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3 Scrumptious Strawberry recipes for summer

June…strawberry season…this year it coincided with a big sigh of relief a things start to open up again, and we find new patterns of summer “normalcy”–and of celebrating warm weather (that came late in CT), and being alive after the winter that would never end. And of course, strawberries are the perfect early summer fruit that we’re all craving as the days lengthen & heat up.

We finally did a strawberry patch day at Jones Family farm, after hearing about it for years. Definite summer bucket list for this crew…and the result…LOTS of strawberries…the kids, especially the girls are great pickers! The boys much preferred to romp in the patch and eat everything in sight, and that was wonderful too.

We came home loaded, especially thanks to a mothers helper who was also a dedicated picker 😉 So now the fun decision time…coinciding with fathers day weekend…what to make?

High on the list was strawberry icecream, along with strawberry rhubarb pie, and the desire to attempt Jam for the first time…and along with that, if we had enough left, some strawberry scones for Father’s day brunch. So here we go, sharing the recipes we tried, tweaked, and loved.

I may just want to go back in a few weeks and do this all over again!

Homemade Strawberry Icecream

This is a custard recipe—decided we wanted an old fashioned taste & texture this time. If you don’t want to use eggs, here’s another good option (non-custard recipe).

The nice thing is, this can easily be made dairy free. Just substitute coconut or almond or a combo milk, and they now have a dairy free heavy whipping cream alternative…so easy!

I also substituted coconut palm sugar for regular sugar…it definitely gives it a different (I would say lighter sweet) flavor, and I personally love it.

We doubled the batch…our kitchenaid icecream attachment couldn’t fit it in all at once…but definitely better to just make it all up and cycle it through if you can!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh strawberries , hulled and chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar, divided–1/2 cup for blending with strawberries and 1 1/2 cups for the main mixture–we used coconut palm sugar
  • 4 cups heavy whipping cream (can sub dairy free)
  • 2 cup milk (whole)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar in a mixing bowl, set aside in fridge for 2 hours.
  2. In large mixing bowl (kitchen aid) beat eggs until light and fluffy.
  3. Gradually add remaining sugar, mixing well. Stir in milk and vanilla and mix well.
  4. Blend strawberries in a blender for a more even pink look/flavor and save a few strawberries in chunks for some nice texture.
  5. Add strawberries with juice and mix well.
  6. Gently stir in whipping cream just until combined.
  7. Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.

The kitchen aid icecream attachment is definitely the lazy man’s way to make ice-cream (I’m sitting here writing this out while it churns)….I remember the many hot hours taking turns churning icecream with my cousins as kids. But the reality is…this is much less intimidating, and I don’t want my ability to make ice-cream often in the summer to be dependent on whether my kids are around to lend an arm (they helped with the initial part of the recipe and then went in the sprinkler with friends).

A killer taste. Literally a spoonful tastes like every summer memory, flooding into one bite. Don’t take my word for it…try this!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

With Father’s day weekend, we needed no excuse to whip up this tasty recipe. I used store bought pie shells because I have no guilt with taking short cuts on full weekend days…but here’s a good recipe if you’re making your own crust!

The rhubarbs grow wild in our yard (planted by the former owners, in a corner of the yard we hardly use…so it’s fun to have the girls bring heaping handfuls of them for us). They have a bitter edge that is balanced well by the ultra sweet strawberries. This wasn’t a pie combo I loved as a kid, but it’s now one of my absolute favorites.

We started with this recipe…and adapted (increased strawberry to rhubarb ratio, etc). Emma was my lattice queen, and it was fun to see her enjoy the creative pastry process…a girl after my own heart, finding flow & enjoyment in the kitchen in creative ways.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 2.5 cups chopped strawberries
  • 3/4 c. raw sugar 
  • 1/2 c. cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice plus 1 tsp. zest
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp. cold butter, chopped
  • 1 large egg, beaten

*Vanilla ice cream, for serving*

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°. Prepare pie crusts and then do a quick pre-bake (scoring the dough) for 10 minutes…meanwhile…
  2. In a large bowl, mix together rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, zest, and salt until mixture begins to look juicy. Place one crust into a pie dish and pour in fruit mixture. Dot with pieces of butter.
  3. Decrease oven temp to 375
  4. With the other sheet of pie dough, make a lattice top. First, cut the dough into ¾” strips. Then, weave strips over and under each other in a criss-cross formation. Using kitchen shears, trim the top and bottom crust so there’s a 1” overhang, then fold under and crimp edges together. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
  5. Bake until pie is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes. If crust is browning too fast, cover with aluminum foil.
  6. Let pie cool slightly, then serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

So yummy & balanced! A perfect summer treat…and I also happen to love it for breakfast with cold brew on a warm summer morning! Try it, guilt free…after all, we’re after #intutiveeating here.

Fresh Strawberry Scones

The final recipe we made with our first batch of strawberries…strawberry scones for fathers day brunch. We tripled this recipe (changing some things), and then were able to have 2 extra batches for sharing with neighbors, for guests, and freezing So easy to pull out from freezer and prepare whenever you’re in the mood for that fresh summer taste.

