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Category: Celebration moments

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2021: Simplifying the holiday season

2021 has been quite a year. Maybe not on the level of 2020, but in some ways, even more challenging & complicated to navigate, as we tried in various ways to get back to life as normal, and yet still faced so many new frustations, challenges, precedents, expectations, differing views on the best way through the pandemic experience, etc.

I don’t know about you, but I’m totally ready for a quiet & simple holiday season. This topic is always dear to my heart, and I find it always strikes a chord. We want to find a way through that doesn’t leave us battered & burnt-out by December 31st.

But how to pull that off?

For some of us, travel is back in the picture. It can certainly feel complicated, even when you’re excited about being with loved ones….the logistics can really eat away at the fun…or it can be viewed as an opportunity to change the pace, and, yep, simplify!

For us, after being home for 4 Christmases in a row (unusual) due to putting down roots in CT, new baby (Blaise born Jan), home reno craziness, and pregnant with Nellie/wanting to stay put last year…we’re ready to hit the road & enjoy some time with our Southern family.

(And we just came back from a glorious weekend in Portland, ME, unplugged & exploring, spending time in nature, in fun new places, soaking up the family time).

It’s in sync with our general feel that we want to focus on experiences, memory making & quality time as a family, over stuff, toys, more junk for the home & kids this year. I know others are feeling the same.

Staying home is amazing, and yet also presents its own challenges: how to host graciously but without being overly stressed & exhausted by the experience? How to rein in the desire to go overboard with decorating, bursting the budget & everyone’s patience as you decorate everything you can lay your hands on? (guilty of that last year thanks to nesting & home project mode).

How to lean into the experiences, moments, and memories that you want to carry with you, and that you all value, and to let go of the rest, or have it fade into the background?

Sometimes, it’s about making a DON’T DO list, along with your TO DO’s lists.

I can tell you with full clarity that I NEVER want to have the experience (again) of rushing around to stores like target or walmart, in evening traffic (it’s pitch black by 5 here), shopping frantically for stuff that may or may not be super important to have, but that feeling of frenzy & being out & about (especially with an infant) when I could be home cozy by the fire. No thanks. I’ll pass up on those deals, refocus on shopping locally, or creatively, & save my time & sanity 😉

For some people, it’s about skipping the long mall lines for Santa pics, and choosing to do something that suits your family better, like going to pick & cut your own tree, or doing a caroling party with friends.

What’s on your holiday DON’T DO list?

But, so, how to do holidays well? How to lean into the good stuff…and somehow carry the load of it all peacefully? How to discern what to go all-in, pinterest details crazy on, and what to offload, outsource or streamline so it causes no brainpower or stress. Certainly, some things like holiday greeting cards, can be as simplified or as complicated as you like–time & budget allowing. Other things like baking might thrill some families, and leave other families lackluster. So you’ll want to lean into your own particular emphasis for the season, and leave comparison or insta-envy at the door.

Here’s a few tips & musings of mine, that I hope will be helpful. I don’t have all the answers, but I have been trying for years to find that balance of holiday season work & play, rest & bustle, memory making, and detail check-listing. At the end of the day, leaving extra space for the unexpected is always my favorite part, especially with little ones. Sometimes they just need the room to be creative, cozy, playful, imaginative, generous (making gifts for loved ones), etc. It’s too tempting to over-program the days around the holidays but we all need down time for rest, and cozy winter rituals like tea & reading.

