fbpx

Category: Blog

Posted on

Books of 2018

At the beginning of 2018, I committed to myself to read more. It was something that always felt challenging as a mom of littles, but I love it so much, and somehow with a long cozy winter stretching out for us in Jan of last year, and many fireside moments, as well as a long list of books I was dying to read, I committed to reading at least 1 book a month, and aiming for 2.

As I do this wrap up reflection on books of the year, I’m becoming aware of just how much this habit fed my soul, my spirit, and my year of transformation–these books each had such an impact on me, so I love being able to pause now and share a few reflections–in case any of these are on your short list or you’ll be inspired for 2019…and you have to tell me–what was your favorite read of 2018, and why?

I know we have seasons of life where things/topics are more or less important in our grand priorities. For me, continually plugging into wisdom, especially in areas of health, personal development and spiritual growth are hugely important for me in my work and life as a mother and spouse. It’s like that saying—“you can’t pour from an empty cup”…and as committed as I am to pouring into my coaching clients, my business in general, and the other facets of my life that I’m called to, having these incredible (life and mind changing) reads right at my bedside make all the difference between starting out the day with a fresh inspired mind, or feeling stuck in the same mental ruts.

As you can see from my lists, I do have a heavy emphasis on non-fiction, and in different seasons of life, have gravitated more towards fiction or away from it, I know it’s good to have a balance, so perhaps you can all suggest to me some great fiction that I’ll read while snuggling my babe in 2019.


I shared at the beginning of 2018…this post 5 reads for a life changing year…those still hold the most power for me in terms of beginning of year perspective (and they form a backbone of my brand new course that’s launching!)…but I may have to add a few of these 2018 reads to the list of MUSTs for anyone who wants to grow in perspective, habits and overall fulfillment in the coming year.

Here’s a very short recap/thought on each of the reads–and tons of journal pages were written about these, so the lessons and concepts really went in as I was living.

I want to know—what are your top reads from 2018, and which books are on your short list for 2019?

“The goal of simplifying is to eliminate distractions so you can focus on what really matters.”

A Simplified Life

I read this in the summer when thinking about how to better set up our systems and spaces for family life and a nice flow. She’s got some great ideas and perspective for moms, but I also think most of the juicest ideas and tips I’ve gotten more effectively from Kon Mari books etc.

“So if the demands of your job or life require you to learn fast, deal with stress, be alert, pay attention, remember important things, and keep a positive mood, then you MUST take exercise more seriously.”

High Performance Habits.

This book probably had the biggest impact on me this year (as a first time read, the War of Art always impacts me). Brendon is just such a powerful coach and brilliant consolidator of all the amazing data/perspective from his work with high performers (meant in a balanced 360 way, not just high powered and miserable people…) I got so much out of it and can’t wait to read his Motivation Manifesto next.

To get to a business you love the first thing you need to figure out is the “why” behind your business. If it’s just to get rich, that’s fine. Making alot of money is great. I like to think of money as stored up freedom and energy and I love having lots of freedom and energy…What I’ve noticed about money is that once people get to a certain level of monetary success, they usually start looking for other things in their life….making a positive impact in the world.”

Launch.

This book has been on my shelf since fall 2017, but it was finally the right moment to dive into it when launching my new years course, and it’s a great read for entrepreuners and anyone who’s committed to doing more/impacting more, with strategic tools, and less hustle.

“Every flow activity, whether it involved competition, chance, or any other dimension of experience, had this in common: it provided a sense of discovery, a creative feeling, of transporting the person to a new reality. It pushed the person to higher levels of performance, and led to previously undreamed of states of consciousness. In short, it transformed the self by making it more complex. In this growth of the self lies the key to flow activities.”

Flow

An incredible read. I’m still slogging through it, but it’s just very juicy related to understanding what it is that makes us experience life as positive, with connected experiences, and when things are working well in moving towards our bigger goals/desires. I think this one is an important read to tackle, and I’m using alot of the nuggets in my Life design/Fulfillment in 5 course.

“A writers day.

I wake up with a gnawing feeling of dissatisfaction. I already feel fear. Already the loved ones around me are starting to fade. I interact. I’m present. But I’m not. I’m not thinking about the work. I’ve already consigned that to the muse. What I’m aware of is resistance. I feel it in my guts. I afford it the utmost respect, because I know it can defeat me on any given day as easily as the need for a drink can overcome an alcoholic.

I go through the chores, the correspondence, the obligations of daily life. Again, I’m there but not really. The clock is running in my head; I know I can indulge in daily crap for a little while but I must cut it off when the bell rings.

I’m keenly aware of the principle of priority, which states a) you must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important and b) you must do what’s important first. What’s important is the work.

The War of Art

This one is a MUST READ. It changed my life dramatically in 2017 when I first read it, and I have read it several times since. It will open your eyes to the forces of resistance that we all experience when seeking to make positive changes–in our lives and for the larger good. Why is it that it’s so easy to sit on the couch watching TV and eating junk, and so hard to get up, go to the gym, commit to starting that book we’ve always wanted to write, etc. You’ll come back to this one again and again, I promise. It just might change everything going into 2019.

“Owning our stories means reckoning with our feelings and rumbling with our dark emotions–our fear, anger, aggression, shame and blame. This isn’t easy, but the alternative–denying our stories and disengaging from emotion–means choosing to live our entire lives in the dark. When we decide to own our stories and live our truth, we bring our light to the darkness.”

Rising Strong.

My first Brene Brown, and I’m so glad I read it with my influencers club–it’s intense, there’s alot to unpack here, and it’s powerfully important for anyone who’s struggling/trying to understand the dynamics of hurt, vulnerability, courage in facing very challenging life circumstances, deepening relationships, and much more. I think it requires some wise folks to read it with, to truly get into all the layers. A few of my family members read it too, and really loved it. If you’re intrigued, start with her TED talks!

“There is a tendency with anyone who loves any kind of work to fantasize that if you just had endless time for it, you’d be able to achieve perfection in this field. Yet what I’d discovered is that when you put love first, not only does your life improve, but your work improves.”

One Beautiful Dream.

Such a great read about the power of embracing the messy process of growing a family while also embracing personal passions. Since this is my life and I coach many folks in this, I felt that she was speaking to me directly in so many ways, and I have a blog post coming with some more thoughts on this idea that the expansion of family and our vocation–saying the big yes, can also bring real power and expansion to all the small yeses we’re trying to say. This is a big, beautiful answer to “Lean in” and I love it.

“Times of imbalance may be seasonal, or change by the day. Our tendency is to shift out of balance, so let’s focus on counterbalance, on cramming our life with what we love most. Appealing, isn’t it?”

The Empowered Mama

Written by the founder of Fit4mom, it has tons of juicy tips. I think it’s more for moms who are feeling stuck with needing to find better ways to care for self and family, and it definitely set a good framework for some new perspective for me heading into the year, as I juggled the needs of business and family in new, creative ways. Probably the best parts were related to saying yes/no which is more powerfully treated in “The Best Yes”.

“Every book I’ve ever written is based on this core theme of my life. It’s the lesson I’ve learned over and over again…so it inevitably weaves its way into my stories, and this book especially. It’s the gift I wish I could give every person I know. It is the thing I wish someone had taught me as a child. Instead, I had to navigate life and figure it out on my own. It is the greatest lesson I have to give you. Only YOU have the power to change your life.”

Girl Wash your Face

Everyone is in love with Rachel Hollis right now. I liked the book–it’s super easy to read–like candy—but I also didn’t find it all to be life-changing wisdom. If anything, it’s a powerful example that someone can follow her heart, build a brand, and share a message that resonates, and in this day and age, that can grow way beyond her wildest dreams. I took away from it, that if Rachel can pursue her dreams and watch them grow, we all can. And that’s what I think she wants us to feel, the courage to take that first step.

“…A pure blink moment, a small miracle happened, the kind of small miracle that is always possible when we take charge of the first two seconds: they saw her for who she truly was.”

Blink.

This was a good read, tough at times to plow through, but worthwhile. It’s connected to the power of intuition that I’m really fascinated by, and classic Malcolm, you just enjoy the stories he brings into it.

“It’s not lost on me that to plant things in the garden, I have to get down on my knees. In the wait of those ten weeks, we prayed hard in hopes that God would grow something good as we stepped forward in fear-filled faith.”

Cultivate

I’ve used Lara Casey’s powersheets in the past (didn’t love them, I’m a desire map planner girl all the way), and I’ve followed her journey of motherhood and brand building from afar. I was inspired by many parts of this book–as in–cried–and also loved that I was creating my own little garden at the time when I was reading all her garden metaphors about how to be patient, tender and caring about the things that truly matter, in a world that pushes us to focus on many other passing things. It’s a good read, but not as powerful in retrospect as I thought it might be.

“Energy motivates but charisma inspires. Energy is easy to see, easy to measure, and easy to copy. Charisma is hard to define, near impossible to measure, and too elusive to copy. All great leaders have charisma because all great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves.”

Start with Why

This is a classic read for entrepreuners/leaders and I enjoyed it. I think that it could have been about half the length and been just as powerful. His TED talks are where to go if you want to hear more about this topic.

If nothing inspires you, try Daniel Pink’s prescription:

*Make a list of 5 things you are good at.

*Make a list of 5 things you love to do.

*Make a 3rd list of where the first two lists overlap.

*Read that list, then ask yourself, “will anyone pay me to do these things?”

What Color is your Parachute.

Hmm. This was one that was recommended by several different folks as an avenue for career changers/finding your true calling through a series of tips, exercises (creating a flower) and more. I have to say, it’s very powerful and shows just how important this topic is, but the work itself is archaic, really old-school in method, and I have been (and am!) approaching some of the same stuff, but in a lighter, better way through working with life-coaches in past, and now infusing some of the themes on personal understanding and where to best serve, and thrive,  into my #fulfillmentin5 course.