So, is it wise to triple a recipe when it’s new and you’re experimenting? Not always. But in this case, it worked out! It was touch & go for a bit as I worked to get the consistency right with the types of flours I was using. I’ll encourage you to stay flexible, and work with these measurements with a literal grain of salt 😉

I wanted to make mine with less gluten so I started out with half & half einkorn flour and white whole wheat flour. But then, with the heavy cream I used instead of the originally suggested yogurt, it ended up being a bit too moist and needed more flour, so I added almond flour. All of this is reflected here, and it actually worked out to be a wonderful blend of textures/flavors. This process is exactly why my old food blog was named “whoops yummy”…and my family still teases me with that phrase from time to time.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup einkorn flour
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
  • 1/3 cup sugar (I used raw)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 heaping cup hulled and diced fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 large egg
  • Optional but recommended: 1/2 shredded coconut to mix in
  • Raw sugar to sprinkle on top of the scones before baking

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
  2. In a medium bowl, blend together all of the dry ingredients.
  3. Cut butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter. It’s old fashioned but genuinely the best…channel your inner Julia Child and enjoy.
  4. Gently mix in the diced strawberries
  5. In a small bowl, whisk the heavy cream and egg until smooth. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir wet mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form (be careful not to squish all the berries). Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into a ball. The dough may be crumbly at first, but as you press, the dough will come together. If it’s not crumbly at all, and instead is too moist (the flours like einkorn can absorb it differently)…then go ahead and keep adding almond flour until the consistency is right.
  6. Place dough ball on a lightly floured surface and pat into a 7-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles; place on prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
  7. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Can serve warm (extra yum) or make ahead and then re-heat in a toaster oven or low heat oven for the same melt-in-your mouth effect, but with less worry about timing it perfectly.

We spoiled our guy with these on Father’s day, and Emma, who is a scone afficionado and critic, said they were seriously amazing.

So basically, this blog post can be–ways to eat fresh strawberries all day long, from breakfast (scones), midday (ice-cream), to evening (pie). That’s certainly my plan.

If you try out any or all of these, let me know how you like them! Tag me on insta so I can see your creations.

Lots of love, stay safe, and keep enjoying the summer with simple, beautiful rhythms and some new fun summer recipes!

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A Mary garden

I always begin planning my gardens in late March, as the cold days swirl around us in CT, and I’m dreaming of fresh soil, bare toes, and long warm days. This year, we knew we wanted to focus on a Mary garden during the month of May…with many landscaping projects to complete, this was a first (and relatively simple) one to focus on. We also decide to do a month long consecration to Mary, using the wonderful book by Carrie Gress for the kids, and for myself, the 33 Days to Morning Glory book that came highly recommended. In this time of uncertainty & upheaval, creating these rituals, places of quiet, reflection & spiritual growth in our homes and yards feels even more important than normal.

With frosts in mid May, and a trip to the south planned, we ended up waiting until Memorial day weekend to finally get these in the ground, and we’re very happy with it. I find myself lingering in that part of the yard more often, and our eyes are drawn to it from the deck & upper yard spaces (since it sits down a bit protected and removed from the field, and closer to the edge of the property).

It’s such a rich tradition to link natural symbols & beautiful everyday things (flowers), with spiritual truths & enrichment, and I wanted my kids to experience this as well through our garden planting.

Start…to…
Finish!

We may transplant a few other things from parts of the yard, and add one or two flowers to it each year.

When researching and deciding on what flowers to include, I was happily overwhelmed with resources and ideas from these 4 main sources:

*Rose Harrington has a beautiful website on this topic (and we got this poster from her for Emma’s room, with the rosary decades and corresponding flowers). It’s a great starting point for delving into this world. She’s done a ton of research on the topic, and I love what she shares–a whole rich world of marian spirituality connected to natural symbols.

*I also got a short list of flowers (with some new fun ones, like ferns as “mary’s hair”) from the Blessed is She blog.

*The most comprehensive list, with alot of background explanations, imagery and medieval traditions about the concept of a Mary garden, comes from this site: Fisheaters.

*Erica from Be a Heart Design also pulled together a beautiful image & short list for this season, and I referred to it for a few ideas (cosmos). It’s important to be aware of which plants will grow well in your current climate, so everyone’s gardens will and should look a little different.

I always loved the concept of having mostly blue and white flowers in the garden, so we stayed close to that, except for a few small pops of color (assylum, “Mary’s flower”) and cosmos (“St Michael’s flower”).

Here’s the list from Blessed is She:

  • Bleeding Heart: Mary’s Heart
  • Daffodil: Mary’s Star
  • Ferns: Mary’s Hair
  • Geraniums: Lady Beautiful
  • Hostas: Assumption Lily
  • Impatiens: Mother’s Love
  • Marigold: Mary’s Gold
  • Pansies: Our Lady’s Delight
  • Tulips: Mary’s Prayer

Here’s the list from Rose Harrington’s site:

  • Baby’s Breath – Our Lady’s Veil
  • Black-eyed Susan – Golden Jerusalem
  • Bleeding Heart – Mary’s Heart
  • Columbine – Our Lady’s Shoes
  • Dahlia – Church Flower
  • Daisy – Mary-Love
  • Dandelion – Mary’s Bitter Sorrows
  • Forget-me-nots – Eyes of Mary
  • Iris – Mary’s Sword of Sorrow
  • Madonna Lily – Annunciation Lily
  • Pansy – Our Lady’s Delight
  • Peony – Pentecost Rose
  • Poppy – Christ’s Blood Drops
  • Sunflower – Mary’s Gold
  • Violet – Our Lady’s Modesty.

Joel and I, looking at these lists, were commenting that it seems that everything that blooms in the spring can be some way connected to Mary, through these traditions & names, and I actually love that idea. After a long winter that tested us in so many ways, each blossom & beautiful new growth brings us back to a place of hope, of faith, of deeper love and strength in our vocations. Mary is very much involved, even on the days that feel dark or challenging.

It’s just out of reach of the hose, currently, which means hours of entertainment for the toddlers.

