Relax.

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I had planned on posting a few pictures... Christmas-tree shopping, mulled cider mulling...

I planned to do this last Sunday for Monday's post. 

Didn't happen. 

But decorating did happen- prior to '10:00pm'! (we intend to start everything early, but we tend to run behind)... drama-free! {SUCCESS!!}

Planned again to do it last night. A few more pictures to add to the mix... light-hanging, letter-writing (yep... those santa letters still happen!)...

Didn't happen.

But shopping did happen... and not only did it happen- it doesn't have to happen any longer, cause it's DONE. Hours and hours and days and HOURS later, but it. is. done. And wrapping did happen... prior to the usual hell that is us buried in unwrapped presents at the very, very last minute (Christmas eve)... cursing our way through... all the while trying to make them look festive... unique... creative... cute...

And this movie happened too. 

And arguments were forgotten...  undone tasks forgiven... 

Unshared pictures filed.
              

Starting point.

Only from the heart can you touch the sky.

~Rumi

A perfectly simple spring menu.

                                                     

Last night I hosted the book club dinner (hence the continued blog hiatus).  As usual, I was scrambling to finish reading the book up until the last minute (I swear, I've GOT to stop doing that. Next book up~ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  I have the book already... I commit to picking it up this weekend and at least putting a dent in it.  [This was last night's book in case you're wondering... more to say on this later...]).

Anyways, I decided to serve a simple, light dinner.  One that could be partially made ahead of time (or at least well-prepped in advance)... that consisted of minimal ingredients, steps, components...  One that was fresh and 'spring-y'- and wouldn't leave people walking away feeling heavy and stuffed, and silently cursing you for sabotaging their 'summer-countdown-diet'... yet didn't sacrifice flavor or visual appeal for health and 'minimal effort.'  For the most part, we're back on the 'alkaline cleanse', and it was nice to offer a meal that we'd eat any night of the week... as opposed to my usual [former] entertaining approach (over-complicate, over-feed, over-indulge).
                                                      

It seems that perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away.

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: Terre des hommes

And once again, simple proved to be better. 

...

Here is the menu ~ my new go-to late-winter-early-spring-entertaining dinner...

{Rather than going over-board with appetizers (as I've done too many times, leaving everyone too full to enjoy the main course- and by the time dessert rolls around- forget about it...), I served this dip, along with a baked lentil chips and sliced cucumbers.}

            
cannellini bean & artichoke dip (recipe from my friend, christy) 

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil (more, for consistency, if needed)
1  14 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 
1  14-ounce can of artichoke hearts or artichoke bottoms, drained
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
10-12 basil leaves

Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse to combine.  Scrape down sides of bowl and continue to pulse until combined.  Add additional oil if necessary to make a smooth consistency that is not dry but lightly textured and creamy.  Season to taste with extra salt if desired. 
                
                                                      

{As for the salmon (below), I prepped it ahead of time, covered & set it back in the fridge (more flavorful this way).  So when the time was right, all I had to do was place it into the broiler~ then just transfer it to a platter... lemon and all.}

succulent lemon-thyme salmon (5 ingredients. 10 minutes. almost too good to be true.)

{The following two recipes are from my friend (& microscopist/'health guru'), Barbara.} 

red cabbage salad

1/2 red cabbage, finely shredded 
1/2 cup green onions, finely chopped 
2 tsp agave (optional) 
1/4-1/2 tsp salt (to taste) 
1 tbsp bragg's liquid aminos 
juice of half a lemon 
6 tbsp olive oil 
2 tbsp pine nuts (raw or toasted)
Combine all ingredients.  Chill for at least one hour. 


couscous

1 cup of boiling water 
1 cup whole-grain couscous 
1 tbsp earth balance butter 
1/2 tsp salt 
Olive oil

Pour boiling water over butter and salt in a large bowl.  Stir, then mix in couscous.  Allow to stand for a few minutes.  Stir with a fork and drizzle olive oil over it.   

{...and last but not least...}

lovely lemon cupcakes

{...little bites of lemony-lusciousness...}

{...that I think would go mighty well with that 2nd cuppa coffee I'm about to pour. (cause it is friday afterall.)} 

  

Infinite power of words.

"You are a force of nature."