  1. Make a list of your priorities & top traditions. Pretty obvious but this is always where to start. Now my kids are old enough, the girls remember our “traditions” during Advent & the weeks before Christmas. We talk about the things we’ve done, what our options are, and then make our list & get organized/ get tix. Things like Breakfast with Santa get mixed interest from the crowd, but other things like the Holiday train show will get 100% major satisfaction & is worth the effort that goes into such outings. Once you have this list, it’s pretty easy to start with the most important & work down, when you’ll do them, and everything else falls into place around this. When your kids are little, and you’re intentionally working to create these traditions, it’s good to keep the bigger picture/vision in mind–and lean into things that you feel will stand the test of time.
  2. Decide WHO you want to make memories with. For us, we usually plan a cookie party, and this year we plan to invite some new friends. We’re doing a few key December outings & invited friends *and mothers helpers* along to make them extra fun. I have a moms brunch on the calendar that doubles as an excuse for a bit of shopping, and the kids have specific things like ice-skating that they will be meeting friends for. The month can fill so fast, so I like to sit down with the kids, chat about it all (#1), mark in dates/plan with folks & reserve/get tix well before Dec 1 hits, so that the rush of everyone’s full calendars doesn’t affect you getting that time that you want with friends & loved ones.
  3. Carve out down time. This might sound counterintuitive or obvious after points 1 & 2. But the whole thing about filling your calendar is, you also need to balance it with—rest, quiet, cozy fireside, peaceful “crafternoons” as we jokingly call them fill in some of that down time for us, as do long fireside evenings with Christmas read-alouds, etc. Get out for fresh air & nature time. Parents–make time for dates: walks and hot cocoa are our favorite during fall/winter, or intentional family time even in the midst of what feels to be an extra full season. Having a list of family holiday movie favorites and some new board games by the fire is a great way to connect & decompress during the December weeks.
  4. Get outside. This is so important on so many levels. It’s important especially to get out into nature & soak up the fresh winter air, get some Vit D during the precious daylight hours, get the lungs pumping & bodies moving. This is especially important for combatting the stress of staring at the to-do list or the rarely-clean kitchen during busy weeks, etc. It will also motivate you—get your checklisting done during rainy or quiet/cold days & get out into the winter sunshine whenever opportunity allows. This can also turn into gathering fresh greens, berries, or other foliage for indoor decor, and double as nature’s shopping trip 😉 Nature always gives us a chance for a fresh perspective on the day & our priorities.
  5. Don’t be afraid to say NO. A few years ago, I read a book called the BEST YES. Its premise is that in order for your YES to be “the best”, you have to be saying NO to lots of things that aren’t a good fit or worthy of your attention/energy. That way, you’ve created space to say YES fully & go all in on things that matter to you. These holiday weeks you might be getting all the invites & some of them sound great, and some don’t. Or the pressures of school play & volunteering etc coinciding with other holiday events makes you want to pull your hair out. Just say no. No one will die. Better to underpromise & keep your sanity & happiness than to over-commit, regret it, run around like a crazy person, and get so flustered you forget that we’re celebrating the simplest event in human history: a baby born in a stable.
  6. Don’t sacrifice sleep. Let’s just say, learned this one from experience. You need your rest, and this is officially hibernation season. Embrace zzs, for your health: both physical & mental. I love a good epsom salt bath, some dark chocolate & fireside cuddles or reading to reset & renew….but yes, sleep trumps all. Here’s my new favorite sleep supplement (dream serene) to help you get your best night of sleep.
  7. Take care of yourself. Vitamins, exercise, regular meals, sounds basic but in the scramble of a busy season it can easily get shelved or go out the window. Everyone in your life needs you at your best. So schedule it, plan it in when approaching each day & make it happen. Stretch, walk daily, eat fresh greens, seasonal soups, drink delicious teas rather than just pounding caffeinated/sugary drinks from the starbucks holiday menu. Here’s a few of my favorites, starting with…the oh-so-necessary….Stress Relief complex (with ashwaganda). You better believe I take one of these daily as part of my best & simplified December.
  8. Just exhale & welcome quiet & stillness. Simple, but oh so hard sometimes. I take inspiration from the colder weather, the chance to curl up indoors or by a roaring fire while flurries fall outside here in CT. Take a deep breath, gather inspiration from advent reflections (I snagged the The Holy Way: a beautiful advent journal compiled by my friend Elizabeth), write about what’s important for you & why. Make this a journey of the soul, and let all your inspired activities & generous crafting, decorating & gifting come from the simple impulse of a heart, in love.
  9. Outsource & streamline. This is pretty obvious, right? Don’t scrub your toilets while baking & prepping for guests to arrive–let someone else take care of that! Get your meal plans set up, groceries delivered, and don’t hesitate to utilize take-out on the especially full days so you can be present to what you need to. Streamline your outings/errands (or find a way to get it all done online or extremely locally;), and batch work & play where you can. It may not be perfect, but the goal is to help you focus in on your core December goals, and areas of interest for the holidays, keep you in flow, and let the other stuff fade into the background.
  10. Focus on EXPERIENCES, over STUFF. This is my intention for this season, and already, having unplugged & spent the busiest shopping weekend of the year hiking, exploring with the fam, and watching the waves roll on the coast of Maine, I have no regrets. We’ll always remember the people, the moments, and the intentions behind the gifts more than the gifts themselves. So see how you can simplify, and give YOURSELF & the gift of TIME this year…present & peaceful, and…thriving!