“We want to improve ourselves, to have more pride in ourselves, and to love and respect ourselves. We are hungry for guidance and support that will help us grow to be more powerful, more generous, and more self-assured. Anyone who has come full circle can tell you that these are the things that bring true happiness.”

The 4 year career.

A short and powerful read on the impact/power of the kind of business I do—one of my income streams 😉 All about leveraging relationships and impact—it’s relevant for many who want to figure out how to impact more with less of their time and energy. So good.

“Stop thinking. Stop expecting. Stop living in the past. Stop living in the future…Pay attention to the quality of time.  The Kairos-ness of time. And in a way I think of the phrase keep time…listen to the sounds, listen to the music of your own life. Listen to the voices of the people you live with, listen to the songs they sing. I don’t mean songs tra-la-la, but I mean listen to the music of their voices. Listen to the slamming of the screen door. Listen to the patter of feet walking back up the path. Listen to the turning of a tap in the tub, because that is in a very profound and touching way the music of your life. It is the song out of time that sings to you. Keep in touch with time, not just as rush and tumble.”

The Remarkable Ordinary

A poignant and beautiful book that was perfect for long summer days by the lake, pool and  in each moment rather than just speeding up life to check things off and do more. Frederick Buechner brings a powerful and artistic look into life and it’s deeper meaning, to be found in each precise moment that passes, and encourages us to stop, to look, to wonder. The author is someone who grappled with his own father’s suicide; I think that this book is really challenging us to get at the heart of what makes life rich, and to embrace it, rather than letting moments just flow by. It’s vulnerable and powerful.

Spiritual reads. I usually do a few minutes of these per day with journaling, so they are slower going, I like to chew on them.

“Man’s greatest need is love, love for God and for brother and sister. We do not have here a lasting city. We are pilgrims plodding along to the fatherland, wayfarers on the way to home.”

Happy are you poor.

I reflected in a prior post on how this shaped my thoughts about contentment, and freedom of spirit, when we remove some of the striving/grasping aspects of life and focus in on the beauty and joy of simple living. It’s something my husband recommended to me to check out, and it’s been so good for my heart. It’s bringing the kon mari lifestyle that I love to a new level of connecting it with our spiritual journey. Definitely challenging and I’ll come back to the themes and quotes from it again and again. I think that knowing where our true treasure lies allows us to go about our lives well–expanding resources just means more that we can give away and to keep our hearts pure and as focused as we can.

“Another way of living poverty of spirit is to consent to the present moment, without trying to return to the past or plan the future. We possess only the present. We should accept the past and trust the future to divine providence. Don’t stockpile provisions. Forget the way already traveled and set out afresh each day. Don’t boast about the good accomplished or worry about the evil committed, but begin again each morning, believing, hoping and loving.”

The 8 doors of the kingdom;

Recommended by my spiritual director, this one tied in so well to the one above, and these are the themes that are being given to me to dwell on; to truly understand and live the power of the beautitudes is a challenge that I’m grateful for. This is Jacques Phillipe’s newest work, and it’s a perfect connection with his lovely style with this rich material.

“As a mother’s love draws the heart of her child like a powerful magnet, so too, does the genuinely kind person wield the power to influence others for good.”

The Hidden power of kindness.

Again, recommended by my spiritual director, and I slowly but surely plugged away at it in the early months of the year, I LOVE this one, I recommend it highly, it’s just an entire framework shift in terms of how we look at charity, truly loving those in our lives, and connects to the beauty and power of positivity (not fake, but real, deep kindness) and how our words, actions, thoughts, and lives are either building up the kingdom (starting with our own souls) or are harming and taking away from God’s power in the world. This is a must read.

Health and Wellness reads.
Some great ones that I reference often and have really shaped my thinking on these topics.

“The problem is that while most of us are aware that our diets are not what they should be, we are unaware of our increased nutritional needs and/or genetic predisposition. We are also often unaware that we are at high risk of disease. For too many Americans, the first indication they have heart disease is sudden death, the first indication of high blood pressure is a stroke, or the first indication of cancer is the diagnosis of stage 3 or 4 cancer.”

Slaying the supplement myths.

A great resource that I turn to often, especially in discussions with folks about MTHFR, and much more. There’s so much fad-ish info out there, and it’s key to find folks we can trust to inform our opinions on such matters.

“Ironically, the process of giving yourself permission to eat is actually the stepping-stone to rebuilding your trust with food and with yourself. In the beginning, each positive food experience is like a tiny thread. They may be few and far between, and seem insignificant, but eventually the threads form a strand. The strands multiply to form strong ropes and finally the ropes become the bridge to a foundation of trust in food and in yourself.”

Intuitive Eating

This is such an incredible resource that I’ve been unpacking in my own life this year (hello, pregnancy, when one is encouraged to eat intuitively!), and imagine how healing that this concept could be (and is!) for so many who discover and embrace it, as part of an overall mindful and healthy life–when I share it with clients it’s literally life changing at times. We’re so trained to think we have to diet, restrict, or “not care” about food choices rather than following this other path. I’m excited to say that some of these themes will be appearing in my 2019 book project that I’m starting with an incredible and inspiring friend–more on that soon! I was coming to this place on my own in Jan 2018, but didn’t have the book in hand until it was referenced by someone I trust in mid Feb. Incredible how the timing of these things works out and is always meant to be.

There are some 8 million microbial genes in the gut–400 times more than than in the human genome. Even more astonishing, we humans differ very little from each other genetically, sharing more than 90% of our genes, but the assortment of microbial genes in our guts differs dramatically, and only 5 % of them are shared between any 2 individuals. The gut microbiome adds a whole new dimension of complexity and possiblities to our brain-gut emotion-generating machinery.”

The Mind-Gut connection.

This is a powerful read, for those of us who love to nerd out on this topic. And more and more folks are coming to me with an awareness that they want to heal mood disorders, depression, anxiety and more with natural paths, healing the gut, introducing supplements and eating that truly supports their thriving, rather than just increasing doses of medication (which I absolutely believe are necessary and valuable in certain cases…but have also seen from my own life as well as others, that there can be many negative side effects involved and it shouldn’t be taken lightly, or as the end-goal). This book is just so good, and this ground-breaking research is leading many of us to approach healing the gut as a primary health concern. I love being partnered with a nutrition brand that is doing this all important research and rolling out new formulas of probiotics and tools to support the mind-gut axis that we now know about. It’s truly the next stage of wellness in my opinion.

My only completed fiction of the year. C’est la vie.
And it’s a good one!

“She closed her eyes and I watched the shadow settling in the hollow of her throat. It was like a little dip where the darkness had crept to hide from the evening light. When the breath rattled in her through and her heart stopped beating, I noticed that the shadow in the hollow quivered.”

I started a Marilynne Robinson novel this summer but didn’t finish it…;0

Walking into the night is the only one that I got through in my bedtime reads, and it’s lovely, entrancing and powerful. But I have to say, I haven’t had a taste for fiction recently–maybe you all can suggest some fiction for me for 2019 to balance it out (though I’ve learned to be mindful of what I read right after baby as that postpartum period can be intense enough, and doesn’t need to be mixed with emotional literature…I read Sigrid Undset after Ambrose and had to put it down…).

To summarize–I’m so grateful I made a goal and embraced more reading in my life (and created space for it!) in 2018–I can see all the ways in which my mind and heart have been changed in this process, and while I know, heading into a season of newborn in a few weeks, I may not have reading as high on the agenda, there are many many hours when I’m able to be quietly nursing/rocking and being with babe, so I’ll be sure to keep good reads nearby to sneak in to the moments. I remember right after Ambrose I was a voracious reader during his feeding times, and that was when I tackled and loved books like Spark Joy and the War of Art for the first time!

This is my short list for 2019…and I’m excited and grateful for my amazing influencer club—we always bring new books to each other, and pick new reads for each month, so I know that accountability will help; and if you’re in need of some motivation and accountability for reading, create a like-minded group–either in person or by zoom call, and you’re off!

2019 books I’m excited about:

*12 Rules for life by Jordan Peterson–I just touched this during holidays and it’s going to be awesome for the new year

*Dare to Lead, Brene Brown

*Motivation Manifesto, Brendon Burchard

Here’s a fiction list that I’ve liked looking at in the past with mom friends (if fiction is your priority): Well Read Moms 2019.

And related posts:

Best books for your first year in Business

2018–5 Life-changing reads for an amazing new year

Cheers to reading and enjoying more life-changing works in the new year!!!


Posted on

Themes of 2018: How These Three Key Ideas Have Shaped Our Year as a Family

This past January, the very beginning of 2018, I was encouraged by one of my wise mentors to look at 2-3 themes or intentions for the year ahead. These would be key words or phrases that tied into my vision board and that would guide my approach to the new year and to the monthly or 90 day action plans and goals that I might set. I think we both knew that an overarching theme would help make my short-term goals more meaningful.

I wanted to pause and reflect on how these themes played out for us this year and to share this concept with all of you in case it’s a valuable one for looking at 2019, which is right around the corner.

This quote has come to capture so well what I feel convicted to live, and to encourage others in.

I know for me, sometimes looking at a new year, and aiming to set goals can feel intimidating. We know life can change so much, take unexpected turns, in life, job, career, family, and we want to make sure that our goals will be in line with the big picture vision even as it may change in detail.

I hear this from many folks I work with, that it’s much easier to set monthly or 90 day goals, and harder when it comes to longer stretches of time, like a full year. But, at the same time, the power of a new year is just that—imagining how different life can be a year from now, and embracing the love for that progress and transformation that we’re ready to experience.

For me, setting up themes for 2018 that applied throughout the year helped bridge the gap between the future I imagine and the reality of my more short-term goals. It’s also allowed me to smile and sometimes even laugh out loud at God’s sense of humor.