We had folks asking about the statue as well…Joel spent a good bit of time looking around for something that was attractive and affordable (and larger than 2 ft), and we landed on this one.

I hope this roundup helps provide inspiration for you as you plan, plant, water & enjoy your Mary gardens, this year and in years to come.

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The making of a backyard garden…

This is part one of a series…

We’ve had a few requests from folks who saw pictures of our (slow, but steady) progress over here with building our new raised garden beds for veggies, and situating them in the yard.

This is our 2nd time doing it, and we’re really happy with how they worked out for us at our last place. This time, we had a more permanent design & situation in mind; planning for many years of growing veggies & herbs and fruits here. We did them slightly smaller (4ft by 8ft, x 4 beds) based on the space we’re placing them, and the garden design. Our first go round, 3 years ago, we built two 4×12 beds. It’s totally up to you, and the space you’re working with, to decide what length you want. We’ll give you the details for the 4×8 design, and you can adjust yours accordingly.

We ordered lumber to be delivered from a local lumberyard–in those lengths, it not always easy to throw it in the back of a car (unless you have a big one!). We ordered them to be pre-cut, and we used untreated wood, so we could be sure there were no chemicals involved.

You can also google other DIY garden bed methods and just compare–whichever one seems simplest and to work best for your spaces….this is just an example 🙂

Lumber: 2×12 and 4x4s. You can have them pre-cut to save yourself time.

Other tools: Drill, power screw driver, table saw, mitre saw, post digger.

Step 1: Lay out all your wood pieces, and make the cuts to the appropriate sizes (if not already cut to your desired lengths). Keep in mind you may have a small variance, an inch at most, but you can adjust for that when you’re actually assembling.

Step 2: The upright posts for each end of the bed are 4x4s. You’re going to need to cut them to be the height of the beds and then with 6 inches or so to dig into the ground for support (18 in). So ultimately you’ll end up with 16 pieces, 18 in long. These require a mitre saw since they’re thicker than you want to cut with a table saw.

Step 3: Assemble the beds using a power drill, best to do it in place, unless you need to assemble them somewhere else, and have someone help you carry them to where they will be situated.

Step 4: Using a post digger, dig holes, then flip the beds (you constructed them upside down) into the ground with posts in the holes…and adjust to make sure they are level/situated well.

Step 5: (optional)–we took a waterproofing solution and covered the beds with it (once built) so that they will last longer. You can also apply this to the lumber before you build them.

Garden design. Consider these elements:

*Lots of sunlight, all day long…will give you the happiest garden.

Actually…let’s re-phrase that. You’ll appreciate having beds in full sunlight, and a few in partial sun/usually near the house…for herbs etc…but consider maximizing your full sun gardens so you have options!

*If you need to be near trees, fences, other hardscapes, try to allow a min of 3 feet distance. You may be wanting to get a mower in between!

*Flat ground surface is ideal, unless you have the inspiration for terracing the beds (alot more work:))

*Lay out the beds with a min 18 in to 24 in apart; test it out by kneeling down btwn the beds, as you’ll be doing for planting and weeding; make sure it feels comfortable, and take into account any other landscape surrounds.

*Make sure you have a plan for watering–accessible to a hose, or setting up a drip irrigation system. We’ve done both, it just depends on what you prefer (some plants prefer drip).

*Line the beds with a liner that will keep weeds out, but let the water through (can purchase at any hardware/garden store).

That’s part 1! We just ordered our soil & gravel deliveries, since we’re putting gravel down in 1 in thick btwn the beds and around to make it a bit more formal, and for simplifying the mowing/trimming of grass by the beds…Excited to share part 2 with you—the actual veggie/herb layout design & planting process!

It’s such a simple but beautiful act of hope to plant a garden right now. We all need this. Many more people are planting gardens this year than normal, and it’s the 2020 version of wartime “victory gardens”–where everyone was planting their own during the wars. This feels equally significant.

Share pics with us and can’t wait to hear how your backyard garden beds turn out!

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Homemade kombucha: #quarantine projects & #homeschoolscience class

A step by step kombucha tutorial with the Pidel ladies: spring 2020.

Hat tip to Emma, talented video editor…she wanted to start you with a trailer to give you a sense of the magnitude of this adventure.

And here’s the full tutorial–taking you from day 1, making the tea with scobys, to day 14, when we add the final goodies, taste, and pronounce it good.

Cheers! Thanks for indulging us.

(Let me know if you want more scenes from our kitchen & zany projects we’re up to 🙂 The girls share my love for a good project that comes with a joyful mess.)

Day 4 growth…trust the process

Kombucha recipe and details.

DAY 1

*1 or 2 scobys (we got our from a neighbor—find someone local and you’re all set)

*1 gallon water (bring to a boil as you’re making tea)

*2-3 bags of iced tea, we used harney and sons peach and it turned out amazing! (or 8-9 tea bags, can be a variety, if normal sized tea bags)

*1 cup sugar–we used raw sugar, it dissolves in the hot water so matters not what kind you use (coconut sugar could work too!)

Step 1: Heat water to boil, let tea steep 30 min, as you let it cool to room temp. Add sugar during this time. (We put ours outside with a dish towel to allow it to cool faster)

Step 2: Add your scobys to the brew!

Step 3: Cover with a cloth (and rubberband) and then put it in a warm place, ideally 70-80, and out of the way (we have a small cupboard right next to our oven that served nicely ;))

Step 4: Let the scoby do its thing. Wait!

DAY 7: You can check it each day to monitor the scoby growth.