{favorite coffee mug, & a daily dose of infinitely powerful words.}

our weekend was a bit {a lot} hectic and rushed.  the kind of weekend where you feel like you need a do-over.

so i decided to enter my reader in pursuit of a little 'boost'... only a couple of posts in and- i already found it.

karina's thought-provoking sentiments ~ and melissa's powerful affirmations. 

their words have lit up my soul.  in a matter of minutes. 

i'm reminded.  awakened.  empowered.

ready to leave sunday in the dust.

right where it belongs.
                                               

Up.

{This brief article on Mark Ruffalo's decision to leave city life behind has stuck with me in more ways than one.  Aside from the fact that the crush has just increased tenfold.  Here is his response when asked about the transition...}

   

It’s the best thing I could have done for the family as a whole and for the kids in particular. We made a pact to let them be and let them work out their differences on their own. We’re letting them grow a little wild and we step in when it’s essential, but in a lot of ways they figure stuff out on their own and they do it in a way that’s organic and lasts. We live in a small space and we’re really influenced by the natural world around us. Eventually that is reflected in one’s behavior and how you get along with other people. There’s a lot of quiet in the country and there’s a lot of quietness in my children. 

                                                            

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...

The weekend was a good one.  As Ryan settles into his new job, life is slowly calming down~ which is a good thing.  Still in school... oh, and a very long commute (during the training period)... but the air is clearing, the fog is lifting, the tide is turning... the noise is quieting.  

Slowly. 

But surely.
  

The scenic road.

 

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Last week, an instagram friend {an incredibly successful, creative, kind friend} shared a quote from a [Californian-raised] New York-based artist, Tauba Auerbach {via the AW12 issue of the gentlewoman}.

"I've been moving in a straight line and now I just want to be able to move diagonally."

Living life in a thoughtful, focused- yet free- manner.  Free to question.  Free to explore.  Free to dig deeper.  Free to stay on course, but not to the extent of feeling stuck, forced, bored- or worse, boring.  Free to bend the rules, to step out of bounds, to step back... to step forward.  Much easier said than done for some [me], but somehow, a "diagonal" path sounds far less intimidating... much more doable.  

This year, I have decided to step away from hosting Thanksgiving dinner.  In light of everything written here and here, I decided that we needed a break.  My kids are off for the entire week, and for the first time in years, I'll be able to spend time with them.  Free time to try new recipes from my oldest cookbooks and newest magazines (but never have due to a pure lack of time and/or post-holiday kitchen-burnout)... Time to reflect on what I am thankful for.

We're not flying off to Hawaii- or celebrating solo.  We're not forgoing turkey, or my grandma's coveted stuffing- or pumpkin pie.  Nor are we permanently handing over the 'hosting torch.'  Just veering off the straight n' narrow route.  

Diagonally.

  

In progress.

{"simple" enough, right??}

{if only.}

  

~image via

Season of change.

    

We may not be able to control the forecast, but we most definitely control the menu.  When you combine summer's end with autumn's arrival~ magical moments are created in your very own kitchen.  Moments that entail late summer plum pudding cakes, and slow roasted tomatoes... banana fig bread and roasted red bell pepper pesto... savory pumpkin & goat cheese risotto stirred with a crisp glass of rosé in hand, and enjoyed with a deep dark glass of red.

Fall may not have made it's way outdoors, but right here, right now, within our four walls, it is happening.

Not only do we run the show when it comes to our daily menu, but we are also in full command of our daily calenders.  Just another way to set the tone, rather than letting the temperature tone set us.  To celebrate the arrival of a new season, to initiate change where needed, and to {intentionally} keep some things just as they are.  As much as I am ready to welcome the season of slouchy knits & black leggings... scented candles & cozy blankets... soups & stews & pies & warm beverages galore... there are a few elements that I am not quite ready to remove from the "schedule".  

As I plot out the calendar, or take on a new day... a new week- I'm making a concerted effort to embrace the renewing, invigorating, warm & welcoming essence of autumn, while holding on to a bit of the youthful spirit that summer exudes.  Many more seasonal meals be made... favorite old & new traditions to enjoy {especially this one :)}.
 

{Please join me in continuing the conversation over at Pink Moon Daily, to discuss this quintessential 'holding-onto-summer-while-embracing-autumn' tradition, as well as this "transitional" month, a little further...}

 

Forging ahead.

