, I also chose motherhood to give to my children that which I did
I want to draw attention to a true self-care staple of mine: a bath. Taking time to slow down and relax at the end of the day is so necessary for me. Soaking in a hot bath is good, but to make it truly healing, I always add magnesium salt flakes to mine. There are
Few desserts are as luscious as baklava. Finding out how to make this delicious treat has been one of the joys of my foray into baking. Truly, it is not at all as hard as I had thought it must be! I hope you all will give baklava a try. Ingredients: Filling: 1 cup almonds
We usually hit the ground running every morning around our house, but occasionally time allows for a more leisurely breakfast. My husband, Benji, loves to create breakfast meals from what we have on hand and came up with this winner a few months ago. I like to pair it with some wheat toast and jam,
To me the idea of self-care is hard. It has often seemed selfish or even superficial, but I have learned the hard way that taking care of yourself is not only valuable, but necessary. I prefer to incorporate practices that are centered around wellness—not that a pedicure isn’t great sometimes, but I look for care
This thick and smooth hot fudge sauce is made with only four simple ingredients. This decadent sauce will be on your go-to list of family fun recipes. It’s easy to make and very chocolaty, without using actual chocolate. It’s not melted chocolate, but cocoa powder that is in the recipe—I love this since I always
The sun—the beginning of creation, the source of life for all. What an amazingly beautiful and creative gift God has given us! We should not fear it but bask in it. Yes, at this blistering end of summer, I want to promote time in the sun, because, as with every good and beautiful gift, we
This is one of my family’s favorites, especially during hot summer days. It is both tasty and nutritious, which helps everyone’s enjoyment, even the Mom, who watches out for nutrition! Ingredients: variety of julienned or shredded vegetables: bell peppers, carrots, red onions, cucumbers, zucchini, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts whole, fresh basil leaves mung bean noodles, cooked
We can never get enough fruit in our house, especially in the summertime. There is such an abundance of beautiful tastes and textures to savor this time of year. My children and I love traveling to local orchards and farms to explore the beauty of these fruits as they grow naturally. There is something so
Since I was young, nothing said summer as much as my mother’s peach pie. Sometimes, when I got to go to the market with her, she showed me how to tell if the peaches were ready for pies—firm, but not too hard. She then let me try to pick them out myself. Once home, I
As a busy mom, I struggle to set aside special time to pray daily. Instead of a dedicated hour first thing in the morning like I would prefer, my prayers typically happen in short bursts of requests, thanksgiving, and intentions throughout the day. Yet, I know that God hears me and is patiently waiting to
Somehow grits always makes my family feel loved. It’s the quintessential Southern basis for any meal—breakfast, lunch or dinner. During summers, I combine the wholesomeness of grits with shrimp for a light meal. My family loves this one! Grits 1 ½ cups whole milk 1 ½ cups chicken broth ¾ cups stone ground grits (white
With the pace of life changing so much in the last year, I have discovered a simple prayer that has brought so much fruit: Lord, slow me down, give me time. A year ago, life came to a halt, and now it seems to be picking back up. The slower agenda my family had
As the gatekeeper of our home, I am always mindful of the products we use, and I like to make sure that they are safe and kind to all. When it comes to laundry, finding products that pass the test can be challenging, so I make a super simple, clean, and dreamy scent booster. Perhaps
Just in time for Lent, I doctored up my favorite banana bread recipe. Wheat germ is a good source of magnesium, folate, potassium, phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, and vitamin E. Flaxseed is high in fiber, Omega-3, lignans, and protein. Chia seeds are also a good source of fiber, Omega-3, and protein. All of these are also
This week, I had the privilege of going out with some dear friends to celebrate a couple of birthdays in our group. When I am with these women, I am always left feeling fed, and grateful, and restored. We have all been friends for many years, and a book club is what brought us all
This makes a great St. Valentine’s DIY to gift to someone you love. Essential oil infused honey elevates a cup of tea. It is hard to pick my favorite, but I really enjoy using cinnamon, lemon, lavender, or orange. There is something warm and inviting about these flavors mixed with honey. Put a spoonful in
Sometimes our family just wants a break from the ordinary, especially when the days seem chilly or overcast. Serving up a delicious pile of meatball subs seems just the right answer for my hungry crowd. It seems fun and better than a restaurant to them, especially if we add coleslaw and a few different kinds
Do you need a fun, memory-making moment with the kids this weekend? This recipe is great for the Christmas Season or looking ahead to Valentine’s Day. Keep this recipe on hand for quick, easy, creative fun! Ingredients: 15-20 Oreo (or “chocolate sandwich “) cookies 2 cups good quality melting chocolate—milk or dark 1 cup good
Let’s face it: there are times when it’s impossible to keep up with our—or our youngsters’—personal hygiene. One aspect of this is hair that needs washing but no time to immediately see to it. I’ve tried dry shampoo in the past and found it expensive and smelly, plus it is always white and looks terrible
Homemade elderberry syrup is a delicious way to ward off, or at least shorten, the duration of those sniffles and fevers this time of year. God tells us that he has placed, Along the banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind, their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they