So, without further ado, here are my three key themes for 2018 and some musings on how these themes played out in my life and in our life as a family in the last year.

Theme 1: CREATE SPACE

The first theme I focused in on this year was to CREATE SPACE. This is a phrase I use a lot, in my business, coaching and general approach to life. I find that when we declutter our spaces, schedules, lives, we allow room for the GOOD stuff. You know, the moments we want to remember for a long time.

I’ve spent years glorifying the hustle (a remnant of my Brooklyn lovin’, NYC bustlin days)… even with several kids in tow, and a few things have helped me shift away from worshiping being busy (or hiding behind my busyness as an excuse for why my bigger dreams and life goals weren’t getting tackled).

One of them reaching a point of frustration with the pace, and realizing it wasn’t allowing me to fully enjoy each day and the little moments with the kids, that can be packed with meaning. Another avenue for mindset change was a book called “Chasing Slow”—and the other one was a book called “The Best Yes,” which is about the beautiful grace of saying no, to the things in life that we can feel pressured to do or take on, so that we have the energy, mental focus and ability to say YES and be all in on the things that we truly value or feel called to do. These books, as well as our intentional family move 18 months ago to the country for a naturally slower pace of life, and embracing this with my children—and seeing how they like to live their best days—it’s all led me to the conviction that we need to work hard—in our social media driven, commercial, NOISY world, to carve out that beautiful space in which to live meaningful days, with lots of intention, connection to the small (and big) tasks. It takes real effort, and is so worthwhile.

For 2018, there were plenty of things I said no to, especially in the early parts of the year…when I was feeling called to a deeper rest, a deeper, more peaceful family life, and new rhythms, that helped us finally get the hang of the 3 kids thing, and to all thrive. It also looked like carving out time in the spring to train for a half marathon, to launch the girls to the end of an amazing first year in their new school, and then to welcome baby #4, right at a time when we were heading into a summer of slower rhythms and beautiful days with nature as a forefront focus—-lazy days at our local lake beach, long days in the backyard, the kids enjoying stretching themselves in all the ways they know how.

Creating space to welcome a new life into our family, and to continue having a flow and rhythms that work well into the fall, has been such a blessing. Yes, it’s hard to fight the pressure at times, for more extracurriculars, more volunteer things (that I love), or more errands (ok, not hard to fight those off!), but my heart was craving LESS, along with the 2nd theme, so that’s been our work.

I think that we’ll learn these lessons all over again when we welcome another babe in January 2019 and zero in on just the most simplified and beautiful rhythms to support and nourish the family during that season that’s coming up. I know I don’t want to miss the important moments, and CREATING SPACE started as an exploratory theme for the year, and is now the baseline for a full life by design course that I’m launching for all of us to work through in early 2019.

Theme 2: CONTENTMENT

The second theme for 2019, CONTENTMENT.

This one is hard for someone like me. I’m a thinker-ahead—focus on the future, often itching for the next thing…sometimes living in the future at the expense of the present. This has had it’s advantages for me, but as a mother, it too often creates a pull that disquiets me. I felt in prayer and in chats with my husband, Joel, that I needed to really embrace this theme and nurture more contentment. With a business that can always demand more, and with family life and motherhood always able to tempt me to MORE…I wanted to be able to wake up each day, and say—it’s ENOUGH. What I’m doing today, what we’ll get done, where we’ll go, how we’re living, with simplicity and focus on our family values, it’s ENOUGH.

How many of us know our hearts need this! I had a few books that were helping in this regard—and one of them has a title some of you may laugh at. It’s called “Happy Are You Poor”…and my dear husband recommended it to me as we had these conversations about being content with the present moment, and what we have, rather than staying in a striving mode. It’s a reminder that more of worldly things is not what makes our hearts either at peace, or brought to their full fulfillment. It’s a good wake up call, and reminder. Another fantastic read for me was the 8 doors of the kingdom, meditations on the beatitudes, reminding us that detachment and focus on other than earthly things are what sets our hearts at peace. The books mentioned above (“Chasing Slow”) was also helpful in this regard.

And truly, some days in the summer, as I looked around at our slow, peaceful rhythms, and as I focused on not desiring things, not shopping online, not scrambling for business goals, more followers, more extracurriculars, more, more more, I found that I was happier. And this happiness brought more clarity to me–of what I was truly seeking when making goals or plans. I think this one needs to carry through for me into this coming baby season as well. Getting away from measuring worth, accomplishment, or my treasure in the wrong places.

And I found that in my contentment, my relationships and my impact could be more real and less forced. It’s so important for gratitude to be the baseline of our lives, that they can be fully rich. I journal daily (this habit has fully clicked back in this year), and the themes of knowing what I HAVE, and how good it really is, helps balance out my approach to growth, in various areas of life or work.

Theme 3: COMMUNITY

The final theme for 2018 was COMMUNITY. We were 6 months into a new home, new school, and new area when the new year hit, and I knew we were called to dive in and both foster community where we’re landed, as well as reach out in faith and form new bonds of community across miles, where appropriate.

In Jan of this year, we launched a postpartum community that has become a beautiful group of women and friends that I value deeply. We cheer each other on, listen to challenges, and encourage in the most fragile and important stages of healing, growing, and thriving after a birth. I am so grateful for how it’s blossomed and developed–especially as I prepare for another postpartum. Additionally, we’ve formed a few other important communities around different topics—business related, beautifully growing the influencers reading group I love dearly, and some communities on healthy motherhood and kids.

Then in our day to day lives, on the ground, we were able to dive more fully into the school community we’re blessed to be a part of, and to have real, deep friendships begin to take root—both among the kids, and with the parents. Which led us to beautiful summer nights up LATE under the stars, sharing wine and laughter with amazing new friends, who we now can’t imagine life without. Or beach days lingering into dusk, with the kids playing sand soccer, and celebrating life and sunshine with good people.

These are my 3 themes for 2018—I’m still marveling at how real and relevant they continued to be for me, even as my monthly goals, task lists, and details of life shifted.

For 2019…well, I have some that I’m close to committing to, but I’ll probably save them for another new year’s post.

I’d love to hear from you—do you explore themes and intentions as you kick off a new year? Will you explore themes and intentions as part of welcoming 2019? It’s fun if they start with the same letter, but not necessary, of course 😉 If you have any experiences to share about thinking in themes for seasons of life, I’d love to hear about it!

If you’re interested in trying this for the year 2019, I recommend just spending some time journaling, talking to those you trust, and seeing what comes up for you! You might be surprised at how quickly your heart and mind land on the themes you need to embrace for peace and growth in the coming year.

A super fun word of the year generator can provide additional inspiration and hilarity (while it’s random, it seemed uncannily relevant from all the folks we did it with last year). My word of 2018 that was generated for me was BALANCE. I can’t say I have it fully figured out, but I’m worlds more balanced in many aspects of life than I felt a year ago, at the holidays.

So here’s to a fresh start, a new perspective, a new way to approach new years.

Much love and thank you for being part of this blogging journey in 2018. I had no idea where it would lead and I’m just having a blast as we continue onward and upward!

Posted on

Thriving Pregnancy–my top tools and daily habits

Should go without saying, but nothing in this post should be construed as medical advice. Speak with your provider before making any changes to your nutrition/fitness plans, especially when pregnant or TTC.

As a health coach and mom of 3, now nearing the end of my 4th pregnancy, I get asked often about what I do and what I take to stay healthy, energized and balanced during pregnancies. Many folks assume that my pregnancies have been a breeze, but in all honesty they have been getting progressively easier/better, which is the opposite of many women’s experience. I think it’s like many things in life–there’s a learning curve, and when we get better at something, it feels easier (or maybe we’re just busy running after the other kids and don’t notice as much)…for me, it’s been a huge lesson in grace, acceptance of all the changes that happen to welcome and grow baby, while still holding on to the things that matter to me and make me at my best (fitness habits), which, it turns out, are good for baby too. I’ve learned to really value intuitive eating, in my pregnancies, and that’s helped me with self-love, and addressing some past issues around eating and body image. Motherhood really does change us for the better in every way if we let it.

Many folks don’t know that with my first pregnancy, I was diagnosed as borderline gestational diabetic, and had to change my diet…I was working 60+ hour weeks, and while I was young and overall healthy, the lifestyle wasn’t super conducive to a great pregnancy (long hours at a desk, pretty high stress, I ate whatever I had time to grab while pushing forward on projects, and finally with the pregnancy, had to teach myself to eat and seek out real nourishment beyond coffee and carbs). That first pregnancy was a big wake up call, and the beginning of my journey from finance, into the world of health and holistic living. It’s amazing what realizing you’re responsible for another person’s health and well-being will do for a mother…she learns to truly love herself in new and important ways–deep care for self translates to a deeper level of health for baby. It’s a beautiful thing, and I went through that process, but also knew I needed to get serious about what I was fueling my body with, and the kind of daily habits I had, so as not to put future children at risk for diabetes in a real way (and it’s in our family). 

I now have such an amazing level of support–from some of the things I share below, to my amazing midwives, pelvic PT, reflexology, acupuncture providers, that I’ve wisely created (through learning the hard way perhaps), and I’ve truly enjoyed and loved every day of this pregnancy so far. As we head into the final 5 weeks–I want to pause and acknowledge just what a gift it’s been. And I’ve had the perspective that this vibrancy and incredible energy has been given to me for a reason–and I’m working to serve in the ways I’m meant to, even while I carefully say no to things and prevent myself from burning out.

This time around, there’s been an extra focus on supporting my core, pelvic floor, and keeping it safe and strong, knowing just how long and challenging the recovery process can be. This is why I dove into the prepare program of the Every Mother site/app. I was a featured member this month, so more about my story and the difference it’s made for me can be found on their site. Basically, my diastisis from pregnancies 2 and 3 has been reversed significantly, and we’re working on not having any/too much to speak of from this pregnancy. It’s about learning to move safely and effectively (and to keep moving!) so I’m VERY grateful to have discovered it and to have jumped into the program right as I was conceiving (without realizing the perfectness of the timing–and not showing a bump until 18 weeks, much to my surprise). 