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It rang off to a promising start.  A Friday evening with my [shopping] partner-in-crime (aka- Hailey)... shopping for not one but TWO upcoming birthday parties that she was to attend the following day... brand new pajamas... fun presents- those perfect presents that you secretly wish you could keep... All the while, the boys were back at home conjuring up a quintessential kick-off-to-the-weekend dinner~ pizzzza. Homemade pizza.  Pizza, wine, Family Ties.  Perfection.

The rest was sort of a blur.  

Too many tears.  Too many "come to jesus" talks.  Too many to-do's.  And too freakin' HOT. (I realize I just said that it wasn't "so bad after all."  Well, it got hotter.  And it is "so bad after all.")

After a weekend I'd pretty much chalk up as chaotic, I'm really hoping this little gem of wisdom rings true in the coming week.

Scratch that.  I'm willing this to come true in the coming week.  

First up:  a coffee date with a friend from high school this morning.  Not just any friend.  A friend that I haven't seen in 18 years!  Not to place too much into a coffee date or anything, but I've got a feeling this is JUST what I need to get out of this bubble I've "found" myself in as of late... to work my way into a new direction- a slightly (all I ask) less chaotic direction.  Yes, change is in the air.  I can feel it. 
 

Back in session.

                                          

hellllo!

i went on vacation, came back, and decided i wasn't quite ready to write anything down just yet... to edit photos, format posts, to think about anything other than savoring those last bits of summer.  those last few days in which the kids can just be kids... and i can just be Mom.  not a drill sergeant.  not a taxi driver.  not a schedule coordinator.

and when august 14th hit, we weren't fully ready (are we ever??), but we were as ready as we were ever going to be.  to step back into it.  into routine.  into schedules.  into paperwork, and homework.  into the [transitional] 4th grade.  into HIGH SCHOOL so help me god.

other than the 'my-son-is-now-in-HIGH-SCHOOL' part, it's all gone fairly smooth.  other than the mound of paperwork to be filled out... the [long] lists of supplies to be purchased, the "surprise!" $110- check to be filled out for an 'orchestra tux'... the $80- yearbook, the $60-  asb card, the school photos, the pta donations, the p.e. clothes.......... yep, it's all gone fairly smooth.

...with a big dose of overwhelming-ness mixed in.

in fact i was just sitting down to try and work my way out of this knot in the back of my neck (wine in hand), when i came across an article shared by the lovely (& i can truly attest to the "lovely" part now that i've met her in person... more on that later :)) melissa~ ‘Slow Parenting’: Why a Mom Is ‘Fed Up with Frenzy’.

i believe in 'slow parenting' with all my heart... but school's only been in session for 2 days, and already our mode has switched from calm & connected to rushed & frenzied. i was that parent who honked at the car stopped in the middle of the street (as opposed to pulling IN to the carpool line).  twice.  yes- twice in one day.  one at her school & one at his.  shameful, i know.  but true.  well, friday is here.  and clearly it is time to take a step back... & slooooooow down. {oh, & come up with "plan B" for tackling that high school pick-up line}

it feels good to be back :).

   

{thank you to my mom for gently reminding me that my blog has remained "dark" for a bit too long.  

& thanks melissa for the knocking that writer's block right out of the park}

         

il dolce far niente.

{the sweetness of doing nothing.}

 

while the boys were off bein' over-achievers, and hiking that little mountain called "half dome" (actually, it was a huge achievement and i'm so very proud of them... more on that later), us girls stayed home, and pretty much did nothing.

for 4 days.

thought about dressing fancy and goin' out on a mother-daughter date... about taking on a major garden project, or baking up a storm... but i know my daughter.  i know what she needs.  not wants, needs. 

 

the other stuff will happen.  but for now, for this reason, nothing was everything.

   

now, let the party-planning begin for this soon-to-be 9 yr. old. 

{{sigh}}

Simplicity parenting.

                                             

                                    

You may recall a post I wrote a couple months ago in regards to re-grouping, re-connecting, and unplugging.  And we did, for a few days, until life resumed as "normal"...

                 

Well, it's time to create a new normal- one that will last.  We're both reading Simplicity Parenting, and so far, it has been profound... thought-provoking, challenging, empowering- and yet presented in a clear, approachable manner.  It simultaneously brings to surface what we intrinsically know to believe is right (for us, individually, and as a family unit), and it introduces new insight, ideas, & simple {yet powerful} methods for facilitating change- for re-grouping, re-connecting, and getting back on track.