You can stick a straw in and taste it on day 7. We waited until day 10 until it smelled a bit differently (nice yeasty smell!), and then tasted.

DAY 11 or 12: when it feels like fermentation is at a good point, you can take the scobys out, bottle it (put in fridge after to slow the process from this point on) and you can also add berries. We added some frozen raspberries and blackberries but I honestly think we preferred the taste without this.

Then you take the scobys out, store them in a bit of the kombucha, and you’re ready for your next batch! We enjoyed making 2 to start with, to compare the fermentation process with them, and to puzzle about why they ended up with different taste, timeline of reaching bubbles, etc.

Cheers!

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Podcast: Re-defining self-care in a time of crisis

Last week, I had the honor of joining January Donovan on her podcast and we chatted about a topic near to my heart. Now, all of a sudden, we’re living in an entirely new reality. Life will NEVER be like it was, and we still don’t have a clear sense of the future. For many of us, life is more intense and stressful than ever, as we juggle work, kids, homeschooling, perhaps loss of a job or uncertainty about employment, and so much more.

Well, our daily habits are truly tested in these times of crisis, and, just like all of you, January and I are starting from scratch with building new habits to give us the proper mindset, personal tools of resilience and energy and focus so we can still be our best, or a new “better” to rise to these daily challenges. It was a pleasure to be her guest, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts on our conversation. Please share in the comments below, these are very important conversations to have.

January Donovan Episode 38: How can we manage self-care during this time of crisis with Maddy Pidel

ALSO: I’m so excited that I’m able to offer you a special look into January’s offerings. She has so many incredible offerings over at THE WOMAN SCHOOL, and I just learn so much from her when we connect; her passion for helping women in all walks of life is so tangible, and her courses & opportunities for partnership are just unparalleled. In this time, we need to build connections & communities of HOPE more than ever, and she’s doing just that.

These are some links you can use to grab a seat in her courses, directly referred from me 😉 And yes, email me with any questions or to get more of an inside scoop if you’re considering it.

January’s Woman School–14 day free trial to dive into her amazing content

January’s Masterclass–special link from me to you

*Be well, embrace #radicalselfcareforradicalservice, and keep shining bright to loved ones, friends and community in these dark times*

With my gratitude, always.

maddy

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Adventures in…homeschooling!

This time of coronavirus pandemic has meant that life has changed, overnight. Many of us are still unpacking what it all means, and working from the ground up to build new rhythms for our days. Suddenly, many of us are homeschooling our children (in the midst of our work and other obligations) and while it’s an abrupt shift, and has been challenging for many of us, I firmly believe that we will look back at this season, and see alot of good in it.

My own childhood history is that of homeschooling, for all of elementary and even for highschool. It was a blessing that I know shaped who I am tremendously, and while I know full well the inherent challenges of it, I have also been a first-hand beneficiary & recipient of so much of the best parts about homeschooling–the freedom, independence, forced habits of personal discipline and motivation, and the reminder that at the end of the day, we are all responsible for our own education. Learning seeds of this (in the right nurtured environment) early on, can shape the trajectory of a beautiful educational experience of a lifetime.

It’s one of those things that can look messy in real-time, in the process, but stepping back just a bit, it’s a beautiful thing. We all need to give ourselves grace and remember that our kids see us, doing our best, adjusting at a steep curve and learning alongside them all (those of us who haven’t been homeschooling)…and in the end, we’ll all look back and say–it wasn’t easy but we did it!

Love establishing our habit of prayer & journaling and learning about a virtue–combined with some read aloud as needed 😉

Here’s a few glimpses into our perfectly imperfect homeschooling life (of one full week), and a few thoughts & tips/tools that I hope may make it just a tiny bit easier and less stressful for you.

*Keeping our mindset on the bigger picture enables us to stay positive throughout–focusing on what we can accomplish each day with all the time we now have at home. I have to remain flexible while firm about a certain list of things getting done, but the order in which they happen may shift, and working on building habits of responsibility and self-direction/motivation in the kids as a top priority. We’re doing a combo of online & book learning, as many of you are, so it ends up being like “station rotation” at our house (like the girls were used to from school): 30 min with me at the dining table, working on specific worksheets/assignments, then a small break for a chore or quick play in the yard, or 30 minutes of free reading, they can sneak off to a comfy spot in the house (quiet and away from little brothers)…before coming back for a 30 minute session in their google classroom in the office, or playing math games on this fun site called www.abcya.com (believe me, it makes me very happy to see how much joy they get out of “fraction monsters”–the bigger fraction eating the smaller one–and it’s entertaining 3 of them (oldest sis gets a mini audience for part of it).

Their simple joy about choosing and planting seeds is contagious. Daily #actsofhope during this time.

*Keeping things light and positive is definitely the name of the game to keep my own stress levels down, and to keep us powering through our day. I’ve chosen to offer rotating “specials” classes, just like they had at school. They get a kick out of this–with science class being planting seeds last week (an ultimate #actofhope in these dark times–that better, brighter days are coming)…and art class, cooking class and PE were we’ll be learning more about certain sports. Having it feel novel and fun (with short segments of focus) is what’s working for us.

Field studies at a local park: nature walk & beach/stream play.

*Here’s a great checklist that has basically taken all the stress out of having to keep them reminded of what they need to do. I detail out all the things we need to have them do in a given day, and establish a simple reward for each week (it’s been a new craft), and they eagerly refer to them often and remind me of what needs to get done. This takes the fighting out of any particular moment when I ask them to do it–I just refer to the chart. And vice versa, I don’t have to control too tightly the order in which things happen: I let them dictate that, so long as it all gets done over the course of the day. It’s really been a life saver and I even established a small checklist for myself to ensure I hit my own daily self-care and personal goals along with the work and family commitments we all feel. With so many big things out of our control, it’s so nice to feel that this one thing–our rhythm, our daily work and commitments, can be checked off a list and represents a day intentionally lived.