#32weekbump

Fast forward to now, I’ve had 3 pregnancies where the GD test at 24 weeks come back perfectly normal, and the caretakers can’t believe it because normally with a history/presence of it, it’s always there for subsequent pregnancies, but I know that the changes I made have made all the difference, and for that I’m truly grateful. 

The tough thing I see as a health coach, is that we want to be able to go out and trust an organic prenatal vitamin and call it a day (eat a balanced, whole foods diet, etc) but sometimes that’s just not enough. For one thing, many of the standard prenatals on the shelves have been found in recent FDA studies to have high amounts of lead in them. Shocking, but true. So you have to find the right brand partner to trust your health and your baby’s to. For me, that all came together as I was deciding to pursue health coaching career during my 2nd pregnancy, and was finding that, after some research, I could trust this natural nutrition company that you’ll see mentioned here. There’s so much more I could say on this topic, but I think moms feel it most deeply, we know that we want only the best for baby and for ourselves, and we’re willing to search high and low to get that quality. Then, when we can feel a difference (a huge boost in daily energy), we’re hooked. I love that often I’m one of the first to know when folks are pregnant (before close family) because they come to me ready to figure out what will make them thrive and keep baby growing well–I’m good at keeping a secret when I need to be 🙂

I love the nutrition science related to pre-natal health. If you want to nerd out too, you’ll enjoy this video by some docs I trust and have had the pleasure of working with. 

Now 6.5 years of taking this pre-natal/post-natal supplement, I truly can’t imagine life without it. It’s my secret to endless energy–(yes, I was born with that, but nutrient depletion is real during most pregnancies, so many moms find themselves wiped out through the process of pregnancies and breastfeeding—while my bloodwork #s are always surprising to my docs).

It’s my desert island product, and you’ll find me taking it every day by 2pm, so I can keep powering along, and growing baby with all the best stuff that I know is being absorbed and used well by both of us. I wrote a whole other post/round-up of testimonies from midwives, other moms, etc. so you can find that here.

#20weekbump, my running buddy

And as for my other daily tools, here’s a few things I take daily (and why). All can be run by your particular doc for their approval, and all are pharmaceutical grade, with quality standards that are 4x the level for an organic label. 

It’s alot to take, but it’s all so worth it if if means thriving babe and mom.

This is vitalizer, my desert island product. 

Cal-Mag. Calcium needs go way up in pregnancy, and so does our need for magnesium, which is slightly hard to get solely by diet, but with this daily and my weekly epsom salt baths (stork brand, so good), that is satisfied. I’m mostly dairy free so especially supplementing calcium becomes key. Magnesium has the wonderful side effect of calming nervous system, promoting restful sleep, and I can’t imagine life without this one (oh, it’s a chewable, that’s fun). 

Immunity through Nutriferon. Pregnancy hormones can slightly suppress our immune system, just when we need it most, because we don’t want to be taking any OTC medications or really just having to battle any colds, or anything. This product has helped a few friends immensely who were run down and often sick in pregnancy, and for me I take it as needed, but always have it around, especially if I see sniffles from the kids or just know all that they are getting exposed to at school. It was designed by a scientist who discovered interferon, our body’s ability to increase white blood cell production, and he created this product at the request of Shaklee. Cool stuff for those who like to nerd out on health.

This is another product I can’t imagine living without in pregnancy (well, I remember from my first pregnancy, and it wasn’t fun: the bloating, the water retention, swollen ankles, especially in warm weather). All of that is managed by this product, Alfalfa. It’s a super green with tons of nutrients and is a gentle, natural diuretic, supporting your cleansing organs. It also helps with creating/stimulating a good milk supply so be sure to take it daily in 3rd trimester, and of course in postpartum. It’s truly incredible stuff. No more swollen ankles or icky bloat feeling that is all too common. Also helps with heartburn (along with probiotic below) and even sore muscles (anti-inflammatory powerhouse).

GLA. This is a game changer for many women–it’s a hormone balancing supplement. And we all know pregnancy is a roller coaster of hormones, but sometimes we just need to be able to manage their affects, and this is huge for me in early pregnancy (can reduce the morning sickness symptoms because obviously those are hormone swing triggered). It’s also crucial in 3rd trimester with the hormone swings, mood swings, and then the potential for developing PPD symptoms which can arise in late pregnancy as well. I had (realizing it after), a mild PPD with my first, and when taking this with my 2nd pregnancy and afterwards, I’ve always been so balanced and had none of those mood issues (need to take it consistently in first 6 weeks postpartum too!)…so try it out or recommend to someone who’s struggling in that area.

So this is an extra dose of B’s, beyond what’s in the vitalizer (which is the standard dose recommended for a certified pre-natal, and increased based on the research of the science team, about studies of real folic acid needs of mothers). I’m not here to have the great folic acid debate; suffice to say my #s are incredible, my midwives are always blown away by all of my bloodwork, and this extra B boost is time released–helps with all day energy and with mood.

Ok, if you want me to send you some things to read on the folic/folate discussion topic, just comment or email me, I’m more than happy to since I have it often. But meanwhile, grab some B’s and get happier and more energized!!!

This is one of my secret weapons 🙂 It’s a tart cherry supplement designed to reduce muscle soreness after an intense workout for example. So I have used it as an athlete. But guess what, it’s a natural form of melatonin, and you can take 1 or 2 pills, depending on how interrupted your sleep is, and I find that in late 2nd, and 3rd trimester, taking 1-2 of these can knock me out and I wake up feeling like a million bucks–much deeper sleep than I might normally get with a little being bumping around in there. Totally safe for pregnancy and just a real life-changer to get fantastic rest in late pregnancy. Heaven knows we need it 😉

All these things that some people just throw up their hands and say “well, that’s just life being pregnant, your ankles swell and you don’t sleep well” I say—hmm…there must be a better way. Does it have to be like that? And no, it doesn’t.

Saving some of the best for last. EZ-Gest is a form of digestive enzymes, which many nutritionists recommend that everyone take, but especially in pregnancy, hormones can mess with our digestion alot, and this is a super saver. It will prevent/help with heartburn, and when eating rich foods, especially in late pregnancy. I take it as needed before 3rd trimester, but these days I’m taking it daily (especially with foods I’m slightly sensitive to like gluten), and it’s awesome. 

Ok—In my experience coaching so many women in the pre and post-natal phase, stress can play a huge part in overall well-being and also in our digestion. We all know that there’s a strong link between healthy gut, and a healthy mind/mood, with new research, so this brand new product is the answer to some of that (with almost a decade of research on this single product and the 4 strains of probiotics in it). So not only is it powerful for immunity, it’s helping so much with keeping momma’s gut healthy, which is critical for baby’s health too. This one is a keeper. The vitalizer has a probiotic in it too, for daily consumption–this can be an every other day, or as needed–but I highly recommend the extra boost; your gut and your mood will thank you. 

OK…3 more secret weapons, that you’ll want to have around. Vitamin E complex is known for preventing varicose veins and supporting circulation and skin health (so good!) and it can also help prevent stretch marks, along with daily application of the shea butter which smells like heaven to a pregnant lady at the end of a long day. The final one is energizing tea, I know so many pregnant ladies who find this puts the perfect non-caffeinated pep in their step, and of course, carries over to benefit in postpartum as well! 

#28weekbump
I’ve been documenting this little guy’s growth more than my others…maybe because he feels like such an un-looked for gift. 

Daily habits for thriving

Oh, so many things we learn along the way, in this crazy motherhood journey. Sometimes the hard way, when we push ourselves to the brink of exhaustion/overwhelm. I’ve been there, it’s not fun. But definitely my level of self-care is way deeper this time around, and have that sense of love for self and love for baby’s needs being one and the same. If I need a nap, I find a way to grab one…

…and I’m much more aware of my limits, and my body telling me–I need more sleep, stretching, or nourishment, or just rest on the couch. So yes, while my 3 kids keep me busy, I make sure I make time for the following habits, knowing that if I can stay at my best and serve the needs of my babe and I, with lots of energy and focus for them, then we’ll all win.

#29 week bump doing some yoga

*Daily stretching (sometimes yoga flows, sometimes just mindful stretching into areas that feel tight). This along with the Every Mother program which has nice short daily focus, with longer (20 min) exercises 2-3 times per week in the prepare program. 

*Daily walks. This has been my best habit for both mental and physical health. Getting outside with my little 2 year old sidekick, is just the best. Leaving behind the to-do lists, the home environment (messy or tidy as it may be) and getting out, even in the very cold recent days, always helps to reset my energy levels, my mood, my focus, and I can enjoy several miles in the beautiful nearby towns that offer us attractions, and beautiful walking spaces. In past pregnancies I always put a premium on regular runs, even into my 3rd tri, and this time, I think with an extra awareness of not wanting to overly tax my abs and ligaments, and pelvic floor, I’ve been happier with walking, even vigorously to break a sweat. Gentle and effective has been the name of the game, plus the fact that I can do it with my guy makes it wonderful bonding time as well.

*Daily shake…I usually have these 20 gram of protein powerhouse drinks at least 1 daily; it helps baby grow with those needed nutrients and my own lean muscle mass, and preps me well for a good postpartum transition.

*Weekly epsom salt baths, for muscle soreness, and magnesium absorption/relaxation. Love this ritual. I use the stork brand from amazon when pregnant, and other ones for my normal (athlete status) life.