Many bloggers are reading (or have read), and equally benefiting from this book.  In today's fast-past, consumerist, high-tech world, we're all experiencing similar challenges when it comes to raising a family, and striving to "keep it simple" while struggling to fit it all in.  Alexis {@ Fern and Feather} is hosting a virtual book club discussion, and today, I'm over at her place- spilling the beans about our current state of affairs.  It's been one of the most powerful chapters in the book thus far.  I'd love it if you visited me there, and shared your thoughts- whether you've read the book or not.  To do so, click right HERE :). 

                                                  

A cup of comfort.

it's amazing how one week, you're frolicking through wine country, livin' it up- no restrictions applied...
and within days, your whole world turns upside down.

the past week has been pretty awful.  ryan has been sick since wednesday... the kind of sick that involved dr's appointments, antibiotics, testing, waiting, new antibiotics, more testing, more waiting... 

he's finally almost 'back to normal', and we're hoping to get some answers tomorrow... to reach an end to this restless waiting game that we've been thrust into "playing" since 2:30am on wednesday morning.

in the midst of waiting, we've all been pretty unplugged... quieter than usual- which has actually been a blessing in disguise.  with caffeine and wine out of the question, there was one constant each afternoon... a cup of tea.   it's been said that "there is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea" {bernard-paul heroux}.  

so very true.

the kids joined us in our new little ritual after arriving home from school on a rainy friday afternoon.

tea & television... ahhh the good life

he was the "good" boy... choosing instead to finish his book while enjoying his tea :).

cuties

on the bright side, these moments sure do have a way snapping everything right into perspective, don't they?

  

Choice.

the "top"

            
I touched on this topic a little bit last week, and by no means have I "mastered the art of happiness," but I have a little more I'd like to share on the topic :).

In the past few months, I've made a concentrated effort to "weed" through every area of my life- how I spend my time- and with whom I spend it with… activities, friends, obligations, social events, ...even the blogs in which I follow- and how much time I spend on commenting(!), emails that I choose to open- or subscribe to, articles I read, t.v. shows I watch...  At 36 years of age, I feel like I’m [finally] developing an acute sense of what works and does not work.

Wow.  It has made such an incremental difference in all faucets of my life… my writing, creative endeavors, time spent with others, in my health- and overall well-being. 

Little upward steps in the right [for-me] direction… a positive (rather than negative) momentum.  And the days/moments that I start to get down/unmotivated/frustrated (because of course, there are still plenty of those moments), I seem to be able to pull out of them quicker and back in the right direction… rather than just getting sucked into that state of negativity- the “downward spiral.”

  

With the clutter cleared out of the way, it's so much easier to stay- or get back- on track… to get back to the things, people, places that DO work… and even better- to bring more of the "good stuff" into the picture.  Cause isn't that always the case?  When my home- or a room, or a closet- is filled with junk, not only am I unmotivated to clean it… not only am I frustrated by it's current state… but I am totally uninspired to add anything *new into the equation… to do that project that I've intended to do, to try out that new recipe, to purchase new office supplies…

What I do each day, each week, each moment is a matter of choice.  And while I have responsibilities & obligations to contend with, life does not just happen to me. 

So, today, on my very first day of my 36th year, I chose to do something that works.  A grueling hike, with a good friend.  I didn't say "what works" is equivalent to "fun" or "easy" ;)… and even though I never thought we'd get to the top, we did.  And it felt good.

 

Quality of life.

Image via

 

i had the pleasure of hanging out with new & old blogger pals this past week.  

emily was in town for just a day, but she happily extended her return flight just so that she could spend an evening with katrina (who em introduced to me on her last LA visit... & so happy she did) & i.  jenn was here on a family vacation & set a night aside to meet me- and one of her other blogging friends, casie... the more the merrier.

it never ceases to amaze me that- after a few minutes of "initiation"- we jump right in, talking about anything & everything- as if we haven't skipped a beat... laughing, story-telling, listening... talking a bit more in depth about that job interview, or dilemma that they'd referenced in a post- but was a bit too personal to share in full online.  2 lovely evenings in which i walked away a brighter, bolder, better person. 

lately, i've found myself in [social] situations that are underlined with negativity, judgement, criticism, & flat-out-rudeness.  life's just too short for that nonsense.  my well-being is far better suited with real friends, true character... 

& an accompanying cocktail- a jalapeno pepino margarita, let's say- or a basil gimlet- never hurts.
         
{...cause it's been said that trying new things is also good for your well-being :)}