*Talk about it all. I have been checking in with them frequently to see how they are feeling about things–if they feel they are getting enough support, if assignments feel easy, hard, at the end of each day how they feel it went–their “highs and lows” (we love this great book to make it a family dinner affair) and of course, talking in general terms about how we’re all handling this crisis. This is an important moment, these little beautiful people are processing a huge life change alongside us, and I want to honor and respect that. For one of mine, it’s also meant some face-timing with her classmates to fill the social hole she feels missing. We all have to take the approach that we’re figuring this out one day at a time, and I think involving the kids in that, so they know they are agents of their new life, is hugely helpful.

I have to admit: when we designed this space a few months back, I thought to myself it would be perfect for homeschool moments…

*Tidying breaks. This is a major lesson learned–if we let the normal messes of schooling build up, it gets to my peace. I love a mid-morning and lunch time quick tidy that everyone can be involved in; and more than ever this is when our spaces need to be well organized with easy access to materials, and a beautiful, calm and productive environment for them to learn. Grateful that we’re able to tailor our new spaces and just test out how things flow best regarding which classes or activities for schooling take place where. Just like in their classrooms, kids love it when we mix it up, and they also respond well to order.

*Regarding schedule–what works for us is some flexibility and grace (spoken as a mom of 4, with lots of moving parts and little needs from everyone)…I don’t sweat if we don’t get everything done before lunch; there are plenty of other moments in the day and afternoon, but I DO emphasize down-time/quiet time during Blaise’s nap–and I will often get my own work done then, or focus in with the older girls, and I make sure that we all MOVE every day—that hasn’t been too hard as they just run out the door any moment they get when it’s sunny. When it’s rainy, we’ll pull out the yoga mats and do some good ol’ mindful movement. Walking/riding bikes in the neighborhood helps all of our moods, and I’ve tried to keep a steady flow of slightly new crafts/coloring pages, and art materials flowing in, so they are always eager to use. Again, we’re only 1 week in, but I know Michaels and other places are having fantastic online sales, and we can get alot of great stuff delivered that can help make this all as bright & fun as possible.

(More on working from home tips in this post….)

Yard creativity & recess.

I know that at the end of each day, I want them to know that we learned together, we did our very best, and we were kind and positive to each other. That we listened well, and grew together. It’s challenging me in all the right ways, and stretching my momma heart (with so much pride, especially, for how resilient they can be) and I am very grateful for the hidden blessings and lessons of a challenging time.

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5 tips for working from home

Working from home can present its own set of challenges, We idealize it as–unlimited delicious homemade coffee, and pajamas until 12–or later. Sometimes, It’s not like that at all. It might look like–distracting yourself with housework when you are avoiding work for a deadline, or having small children making messes or pulling on your leg while you’re trying to sit at a computer and answer emails. The time-sucks and lack of motivation can just start to overwhelm us. We often aren’t sure how to get re-focused, re-inspired, and to set up a set of routines that can put us into FLOW with our work. So we experience the benefits of flexible work, and fewer of the downsides.

And first of all, I want to pause for a moment to acknowledge what a blessing it is, in this moment in time, to have work opportunities available to us that we can do from home, in the middle of this enormous crisis. We do not take that for granted for an instant.

I’ve had a lot of experience over 7 years of working flexibly, of how to manage my time working from home, expectations of what I’ll accomplish, and daily re-inspiring and motivating myself to chip away at work goals, to-do lists, bringing joy and a sense of fulfillment to each moment of the day (or many, at least).

Let’s start with these 5 tips, and see how you can boost your mindset around working from home, or just develop some new strategies.

  1. Adjust expectations–to fit your reality.
  2. Set up your work space to optimize joy, focus and productivity.
  3. Time management & blocking: give yourself things to look forward to your breaks each hour.
  4. Set a schedule you can stick to (even while enjoying flexibility).
  5. Focus on the big picture.

1) Adjust expectations–to fit your reality.

I’ve learned the hard way that a long to-do list and a working from home lifestyle can sometimes frustrate you (and others). Of course, you can have productive pockets of time, but you also need to manage expectations (your own, and other peoples’) about what you’ll accomplish. For me, that starts with having a top 3 list in my planner–the 3 most important things that need to be done, and tackling those first, so that anything else that’s on the list, or “extra” is gravy. Help others understand your realities–try to under-promise and over-deliver. I’m often very clear with those I’m in communication with: this particular task will happen at this time of day (during a toddler nap) and not before, so that the expectations are clear, and you’re not always scrambling to re-adjust.

2) Set up your work space to optimize joy, focus and productivity.

This is your chance to create your ideal environment, and to add to your productivity and enjoyment of your work. Choose a beautiful, quiet, well-lit & decorated spot and set it up to be a place that brings you joy as you approach. Along with this, set up rituals in your day that help trigger your brain to look forward to focusing in–that could be a simple as a delicious cup of pour-over, or a steaming mug of tea, a great soundtrack, and more. Even better if you’ve been able to do a quick 20 min walk or yoga session to get blood flowing to your brain! These are proven methods that highly successful folks use daily to power up their focus, and you can do them at home with even more control of your environment than at the office.

Home office inspo: Via Serena & Lily

3) Time management & blocking: give yourself things to look forward to in your breaks each hour.