*3rd trimester super foods. Pineapples are amazing for softening/ripening the cervix when the time is right. Dates are known to have enzymes that can help the labor process. Red raspberry leaf tea, for toning and strengthening, encouraging the uterus to do it’s thing. Fiber–tons of fiber. For me that’s often celery and almond butter, or kale shakes, etc.

*Daily prayer, journaling, slower/mindful mornings, screen free time, and strong night rituals, now with hypnobirthing reading/listening as part of my night-time process as I prepare for a beautiful, peaceful birth. 

That’s it folks. Thanks for reading and connecting with me about thriving pregnancy. Who in your life might appreciate seeing this? Feel free to share.

If you’re not pregnant: share this with someone who is, or who wants to be? 

If you are pregnant: feel free to start by taking your own personal health print quiz here, that will give you some great recs to start with, and then we can easily schedule a quick chat to discuss how all of this, above, may support your best pregnancy! Most ladies just bring the labels/fact sheets to their providers to get their OK for any of these things!

If you’re postpartum–check out Every Mother reclaim program for sure…! And…while many of these products are perfectly overlapping and support postpartum very well, I also have 2 other posts you may want to check out:

*Postpartum top 10 tools
*Postpartum self-care routines

Thanks for being here and being part of this journey with me, xx

Maddy

#34weekbump….finishing strong, love my elliptical time and weight machines to keep myself feeling my best.
Posted on

Doing well by doing good

This concept came to my attention a few years ago when beginning to work with someone I admire so much as a social philanthropist and powerful business man, who is committed to making the world a better place through business efforts, not in spite of them. So often we’ve seen this split, especially when it comes to sustainable business models, and working hard to not harm the earth through growing a business. It also carries over into how we can use our leverage and business spheres to bring resources and awareness for the less fortunate. Coming from my work in non-profits, directly into business ownership, I’ve always valued this concept, the land of AND–that we can do well and do GOOD at the same time. It’s something that each of us should ponder how to carry out in our individual spheres.

So, in November 2018, the idea came to me, to have a month focused on giving back, and sharing that concept with all our clients and partners. We chose Mary’s Meals as our partner because 93% of the funds go directly to the kids (they run a lean, efficient, inspiring model) and announced it widely. The response was incredible. People completely understood and connected with it–it’s the time of year we all want to be giving of our time and resources—volunteering in soup kitchens is an option for some, helping with Thanksgiving baskets, etc, but additionally, being able to support these kids all over the world while making conscious choices for healthy lifestyle, is a total win-win.

The response was overwhelming, and we had our best month of business of the entire year. I was so excited, almost crying a few times as the response poured in. And speaking with the marketing manager at Mary’s Meals, he expressed his excitement and gratitude as well, knowing how much each of these $ would help the kids.

It was a humbling and beautiful reminder to me of how deeply connected we all are to our global community of need. We feel the hurt of those even far away, and want to do our small part. It may not feel like much, but it’s truly making a difference, as a collective whole.

It was, to me, a beautiful reminder of the power of doing well by doing good, and starting with WHY. When we know why we’re going after a big goal, and the power of the reason drives us, we become unstoppable. I’m so wishing I could hug and kiss those kids as they welcome their meals for a year, but I know that our part to play in all of this is beautifully important, while living in the land of AND. 

Posted on

Move over Martha–butternut squash, sausage and sage lasagna

So you may literally never see me post another pasta recipe here. I’m not intrigued by it when it comes to culinary exploration, for whatever reason. My family does clamor for it, and gets it once in a while in my meal planning rotations, but besides craving a good carbonara once in a while (like the kind you can find everywhere in Roma, washed down with a house wine—ah….take me back) I just don’t get inspired by it much (and avoid gluten alot of the time, so just focus elsewhere on getting healthy carbs in to all of us. BUT. That should just tell you how good this recipe is. I was dreaming of it the other day, so I rescued it from languishing in my former food blog forever (that one was called Whoopsyummy, which will make alot of sense when you realize that I value creativity and experimentation highly when cooking and baking–sometimes we get winners, sometimes we don’t 😉 But it’s all part of the process.)

For me, cooking is a major creative outlet…and stress relief. Is it for you?

CRAZY that when I went back to grab this recipe and publish it again today, after we’d made it over the weekend…it happened to fall on the exact same date, 7 years ago. Incredible synchronicity shows up often in life, when we have the eyes to see it. 

Posted on November 12, 2011

Martha Stewart’s fall twist on a classic has been part of my repertoire for a few years now, thanks to a friend.

But it was always missing something. Meat. So this version includes a nice hearty Italian sausage, sure to bring your calorie count to close to absurd once you’ve tucked in and had a few slices of this creamy ricotta goodness. But, food bloggers can’t count calories, so onward.

  • 3 1/2 pounds butternut squash (a large one), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
  • Freshly grated nutmeg (mine wasn’t freshly grated and it did the trick)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
  •  Lasagna noodles–one box–you may not need all of them. (Martha suggests spending another 3 hrs making your own noodles–that was not something I was comfortable with–store bought work just fine in a pinch). Cook these first… 😉
  • 4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)
  • One package Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled

In a 425 degree oven, roast the butternut squash with oil, salt and pepper for 25-30 minutes.

After reducing oven to 375, begin the ricotta filling; combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella and nutmeg, then sprinkle with salt.

Melt butter in a pan over medium heat; as it sizzles, add sage and cook until golden and crispy at edges, 3-4 minutes.

Place cooked squash in a bowl and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other half in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage butter mixture, stock, and sausage. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture.

Cook in a casserole dish (yes, mine was Martha Stewart teal, appropriately) for 30-35 minutes; until cheese is bubbling.

Bon Appetit. This should be enjoyed with a hearty wine.

 

Posted on

4 quick (make-ahead) breakfasts for school mornings

I don’t know about you mommas, but the breakfast and prepping for school rush has been a big learning curve for us. I used to idealize cozy long (early) mornings with the girls getting up to eat steaming bowls of oatmeal with me, or kale and egg scrambles (my personal fav), before heading out. But, reality is something all together different. Usually the girls prefer sleep and lingering over getting dressed/morning activities to sitting and eating at home. If we do gather together it’s on the couch for some praying and journaling time, and then I’m focused on lunch prep….so…

I’ve come up with some compromise breakfast options that I feel really good about sending them out the door with for a strong start to their day. My girls are lucky enough to drive with their dad every day (about 15-20 min) so they have time to eat in the car, and they enjoy chatting with dad, listening to their spotify playlists, or books on tape, and easing into their day that way…

We’ve all heard it—breakfast is in many ways the most important meal of the day–and sometimes the hardest to make time for. I know that giving them this habit and making sure to mix it up, we’re setting them up for a life of enjoying breakfast, and making sure they’ve planned ahead for it.

I love the idea of making some of these in batches as the week kicks off, and having them around to really simplify things–so much easier to heat up overnight oats quickly, or egg/zucchini bites, rather than doing scrambles and hot meals from scratch. What have you found that you love and that works for your kids/husbands/selves for those rushed mornings that still require nutritious starts?

1) Hard Boiled eggs. I discovered (remembered) recently that my daughter Corinne and my husband Joel are crazy about hard-boiled eggs. She won’t really eat them the other ways we prepare them, but in this form she’ll eat 3-4 in one sitting–I love seeing her hold them and happily scarf them down after peeling them. Emma will eat only the egg whites so that’s not ideal, but we make it work. These are great to make a dozen at a time and store for up to a week (if they last that long)…I always try to sneak some fruit in with it…clementines are a year round winner–for ease as well as taste.

2) Apple Cinnamon coconut overnight oats (Recipe below). So I have been slow to jump on the overnight oats bandwagon, wondering how my kids would do with them. With these, you can add a plant protein powder (optional), but they are nutritious and dense and yummy even without. I would suggest putting them in small (mini) mason jars, as the normal serving size is too big for little kiddos to finish off. Can be heated up on these current chilly mornings.

3) Zucchini tots (recipe below)—These are awesome to make ahead, in batches in muffin tins. I had them help me grate the zucchinis from our local farm, and they enjoyed seeing them being made, so it was less of a shock when I offered them the next day for breakfast. You can also, in a pinch, use powdered organic greens–sometimes more practical in winter months in terms of getting the good greens into them.

  1. Pumpkin spice coconut raisin breakfast cookies–what a delicious mouthful to say 🙂 (recipe below). These are made with plant protein powder instead of the flour, so they are dense, hearty, don’t cause a sugar crash, and are super yummy. I don’t know about you, but I love a good filling cookie, and this one fits the bill for breakfast–you can choose different mix ins like nuts you may have (walnuts, cranberries, etc). The pumpkin spice base is subtle and delicious and allows for various pairings.

Even with these 4 meals that require a bit of extra foresight/shopping for ingredients (gotta love a Sunday night prep session to make the mornings go well)–it’s also great to have super quick and easy grab-and-go options. For us, that’s clementines, apples, sometimes mini bagels and cream cheese (better carb to protein ratio than a normal size bagel), and Vans gluten free blueberry waffles (so easy and a big hit). This way, there’s never a day you’re too busy to throw something together that will fuel their brains & warm their hearts.

And of course, I always send them out the door chomping on their incredivites or chewable Vit C (or drinking the vitalized immunity if they have complained of a tickly throat, etc). More on my passion for supplementing well with littles and our story here.

Cheers to finishing out these final (cooler) weeks of the year with nourishing starts to our day. Our little ones see what we do and model us, so I make a peanut butter/banana/chocolate shake for their dad to take with him daily (he loves how full he stays until lunch time) and I model for them that I’m reaching for the same things–nourishing foods (rather than just caffeine) to start the day right!

Hop on my healthy kids back to school VIP email list for more holistic offerings, tips, tools and giveaways. We can make this our healthiest & most peaceful school year, yet.

What are your top fav meals to prep for busy mornings, and what other tips do you have for making these precious first minutes/hours of the day run smoothly and peacefully?:)  Share away!