It’s ok if the gingerbread isn’t made from scratch. If you have cute decorating kits & everyone in the family gets into it, we’ll call it a win. It’s ok if you don’t do alot of December outings this year; if you decide your energy is better focused at home on simple decor & celebration moments…what matters is that you’re serene, clear-headed, and your heart is quiet enough to be able to hear the whisperings of magic & the callings to your heart during these weeks.

Cheers friends. I know this is easier said than done, but hopefully if we keep these ideas in the forefront, we’ll savor & celebrate all the moments of the season, and come out of it all renewed, inspired, invigorated, filled up with the goodness & pure beauty of life during these meaningful moments.

Yes, I know there are many reasons why the holidays can be a particularly challenging season. And simplifying can only make it better. Keep some space open for renewal of heart & mind & body, and preparing to face the new year…transformed.

She can’t wait for her first Christmas!:)

This is our chance. Let’s thrive through the holidays. And focus in on the greatest gift—of new life given to us in this season that makes sense of every moment of our life.

lots of love & gratitude for you!

Maddy

PS: Tag me if you’re sharing about how you’re #thrivingthroughtheholidays & tag me @maddypidel

(Here’s my Dec love letter & specials to my VIP community, if you’re not on there).

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Loaded chicken tortilla soup: perfect for fall evenings & postpartum mommas ;)

I had a big response/request to share this recipe when I posted about making it on instagram. I know some people like to bookmark/save blog links vs insta stories so I’m sharing it here.

This recipe came into my awareness through a magazine (Costco–via Kim Holderness’ new cookbook “Everybody Fights”) …and was pinned on my pantry door in preparation for my postpartum season with Nellie… “Chicken anxiety tortilla soup” was the original title-and I loved what was in it–knowing I might doctor it up a bit. The secret/surprise ingredient from the original recipe is a can of coconut milk…gives it just a creamier edge & blends perfectly with the hotter flavors of the soup–I think it’s the right balancing act, and packs a nutritional punch too, perfect. The spices in it are what gives the recipe its name—cumin and tumeric are known for their calming effect even while warming the blood—this is a perfect soup to make for a momma in her postpartum phase–the collagen & nutrients of the bone broth, the soft veggies of all kinds & the easy to digest & warming palette (spices) make this perfect for her. If you’re trying to sneak more veggies into your kids–or husband–they will never guess that this is loaded with goodness

So if you’re like me…and value the benefits of a home-made bone broth—then grab your organic rotisserie chicken, strip the meat off, and make your bone broth the day before (or in the afternoon if you’re planning this soup for dinner). It calls for 2-3 cups of broth, which is about half what you’ll get from simmering your chicken bones on low for 3-4 hours (and hence, why I offer a generous doubling of this recipe–it keeps well & just seems to get better the second time you warm it up!)

This recipe got some of it’s additions from my kitchen (the peppers) because we were using them for part of my brand update photo shoot (can’t wait to share more soon!)…and of course they weren’t going to waste. I adore the bright color & bright taste they add to this, after some mellowing by sauteeing, of course.