Similarly to your office environment, you have even more control over your focused work times–when they occur and why. You can take quizzes that help you determine what time of day you’re most productive, and you can tailor your calendar and work day around that. For example if mid morning is your peak productivity, avoid letting mtgs be scheduled then, or calls, and try to do your deeper work/content creation, etc then.

Brendon Burchard–in his book High Performance Habits, and elsewhere–talks about how the ideal window for peak productivity is to work in 50 min chunks (on a single task or set of related tasks) and then take a 10 min break, to totally reset your brain. This fits well with my experience (if you’re a mom, you might be thrilled with 30 min chunks while kids are occupied), and the point is that during the hourly breaks, you move around, stretch, get a different perspective, maybe do a small chore, household project or email check/communication moment, and then dive back into another focused block. Try this out in different intervals and see what works. You’ll be amazed what happens when you close a few browsers, stop checking email and social media on your phone, and just focus in on something for 45-50 min. Magical things can occur. I love having a small thing I’m committed to doing during my “breaks” whether it’s reading to a kid, having a snack or stretching series, or even tidying so that my environment stays the way I like it. You’ll get into a good rhythm that works for you.

4) Set a schedule you can stick to (even while enjoying flexibility).

I enjoy the freedom of a whole day of working from home (while mothering) but we all benefit from a bit of structure as well (the #1 reasons why bosses are wary of people working from home). So I suggest that based on the things you understand about your productive pockets, the overall schedule off the day, related to school schedule, or anything else, you craft some daily rhythms that help you stay on course. If you know you’ll always start your day with a block of email and communication, followed by your biggest project of the day (the meat of what you need to accomplish); I like to plan calls and zooms with clients/partners/collaborators for 12 or later, so I know that the first part of the day has been my own to really make things happen with. Later in the afternoon, I’ll come back to my computer for tying up loose ends, or communicating with folks about deliverables for the following day or scheduling out items for later in the week; it all depends on the work you do, but you’ll benefit from having a clear sense of what each part of the day holds. Plan your day with a loose structure that works, or your day will just simply slip away from you. Additionally, I always schedule things like down time, or exercise or self-care moments into my planner along side my work. That way I know I’m taking them equally seriously, so I can be at my best for the moments I’m in work mode

5) Focus on the big-picture.

On any given day, some of the challenges of juggling work while doing laundry, managing kids, seeing dishes in the sink or any number of other small work from home annoyances can get you feeling deflated. But keep a big picture perspective in mind. Having more control of your schedule and work does give you more joy & fulfillment in the long run, and also allows you to be more productive (less water cooler time or random interruptions from “drive by” coworkers)…plus, look at all that time you’re not spending exhausting yourself in a car or on public transportation. Even just getting back 30 min each way from commuting is 5 hours per week–that you can use to explore a new hobby, go on runs, or read, or be with your family more. Focusing on the big picture brings gratitude and the right perspective for the challenging moments.

Final note (may have learned this the hard way ;)): you’re happier if you set good boundaries about not working during the hours you want to be with family, doing other things, etc. Working from home does not equal working all the time, as many in our workaholic culture want to assume. You’re better off if you keep yourself disciplined with your “on” hours, and your “off ” hours, and your work and life will benefit greatly.

Silk blouse on top, for video meetings & podcasts, yoga pants on the bottom…

Cheers to working from home–with all the blessings and challenges…

it’s a great life indeed.

x ~maddy

Some fantastic reads related to these topics:

Feel like you need an accountability buddy or coach/cheerleader when establishing your work from home habits, whether working for yourself or someone else? Reach out and we can discuss my coaching packages, tailored to fit every need & budget & goal.

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Essential oils–what’s all the buzz about? And which brands are the best?

Essential oils are a hot wellness item, and have been for almost a decade. When I became a health coach, they were just gaining popularity, and I’ve watched the craze skyrocket, to where folks will claim an EO solution to literally every ailment.

We do use some in our family, and appreciate the support they give, but I don’t believe that EOs should be emphasized strongly, over for example, nutritional supplements, proper nutrition and fitness plans, and an over all non-toxic and clean lifestyle. They are just one small piece of the puzzle, and should be approached as such. And. like supplements, it’s very true that not all brands are created equal. Have you been wondering just which ones are the best of class? Well keep reading…

I also have a strong opinion about using orally. I had a HORRIBLE experience with ingesting oil (let’s just say, oregano), and I’m not a big fan of emphasizing these uses, since they can be improperly done, not diluted, potency not understood etc. I’ve done sometimes grapefruit EO in water as a nice cleanse/weight loss aid, but I don’t believe in giving them to children, or doing anything regularly with them internally. There are safer and very effective ways to approach your health goals than starting to ingest oils.

I’ve personally used a handful of oils over the years. In the winter month, I usually have thieves oil diffusing, and occasionally apply it to my kids’ feet when they are fighting off a cold, along with lots of immunity support like vitalized immunity, garlic supps, nutriferon, probiotics and more.

I love the deep blue oil by DoTerra for massage & muscle relaxer, it’s a staple on my bedside table.

For pregnancy, birth and hormone support, I use a handful of other oils, such as clary sage and frankincense. I also love lavender for diffusing at bedtimes, or peppermint, orange and other oils to mix in with my favorite unscented non-toxic cleaners.

Regarding diffusers, I’ve used several, and I love this one the most. It’s Young living brand, it’s served us well for several years, I love the asthetic, and my kids love the setting where it rotates colors, glowing a rich blue, green, red, yellow etc while filling our house with a wonderful smell.