-Maddy

RECIPES:

Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats

(from That Clean Life)

Serves: 4
Time: 8 hours (overnight)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups Oats
  • 1.5 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
  • 2 tbsps Chia Seeds
  • 1 tbsps Honey (or Maple Syrup)
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 cup Water
  • 1 Apple (cored and diced)
  • 1 cup Walnuts (chopped)

Directions:

  1. Combine oats, almond milk, chia seeds, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and water in a large glass container. Stir well to evenly mix. Cover and store in the fridge overnight.
  2. Remove from fridge. Use single-serving size jars (250 mL or 500 mL in size) and place a few spoonfuls of the oat mixture in the bottom of each. Then add a layer of diced apple followed by a layer of chopped walnuts. Repeat until all ingredients are used up.
  3. Store in the fridge up to 4 days or until ready to eat. Add an extra splash of almond milk and/or a drizzle of honey (optional).

Suggestions:

Warm It Up – Heat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds before eating

Vegan – Use maple syrup instead of honey

More Protein – Add 1 small scoop plant protein, hemp seeds or a spoonful of nut butter

Zucchini Tots

Adapted from the blog Mess for Less

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 medium zucchini (aiming for 2 cups of shredded zucchini once water has been squeezed out).
    • Can use broccoli instead if your kids prefer that flavor palate, or powdered greens. 
  • 1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese or mozzarella depending on what your kids like.
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 6 eggs
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400. Grease a regular muffin pan (or we used some fun leftover cupcake fillers that made them excited).

Shred one zucchini and wrap in cheese cloth. Squeeze out excess water from the zucchini.

In a medium bowl, mix 1 cup shredded zucchini, eggs bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper.

Using a spoon, scoop the mixture into a greased mini muffin pan. The mixture will make 12 zucchini tots.

Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees until tops start to crisp.

Fall Flavors Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup raw organic sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour (almond flour for GF, or Einkorn for less gluten, white whole wheat is what I would tend to grab)
  • 1 cup vanilla plant potein
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (the one time of year we get to go overboard with this spice)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 cups coconut
  • 1 cup raisin]
  • 2 cups oats

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, and gently fold in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together well, and then add to kitchen-aid, blend until well mixed. Can add coconut, raisins and optional nuts in for an even denser texture (and more goodness snuck in).

When dividing them up and placing on the cookie sheet, be sure to flatten them a bit, as they are dense and won’t move much into a final “cookie shape”. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Serve warm with tea for after school snacks, or send them packing in the mornings!

Posted on

Mother-daughter morning; making winter terrariums

I’ve become very aware of just what a special season we’re in…the sense of our family shifting is clearer to me than to the others, certainly, but we’re all aware of it in our own ways. And it’s a beautiful thing.

You can’t see it here, but they were holding hands, skipping around the corner when I caught them 😉

I think the coming of a new life into a family stretches and changes everyone for the better, not just the parents, but the siblings too. I’ve now seen it several times, and as they get progressively older/more aware, the girls are able to understand just what a significant thing it is to welcome another baby brother–someone who will no doubt bother them at times, annoy their games, try to get into their legos and toys, but also always be up for an adventure, snuggles, someone they will get snacks for, and cuddle when mom is not around (Emma has put Ambrose to sleep, rocking him in the chair in his room–no joke–when Joel and I went away for the weekend last spring and my family was in charge). Their sense of tribe and unity shifts, and it’s something I’m so excited for, but at the same moment, I’m not willing to rush this stage. And this fall I set the intention to pour time and focus into my girls in the unique ways that I can right now, treasuring our special mommy and girls time, knowing that my focus will inevitable shift towards the baby/toddler side of the spectrum again when baby brother arrives…

So last weekend, after Saturday morning gymnastics finished for the semester (and that routine was fun, Ambrose and Joel generally scooting off for Saturday errands and boy time, and me with the girls at their classes)…I was ready to focus on some other neat activities we could do together. This one seemed like the perfect mother-daughter morning, especially combined with brunch at their incredible cafe (you HAVE to try)…so we jumped at it and gladly brought some fun friends along. I love that Terrain offers programs like this for kids–it’s such a magical store set up, and my girls wandered happily with me exploring all of it, before we began.

My girls–while as different as could be in so many ways–are such a fierce partnership, they love and accept each other deeply, and I LOVE seeing them approach activities like this is such completely unique ways, and both get maximum pleasure from it.

Emma was so delicate, precise and choosy with her succulents, decor and the whole process–Corinne was–enjoy the dirt, and cram as much sparkly stuff into her glass container as could possibly fit…hers is literally twice as heavy as a finished product…I had to laugh…and she was saying yes to everything, even when it couldn’t really fit. They both were SO pleased with their final product, it was the perfect amount of structured activity with the nature supplies and freedom to let their creative brains run wild, in a beautiful and inspired setting, while the rain and wind rushed by the window outside.

I love how much fun was had by all, how different each of the creations was, and that we have these incredible indoor treasures to remind us of the beauty of nature and green during these barren winter months.

Here’s a super quick and easy run down of how to make these with your littles at home.

You’ll need:

*A glass container, any size–whimsical is fun, just be sure you know how many succulents you’re trying to fit in, and what sizes they are.

*3-5 succulent plants, mini. These are easy to find at garden stores, and so fun how diverse they are in texture and shape.

*rich potting soil

*Gravel

*colored rocks (decorative)

*Optional add ins: berry branches (tiny), dried mushrooms, tiny twigs, dried bush branches, the more interesting looking the better.

Directions:

*Fill the bottom of glass container with gravel (1/4 full is what they told us)

*Pour the soil in over the rocks, just enough to be able to comfortably plant the succulents

*Remove succulent plants from containers and arrange as you desire

*Cover as much of the soil with decorative/lighter rocks as you can (helps with protecting soil and needing less water)…then fill in with other decor to their hearts content.

*To maintain: water succulents every 10 days to 2 weeks–just a bit of water. They can suffer and die from over-watering, but in my experience are just wonderful to have around, I have some I’ve left alone when on vacation for 10 + days and they do just fine–low maintenance but beautiful = perfect for moms and families.

And when we got home, they put it exactly where they wanted it to go–I’m thrilled with the results, we’ll treasure these for as long as they last us (and succulents are very forgiving:)).

If you make your own, share and tag me so I can see how they turn out.

For more info about the kids programs at Terrain, and to check out their incredible shop, cafe and blog, go here. I know how lucky we are to live close to one;)

My heart skips a beat when I think about them growing up–I know it’s happening and it’s a beautiful thing, but I also know how much I’ll need to fiercely guard and treasure these memories forever. Luckily we hopefully have a life-time of memory making moments together as mothers and daughters.

Enjoy making memories with your littles, no matter what the season–there are so many incredible things for us to create and learn about with them–it keeps me young and forever learning alongside them, as I watch the glow in their eyes and hearts as they try new things and create to their hearts content.

Posted on

8 Must-haves for building a natural medicine cabinet

This is the time of year when I get LOTS of questions about immune support. And believe me, I get it.

We had a rough time of it when our first daughter was little, and in day cares, and we couldn’t keep her healthy. She’d get sick, would need a nebulizer, then we, the parents, would get it, and miss work/struggle to take care of her, and the whole cycle continued. It’s enough to make you dread winter if that’s your experience of it as a parent–and for many I know, it is.

BUT, fast forward to a few years of learning, experiencing and sharing natural nutrition, and now my kids are the ones that stay healthy when their classmates and teachers drop like flies with bugs going around school (knock on wood of course), and haven’t had a doctor’s (sick) visit in over 4 years, 2 (younger ones) have never been on antibiotics, and we don’t frequent the pharmacy. I don’t say this to brag in any way, but to tell you that I was once on the other side, and it is absolutely possible and so valuable to make changes for your family immune system with some preventative tools.

Here’s my top 8 immune builders, straight from our favorite natural nutrition brand partner. You’re going to LOVE stocking these for the winter, and you’ll be armed with confidence that you can go into any family gathering, long holiday weekend, travels and more with these tools at the ready. The goal here is to keep you out of pharmacies, and out of bed (or missing work/school) during these most beautiful weeks of holidays, travels, family time and more. Let’s look forward to the season–and not dread the bugs anymore! #naturalnutritionforthewin

  1. Nutriferon. This is the immune powerhouse of the line. The product was designed by the man who discovered interferon, our bodies’ ability to produce white blood cells and build up immunity within our system. He was invited by Shaklee to use this discovery to create a patented product, and that’s what we have. Works wonders for all winter long keeping immune system super-charged, also works for seasonal allergies and any time that stress, life, sugar, pregnancy or anything that can natural weaken our immune system. LOVE it.
  2. Defend and Resist. Elderberry is all the rage now for it’s immune properties. Apparently it’s pricey and often sold out during winter months on amazon and other sources. Well, this is our perfect blend of elderberry, zinc, echinachea and more. A super powerhouse that we start taking as soon as we get a sniffle…and it is amazing at knocking things out fast and furiously.
  3. Vitalized immunity. I literally start to sweat when I run out of this in the winter. I give it to the kids so often, it’s the natural (and healthy) form of “emergen-C” (which is popular but filled with crap)…and this works every time to nip my kids’ sicknesses in the bud and to keep me healthy. We love the way it fizzes, and the taste. If you can only get one thing from this list, start here.
  4. Optiflora DI. This is the brand new immune boosting probiotic (we all know that gut health plays a key role in immunity)…and it has 4 strains of the most studied bacteria, good for digestion and for building immunity. Years of research went into this product, I love it, I’ve been using it since August and I’m a huge fan. Highly recommended especially for those who are pregnant during the winter and want to stay healthy the natural way.
  5. Pre and Probiotics. These are game changers for most people. I have a friend who literally only added this in, and went from having her family sick much of the winter, to totally well the next year. It’s amazing how simple that is (and sounds)….my kids and husband and I all take these daily, year round.
  6. C-Boost—Chewable C. We all know how important Vitamin C is. Besides all the yummy oranges we’re eating, taking this daily certainly helps. It’s a chewable, and kids love it.
  7. G Boost–Garlic. The first time you open the container and smell these supplements, you may be a bit blown away—literally, but supplementing concentrated garlic is such an awesome way to stay healthy, it’s a natural antibiotic and helps with gut health in addition to overall immunity. It’s part of our emergency “ward off a bug” routine, and you’ll love having it around. But don’t try to crush it and hide it in your kids’ food…they’ll know!:)
  8. Finally, Z boost! Zinc is known for its immune boosting properties, and for $7 for a bottle, you really can’t turn this down.

So stock up, and enjoy a healthy and happy winter. Grab all 8 at once and you’ll get a free gift from me!

And be sure to go onto my business page on FB to let us know how healthy your family is staying this year with these tools (we love pics too!).

Related links if you’re eager to learn more about these topics:

*10 ways to build immunity

*Kids’ health

*Probiotics–why do they matter?

Posted on

3rd Trimester! Things I’m loving these days.

“Pregnancy is a process, that invites you to surrender to the unseen force behind all life”

Well, it’s here–we’re in the homestretch. It happened fast, and now I know the final weeks may fly by even more. I’m really trying to enjoy all the moments, and live this pregnancy intentionally—so much about it has been a total gift, surprise, journey in trust, and I can’t even begin to tell you how my heart has been transforming. It’s the miracle that every time, love multiples. And stretches us, yes, beyond our comfort zones, but it’s there that we truly begin to live.

I’m journaling a lot, enjoying getting to know baby as he kicks his way into my life more and more each day 🙂 Taking time to slow down and be still and marvel at all of it…which pregnancy brings out of me (surprisingly enough!). The holidays are looming, but I know this year will be simpler and more cozy, combined with the nesting, and I’m just really pumped about what the next 12 weeks will bring, for me, and for all of us.

The fact that it’s my easiest pregnancy by far (so far) is helpful, but I also know that I have some practice in doing what’s needed to make sure baby and I are happy and healthy…and I wanted to share a few of my current favorites, knowing that many wonderful moms I know are due sometime right after me, in spring of 2019.

I hope this is a helpful roundup–and feel free to share with a pregnant friend if you think she’d like it.

As a mom of 4, one of the most important aspects of this time is maintaining my energy levels and using my energy on the right things! As any mom will tell you, we can get laser focused on nesting and a bunch of projects related to prepping for baby, and in this case, it’s been a lot of setting up my business structures and flow (and hopefully this space) to work well during my time focusing on baby, and that’s been an exciting and welcome endeavor. Thank goodness for my amazing husband, support crew, and team. And my kids, for putting up with my tidying impulses (neat freak is tied to hormones for me)…our home is feeling cozy, and we’re ready for a winter welcoming the next one into the mix.

People often ask me: so how do you stay so energized in pregnancy?

Answer…like most things in life, it’s not just any one thing. And having a life and balance that you love (in terms of work/life/family/rhythms etc) certainly helps in bringing that joy and energy to everyday.

Anyway, sharing a few things that I’m loving right now, and that are helping me stay strong, energized and happy as we enter the final stage of this beautiful thing called pregnancy.

Daily Habits

Some of you have seen my daily routines/morning flow videos and posts on IG-TV, and others haven’t. Some of the habits I decided to embrace this pregnancy and that have been serving me well:

*Decaf lifestyle…with the exception of this killer cinnamon tea that I’m linking below for you…MUST get. I’ve been trying to avoid full caffeine drinks, and that means decaf coffee, some lighter caffeinated tea, etc. But let me tell you, sleep is one of the most important things for feeling good and powering through a pregnancy (especially with other small kids around) so cutting the caffeine cycle can really help, as hard as it might feel. It won’t serve you that much in postpartum anyway, so now’s a good time to cut back. I instead drink and SWEAR by this super energizing tea, in pomegranate, often mixed with seltzer. It’s a powerful midday boost, with amino acids for brain power, and I’ve gotten other pregnant mommas hooked on it, they tell me it helps them so much. Cheers!!

*Daily stretching/yoga…aiming for 20 minutes in the morning, after tea and prayer time and toddler snuggles…but even 10 minutes helps my body and my mind so much. In the evening, I’ll aim for another 15 but often it’s just restorative stuff–whatever needs to be stretched, child’s pose, legs up the wall, pigeon pose and other ones that help counter-act the effects of the busy days. Maybe I’ll do another post with my favorites if there’s interest (comment if you’d like to see that);) If you’re new to pre-natal yoga, and want to start…I like these.

*Daily walks. I walk 2 miles per day about 4-5/week. The other days I am either hiking with the family (for weekend movement), or at the gym doing weights and treadmill or elliptical. Moving every day is not a luxury, it’s a necessity for pregnancy. I notice the difference in even just 1-2 days if I don’t do a long walk, I’m stiffer, more sore, everything feels tight, and there’s so many reasons to believe that walking and natural movement help us in staying strong and preparing for a wonderful delivery and recovery. In my experience coaching moms, the biggest things moms can do for their mindset, their confidence, stamina, and their ability to jump into a postpartum fitness routine, and even preventing some of the mood challenges of the 3rd trimester and postpartum (PPD), staying fit in pregnancy is of top priority. See more about my thoughts on running while pregnant here…and share your thoughts about your favorite types of workouts to do while pregnant! I also love barre for another low impact but high results pregnancy workout, and of course, plyometrics and yoga and other things, with the approval of your doctor.

*Every Mother. I LOVE the prepare program. 3 words, Mommas: There’s. An. App. (No excuses). She taught me how to move properly, preventing injury and healing a core strained from big babies, and with the help of my physical therapist, I’ve had an entirely different experience of core strength and posture and balance in this pregnancy than with my other ones…it’s been a game changer. So many women suffer from Diasistis Recti, and even moms who don’t may feel like their core will never feel balanced and strong in the same way again— and I believe that with this program, DR and core injury can be prevented the majority of the time from ever occurring (and we prefer prevention right?:)) And Leah’s recovery program is fantastic as well, so you’re ready to go with that as soon as you’re cleared after birth. I’m not affiliated with them in any way yet (I’m considering being a coach in future), this is just my fan review (and you can read my featured member story soon on their site).

Books I’m loving:

I needed this book. It’s like Ina May, but for Catholics. Just inspirational, wise, not over bearing or judgmental, just some helpful reflections to really enter the right state of mind for welcoming and appreciating labor for what it is. I have to say, wish I’d had it around to read with my first…but here it is and you can enjoy it too if it looks valuable.

AND, since I’m heading into sons, plural, I’m reading this one that my mom gave me…yay mom.

And I’m always reading something inspirational/non-fiction for my coaching life, so currently, finishing the year strong with my influencers book club with this one.

SO GOOD. What we read in the final trimester (and watch) can really affect us–so think about it, this may not be the moment to start that intense tear-jerker fiction series or to watch a bunch of intense movies/TV. Your brain and everything is being re-wired to be a protective, nurturing (and nurtured) space for babe. Understanding that has helped me immensely in the final weeks. Same goes for birth stories….maybe lots of folks will want to share their “horror stories” or “best ever birth” stories—honor your intuition and if you don’t think those will help you right now, politely explain so.

Styling the bump.

At this point, you’ve probably all seen how much I LOVE, live in, and rave about Blanqi. These support tanks and leggings came into my life in my 2nd pregnancy and were a game changer. The tanks work great styled under piece (at the time, it was office clothes, now it’s good ol’ maternity jeans). They allowed me to comfortably run and workout feeling support until 38 weeks pregnant with my Corinne…and I’ve used them ever since. This year,  #blanqigirls came out with a sport specific legging, and I’m obsessed. It’s designed with momma’s body and health in mind, compression in the lower legs/calves, more relaxed up above, a super sleek and supportive belly band, it’s just juicy, I wear it to the gym, on runs, daily walks, and just about everywhere else. It’s fun that I know the amazing mommas who started the brand too–they are super inspiring #bossbabes who’ve created a powerful brand–it’s awesome to support them while (literally) supporting our backs and bumps!

And Stitch Fix! Nothing like not wanting to go shopping while pregnant–but finding that every week, things fit differently and new stylish pieces are an absolute must, especially in the final trimester, to continue feeling good and enjoying rocking pregnancy 😉 You’re a posterboard for motherhood, and hopefully a joyful one at that, so might as well look the part! That’s my realization, after years of not wanting to buy new things for pregnancy, it’s just so good to have a few new pieces and things that fit well and are flattering. So, the way it works is, they send you a box, and you get to decide what to keep and what to send back. And believe me, the ease of having a personal stylist do it for you is welcome always, but especially appreciated in pregnancy and postpartum. Effortless, and very little risk. Check it out here with my referral code for $25 off your first box–do it. You won’t regret it 🙂  I’m wearing a reversible vest and maroon sweater from stitch in the top photo 😉

Note about final trimester–definitely shoe shop. Get some that are super comfy, supportive for arches, FLAT, natural if possible, TOMS are great, but shop a size up, just embracing the fact that for the moment, your feet might be running a bit bigger/wider. There is nothing worse than trying to squeeze pregnant feet into shoes that are our normal size. Nothing about us is normal right now…and it’s good to know that you’ll be back in those soon, but get something super helpful that you enjoy moving and walking in daily in the final weeks. For me, that’s TOMS, and this year, my super comfy fur lined boots that are a bit big on me, sized up for boot socks. My last pregnancy, I got some super stylish grey sneakers for the final trimester that I’ve ended up wearing SO much, in all seasons, and they were one of the best purchases from that time. Feeling good is not a luxury, it’s important right now.