Basically, they can be a wonderful addition to a holistic lifestyle, as long as care is taken with the quality of the oils, where they are sourced from, and you’re careful to use carrier oils, dilute them properly, and avoid ingestion.

But, have you wondered how the EO brands stack up? I certainly have. And it can be hard to find all the info for in-depth research and comparison.

Luckily, Consumer Advocates just did this research for all of us, and agreed to share it with you all, since this is the question I get asked most often–which oils are best/safest to use, and how do all the most popular brands compare?

In a recent study of Essential Oils, ConsumersAdvocate.org conducted over 600+ hours of research and sent 11 different, well-known brands over to the Aromatic Plant Research Center in Utah to determine what was really inside each bottle.  The results were jarring – to say the least. 

The team of researchers considered the health benefits and risks, quality and purity, and sustainable sourcing practices – just to name a few. They even covered the essential oils that are recommended for pregnancy, children, and pets. 

Check out the findings of your favorite Essential Oil brand here!

What do you think? Anything in there that surprises you? What are your favorite oils and uses? I’d love to know.

xx

maddy

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Some reflections on health & self-care habits for the new decade.

I’m resurfacing and returning to blogging in this humble corner of the web, after a whirlwind fall 2019 into Jan 2020. We were doing a big renovation of an old home, and moved the family in right before Christmas. With this season of life, many things were put aside and the essentials came into clear focus. It helped to further frame some of my thoughts and experiences around healthy living, self-care, staying balanced even while being quite busy, and my mantra “radical self care for radical service” which I developed in the midst of trying to keep my sense of self, my achievements and balance in the midst of a busy season of motherhood. This phrase has resonated with many–we can sometimes struggle with feeling like self-care is actually selfish. And don’t get me wrong, it can be. Our cultural extremes of prioritizing expensive yoga weekends away in Costa Rica, massages, weekly manicures, and much more (gym memberships we hardly use) all justified by “self-care”. But in these busy seasons of life that we all experience, we can know all too well that without proper healthy habits, we can burn-out, or start being miserable, losing connection with the joy of the everyday, and our bigger purpose. I already faced that exact challenge (9 years ago, as a new mom, and pushing myself in a demanding career/work environment…it all fell apart, and took months of self-exploration to discover where things went wrong with my inability to have healthy boundaries and personal habits for effectiveness) That’s what led me to where I am now…a health & mindset coach. Sometimes our biggest challenges turn into our biggest blessings.

So for me, especially last year–when life demanded much of me, in the form of 4 small children (a brand new babe), running a business, launching new offerings, and renovating a home and moving the family–it became even more crystal clear to me–in the moments when life demands much of us; we need to work hard to BE at our best, so we can rise to the occasion.

And sometimes, those habits have to be streamlined to fit into the smallest margins of the day–not less important, just less time given to them.

In an era where we are increasingly sitting, often at desks, or hunched over a glowing screen, I believe that daily mindful/functional movement, and time outside, as well as consciously unplugged, away from our phones, is a crucial form of self-care, as well as a means to preserve our sanity and our mental and physical health. I am a big proponent (need to go back to this habit) of unplugged weekends, and mini 7 day screen detoxes…to keep ourselves free from the unhealthy patterns and behaviors related to it. We all know we need that space to be our most creative, alive, thoughtful, and focused.

I didn’t do a single gym workout btwn Sept-Dec, but I did manage to squeeze in regular walks with the boys–from our new home site, to local Church, and walking naps for them. Regular walks are so good for my mental health as well. I didn’t spend alot of time developing new recipes, or all those things my health coach self normally loves to do, but I (we) did eat well, to fuel ourselves for a busy season, and meal planned/prepped, batch cooked so that we wouldn’t get swallowed up by eating on a crazy schedule. We also learned to not sweat the small stuff as much, to give things up temporarily, knowing that things would re-balance and come into a new, better normal in our new lifestyle. Sometimes that perspective and mindset shift is all we need, and the most important thing to let go of is…expectations, and guilt!

I’ve spent 2 years resetting my own mindset to be around “intuitive eating” vs a restrictive/obsessive focus on “clean” eating. With so many ways of eating “healthy” out there, it can truly begin to take too much of our mental space. Clean eating is a means to an end, not an end in itself. During our busy project, we ate our fair share of meals grabbed on the go, take out (not Mcdonalds of course) etc while wrapped up with the home–BUT, having the baseline of self-care, resilience habits and tools built in, it meant that I didn’t go into overboard burn-out mode, like the me of a few years ago might have. I knew the demanding days required a strong balancing act, so I focused in on those few (simple, quick, affordable) self-care habits that work well for me. When you zero in on what those are, then you don’t have to worry as much about what the busy seasons of life will do. You know, that at your core, your priorities, values and habits can remain the same. And that you’ll be able to take in new things, and adjust/shift/offload (I said NO to quite a few normal commitments), and then re-evaluate and continue on as life evolves.

This was the opportunity to test all of what I’d been experimenting with, and I found that the exploration I had into mindful movement, intuitive eating and a “less is more” mentality regarding focus on exercise and health (yes, this coming from a coach!) served me VERY well in a season when absolutely every day, I needed to be functioning at my best. And don’t get me wrong, when you have a little one under 1, sleep is often the sacrificed element, and that can be hard, and wear on us, but we can also be strategic about the habits of REST that we build into each day.

Needless to say, at the start of this new decade, I’m completely in awe of the experiences of the past years, the lessons learned and where they’ve lead me. I hope to share bits of it, in case any of it is valuable. I know alll too well the familiar burn-out that is sadly quite common in our go-go-go culture. It can sneak in to our life without us realizing it, and it can steal our daily and deep joy.