Self-care things I’m enjoying:

Epsom salt/magnesium baths–2-3 times per week. These are SO good for our nervous system, balancing out hormones, promoting deep sleep and rest/recovery for aching muscles, and so much more. Our magnesium needs go through the roof in pregnancy, and while I also take a nightly Cal-Mag supplement that I swear by, this is another great way to absorb the magnesium in the skin. Make sure the bath isn’t too steamy, and enjoy with candles, tea, a good book, and some quiet time.

Belly rubs: In addition to pre-natal massage–which I LOVE, doing nightly belly rubs with a shea butter like this one (and supplementing vitamin E) can greatly reduce chances of stretch marks on the belly. I’m 3 for 3 with avoiding those (oh, and eating lots of avocados and nuts helps too!)–and hoping that I can keep it that way for a 4th 😉 Feels so good at the end of a long day, and as part of my yoga/stretching and night time rituals. Grab your shea butter spa cream here. It’s 100% clean guarantee, like the rest of our youth skincare line–no parabens or any of that icky stuff to worry about for you and baby–as part of your total non-toxic lifestyle upgrade. Or get your partner to do a full body massage with this stuff–you’ll be in heaven. The smell and texture is just perfect, my body/hands crave it in the winter.

Nightly legs up the wall/restorative yoga pose. This could very well change your late pregnancy (and a few of the tools below) if you decide to try it. I discovered it with my first, and it’s such a perfect combination of rest, and healing/restoring/undoing the day (literally, by removing the excess blood flow/fluid built up by days on our feet, running around). I do it most evenings, and that, combined with the mag baths, is the perfect transition from the busy-ness of the day, to the tranquility and peaceful state that I aim for in the evenings (when 2 out of the 3 at least are sleeping ;)) You just need a wall, and a comfy pillow to support your head/spine if needed. Enjoy, and feel the difference!

And…extra but oh-so-essential for a thriving pregnancy.

Physical Therapy for Pelvis/Back. I love Melissa, I’ve been going to her for years (how amazing that she’s located in my midwives’ office–talk about caring for moms holistically!), she makes me feel amazing and keeps me active at high levels in pregnancy and postpartum. Everyone needs to find themselves a good pelvic physical therapist (different from chiropractor, which are great, but less able to really work these areas that mommas need most).

Reflexology–this is my absolute treat evening (just had one tonight)–sneaking away to tea and reflexology with Pippa who’s become a dear friend over a year of caring for me–reflexology reminds us of just how deeply mind, body, and spirit are connected–when we begin healing one aspect, the other ones are healed as well…it’s an incredible thing, and awesome for reducing nausea in early and late pregnancy, prepping for a quick and smooth delivery, and much more. She also balanced my hormones very effectively in postpartum and to prepare/conceive this little guy–such an amazing lady–search around and find a true healer (acupuncture is also amazing, and I’ve loved that in past pregnancies).

Prenatal Massage (a sometimes splurge in the final weeks/months)…have you heard of myscofascial release? Well with my 3rd, I had some life changing massage experiences with Suzu, who’s trained to treat mommas, and boy is she good. She teaches us to do self-massage that’s healing for the uterus and all internal organs, helps so much in the final weeks and in prepping for birth. I imagine there’s someone great at this in your area…this could be a game changer for you too!

Caring for self deeply is caring for baby, as our thriving is intertwined in these final weeks. It’s a beautiful thing.

Nutrition Tools for 3rd Trimester/Home Stretch

You all know this is my jam. I’ve made a business and lifestyle out of health coaching, nutrition partnership and LOVE seeing mommas rock pregnancy, postpartum and all things family life with these tools. Here’s some of my favorites that I’m using/can’t imagine life without right now.

This tea. Well this tea is awesome, I’ll start drinking it daily around week 32, and it’s got red raspberry leaf, nettles, chamomile and rosehips. Great for toning the uterus and preparing for labor. I’ll also start EPO (Evening Primrose oil) around 34 weeks and go crazy with that for prepping cervix to soften and dilate.

Dates. You might have seen my recent post on pregnancy snacking, with a super yummy dates and almond butter combo, that’s to die for.  I’ll have a handful of dates every day for the final weeks; they are known for their properties of making labor easier—how they can prove this is fascinating and beyond my scope, but it’s been studied and seems to hold up. Pretty amazing, the power of nutrition when harnessed to our specific needs.

And, of course, you’ve heard me swear by the pre-natal strip (never too late to start taking it, if you feel this might be the moment)…the link here includes many testimonials from midwives (rave reviews) and other moms who’ve used it for super healthy pregnancies, deliveries and babies. I have always gotten complimented on my gorgeous placentas (abnormally huge and healthy, “textbook” I’ve been told)–with the 2 pregnancies I had using these supports. We all want the best we can do for our babies in the womb, and this little strip just might be it. Plus, the probiotic helps mommas so much (no acid reflux please), and it’s helped several of my anemic friends to resolve their iron deficiencies in pregnancy too!

This GLA complex is for hormonal balance. Helps me tremendously in the final weeks, when our hormones can send moods through the wringer, and balancing out appetite, nausea, etc. I also find that building it up in my system before birth is helpful and key for a smoother postpartum, with less mood swings, and no signs of PPD (which I had bouts of with my first, before I discovered this). It’s something every momma will want to have around for those days after birth.

Vitamin E. Miracle working for avoiding varicose veins, and keeping skin healthy supple and strong. Take it orally, it works wonders.

Alfalfa. This, plus the yoga pose mentioned earlier, are my 2 favorite antidotes to the inevitable 3rd trimester ankle swelling/bloating/water retention. Believe me, with alfalfa in your 3rd trimester, you can eliminate that discomfort almost completely (And staying hydrated of course!) and bonus that it helps with preparing for lactation, and a balanced and fantastic milk supply (think, no engorgement, no lack of milk, just balanced, has been my experience). If you do one thing differently in pregnancy–try this for your 3rd trimester…!

Pineapple—pineapple is known for toning the uterus/cervix and helping with a smooth labor and delivery. I adore snacking on it, so I’ll have lots of it in the coming weeks.

And of course, dark chocolate;) Continuing to eat intuitively, locally, colorfully and enjoying all the moments. This little guy has been so good to me, and I’m just about ready to meet him…after we enjoy our beautiful last holiday season as a family of 5!

Hugs to all the pregnant mommas reading this. You’re amazing and deserve to have a fantastic pregnancy experience. I’m here to support in anyway I can. Reach out!💋

Posted on

Super simple and delicious apple crisp! (GF and paleo variations included)

I’ve seen the pictures of you all with your cuties, out in orchards, and we went yesterday and did some damage there ourselves…lots of tree climbing, and fun, and finding tiny apples for their baby brother–they really got so into it…it was just the girls and I, and my dear cousin Lucy–Ambrose was passed out after our fun family hike, and Joel was happily chilling with him. I enjoyed the quality time with these two, they are just so grown up these days and I laugh often at their witty comments and overall zest for life…

The orchard was empty because it was the end of the day!–total win–which, by the way, you have to check out. It’s been in the same family as a farm since it was bought from the Indians in the 1700’s! In Litchfield Country. It was right at sunset we had the most gorgeous vistas on 3 sides as we picked, I would have come just for those.

SO, what do we do with all these apples lying around? Here’s a super fun, simple recipe that you can feel good about eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner…and, dessert;)

I made ours Gluten free (coconut flour, easy substitution) and you can easily make it paleo as well with the addition/sub of coconut sugar, or honey instead…Keto would be stevia, didn’t figure out the quantities for that, but the apples you choose could be balanced/sweet enough that you don’t need extra sugar in the crumble topping! So get creative, have fun, feel free to enlist some little hands to help you, and enjoy this delicious seasonal favorite.

Pro tip…try pairing it with Talenti Coconut icecream instead of vanilla or whipped cream–just might blow your socks off:)

Super Simple Apple Crisp

(6 ingredients, optional GF/Paleo variations)

*Apples–2-3 lbs, peeled and sliced thin. I like to do a blend of tart apples for the best crisp flavor. This time we picked Ida Reds and Empire apples, so this is a combination of those. Get creative, and enjoy the local flavors available to you!

Optional but encouraged: sprinkle some fresh lemon juice on these and let them sit in the buttered pie pan while you make the topping.

*1 stick butter, some for the pan, some for the topping.

*1 cup organic oats

*1/2 cup organic brown sugar, raw sugar, or coconut sugar (for paleo), or 1/4 cup honey…consistency will be trickier but it works.

*1/2 cup flour: coconut flour, regular flour, or omit if you want.

Optional extra seasonings: 1/2 tsp salt (if butter not salted) and 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Prep the 9 in glass pie pan with butter, then peel, slice, layer in the apples with lemon juice and cinnamon mixed in, let them sit while you prepare the crumble.

Cut butter into oats and flour & sugar, using a pasty cutter. I’m not kidding, it’s truly the way to go. Channel your inner Julie Child and enjoy.

Preheat the oven to 350.

When the pan is 3/4 full of apples, pour the topping in, and throw them in the oven for 15-20 minutes…look for brown and bubbling on the edges, and that the apples are softening on the underside when you check them. You may want to turn it down to 325 if it’s browning on top after less than 15 minutes, as you need the apples to thoroughly soften and cook down a bit. Ovens are so varied so be sure to keep a close eye and trust your judgement. You’ll smell the heavenly fall flavors, and I dare you not to eat it while it’s warm!

 

Serve with your icecream, fresh whipped cream or side of choice–cheers to October and delicious seasonal treats!!!!

If you make this, tag me on social and share with friends–love simplified seasonal eating!

AND! Check out my new seasonal meal plan offerings–for more of the favorite fall and winter flavors we love, also simplified…here! Amazing new trial program happening now through the end of the year–would love to have you join us for weekly delicious seasonal recipes up until the new year!