I encourage you to consider–what are the daily tools and habits that are most important to you, to be at your best? What are the areas you’ve been ignoring or need to give attention to for a more balanced life? It might even be habits related to mental and emotional health, which cannot be neglected, just like our nutrition can’t be ignored without consequences…

It’s good to step out of the cliches of self-care, and do a deep personal examination. For one person–the loud cross fit gym is the perfect place to discipline themselves and build health, for another person, it’s quiet hikes in nature, alone. For one of us, it might be regular pedicures, and for another person, it might be more crucial for self-care to get time in prayer, or visiting with dear friends, or for a mom, to stroll through the grocery store alone can be the ultimate perspective/life giving habit…it’s all about being deeply AWARE of where you’re energized, where you’re drained, what habits will be a part of building you towards your larger, more long-term goals and desires. We explore all of this in my life design course, and it’s powerful, crucial stuff.

As I’m reminded by my dear husband, it isn’t good to idolize health, or to prioritize focusing on it, over other goods. BUT, it’s also true that a baseline of health–physical, mental, emotional, is crucial and needed for any service and good we hope to do in the world, in our families and communities. Otherwise we’ll end up causing more harm than good to ourselves and our endeavors, without a proper perspective and balance. Radical self-care for radical service is my choice, and how I want to live and model for my children to live.

What about YOU? How are your habits in this new decade, reflecting the sense of what you believe you’re called to accomplish in the coming months and years?!

And, just to get you started, here’s a few of my favorite weekly/daily self-care moments that help me. You’re going to create your own…just don’t be afraid to experiment and fight hard to make them part of your reality!

*Daily journaling/reading/praying in the am

*Pom Energy tea and chia seeds (I don’t drink caffeinated coffee, just tea or decaf)–this is my “secret energy drink” especially when mixed with the natural electrolytes.

*Daily vitalizer strip–my baseline of powerful nutrition that gives me fantastic energy & helps with sleep, digestion, and much more.

*Walks, several times per week, 1-3 miles, usually with kiddos. Time outdoors is soo important for our mental and physical health, even in the winter months.

*Easy salad mixes or shakes with collagen for lunch–making sure I don’t skip that meal.

*Healthy snacks in home and car, so I can reach for them quickly (trail mix, bars, etc).

*Once a week, out of the house, with no kids–time to breathe, read, think, maybe work a little, or just re-calibrate.

(If you don’t have kids, it might just be helpful, setting aside time each week to give yourself permission to explore new hobbies or interests, away from the pressures of your to-do list or job.)

*Stretching & simple yoga sequences, just reminders to reconnect with my body, breathing. Feeling where things feel stuck, releasing. Being grounded & grateful for the gift of a healthy body.

*Evening rituals: gratitude journal, epsom salt baths, cal mag supps, sometimes reading, bullet proof hot cocoa for good, restful sleep.

I can’t wait to hear what daily habits you’re creating in this new decade, to power you towards new dreams and goals!

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Simplified and intentional living: back to school season.

So, I don’t know about you, but just hearing the word “simplify” causes me to exhale and smile. This time of year can feel extra busy, and we all need to round-up the tools and resources that will allow us to breath, enjoy it, find a new balance and rhythms, and, importantly, to free up our time for these precious moments with our little ones as they grow. My motto: less errands, more backyard yoga. Literally.

We want to be mindful. Not mind-full. Our kids show us by example just how beautiful it is to welcome and take in all the changes; we see them stretching and growing into their new classes, grades, and routines. We cheer them on, and we also celebrate getting a moment of quiet for ourselves, here and there. It’s the beautiful balance of September, before life rushes us ahead to think about the holidays.

So…how will you live this season? Can we support each other in making it calmer, and allowing you to feel confident, energized, ready to take on each day and to clear out the unnecessary, so that the really good stuff shines through?

I’m right there with you, taking it day by day. And we’ll do more of this work in depth in my LIFE DESIGN: Fulfillment in 5 course, re-opening for a brief period this fall to continue supporting our major transformations (hop on my email list at top of page to be the first to hear when it’s open)

From L-R: Healthy Kids power pack, life shake (can be added to oatmeal and alot of snack recipes, stumptown decaf coffee, and hello products kids toothpaste (natural) in blue raspberry.

What are some of your favs?

I wrote another post last fall about 4 of our favorite quick and easy breakfasts (that are nourishing and sustaining) for busy back to school mornings. Can’t wait to hear what your favorites are!

A few favorites for simplifying and planning well: we all know what a difference that makes.
Meal planner and list (Anthro)
School lunch notes (the cutest) (Anthro)
Shopping list (Kate Spade)

Even something as simple as having my morning tea water prepped and the mug ready to go helps me wake up and feel ready to slay the day.

For 4 weeks of ridiculously yummy and healthy meal plans, email me (they come bundled with product packages and life design course too!)

When you actually get a quiet moment to yourself, enjoy it! And tag me in your photos sharing what you’re up to to during back to school (this was during a baby nap, and toddler playing quietly nearby).

I’m using #fallreset to share what I’m doing to care for, replenish and appreciate the energy boost of the #proveitchallenge kit. Treasure the moments, and we’ll know we did this phase well, even though it flies by.

This is such a special season; let’s enjoy it healthy and thriving, enjoying simple memories and finding our motherhood FLOW, not running to the doc with all the bugs that are around, or feeling frantic.

Jump on my Healthy Kids email list for a series of 5 detailed back to school emails where I share all the recipes, tips, tools and more for a great year ahead.

Healthy Kids Email list–I’m ready for our best year!