Fall Calming Chicken Tortilla Soup

*4-6 cups of bone broth, homemade or from a container *depends on how *soupy* you like it, and how much of each of the below you add…

*1-2lbs cooked chicken, cut/shredded finely

*1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk

*2 zucchini

*2 cups carrots, chopped (I used baby carrots to save some steps)

*1 can 28 oz organic diced tomatoes, drained

*4-5 mini peppers–orange, red, yellow, well chopped

*2 medium onions, chopped

*4 garlic cloves, minced

*2 tsp ground cumin

*2 tsp ground tumeric

*2 tsp smoked paprika

*Salt & pepper to taste

*Olive oil for sauteeing veggies

Get the broth warming, and throw in the chicken & coconut milk. Saute the veggies in batches–I did onions & garlic with zuchinni, carrots seperate, and then peppers, since cook times vary to get them soft. Add to soup. Throw in your spices & simmer for 30 min while you take a brisk fall evening stroll or toss the football in the yard with your kids.

Serve with sour cream, avocado slices and/or shredded cheese, and tortilla chips—either on the side or crushed up in the soup, depending on your preference.

Cheers! Enjoy this warm hug of fall comfort in a bowl, from my kitchen to yours.

~Maddy

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Postpartum Tools for Thriving: Maddy’s Favorites

An energized, balanced and happy mom is the most important thing for a baby’s well-being in the early stages. Postpartum is meant to be a time where mom and baby thrive. At no other time (besides pregnancy) does a mother’s care for herself translate so directly into the care she provides for her baby. A mother’s body is doing so much in postpartum to provide for her baby’s health and growth.

It’s a beautiful thing to be able to provide the BEST of nutrition and holistic tools to help postpartum mothers feel their best.

As someone who’s had 5 babies, I can tell you that I’ve had a variety of experiences. All these tools mentioned below are ones I discovered after my first postpartum recovery, which was…rough, to say the least.

At the time, I couldn’t imagine how a mom could enjoy the postpartum time, but with these tools that I have now, I can honestly say that I look forward to and absolutely LOVE the early days. Ideally, there is gentle healing/recovery, adjusting to your baby’s needs, carving out quiet and rest and a safe space for the new addition to flourish and thrive.

Because it’s so foreign to our modern sensibilities to value rest, quiet, stillness, and deep nourishment, it takes intention and planning to make this kind of postpartum lifestyle your reality.

Everything in this list I personally use (some are from my favorite brand partner) and I can vouch for the difference they make–I feel it’s my responsibility to share what’s worked for me & so many of the mommas I support/coach in PP…it is possible & you deserve to thrive at every moment of this fragile & beautiful season with baby!!

Early Postpartum Recovery Tools:

*The Every Mother Early Reclaim program is my absolute favorite. It’s changed my body forever and allows me to recover faster and stronger after each baby I’ve had and return to working out more balanced and whole than before. You can start as early as 1 week postpartum, and it’s 100% safe and doctor approved.

Get 15% of Every Mother when using my referal code MPIDEL15 at this link. You won’t regret it 😉

*Postpartum stretching and body image program. This is something I put together in my 4th postpartum, when it was essential to me to regain balance and a sense of well-being and strength before doing more intense workouts. It connected me to my PP body in new levels of appreciation and love, and I’ll share that with you in a 7 video series that you can easily fit into PP days. These are short videos and stretching guides to help you in the healing process, and to feel amazing.

Postpartum stretching series

Next Level Nutrition for Postpartum

Healing and reducing inflammation

*Vivix is my hands-down favorite for promoting/supporting the healing process in your body.

*Bone broths, and products high in collagen are key for postpartum nutrition

*New Collagen product that I throw into my shakes (after first 40 days) or into soups/yogurt/etc before that. Incredibly important for healing/reshaping your skin

*Alfalfa (also helpful for breastfeeding)…this is one of nature’s supergreens, and you can get it in tablet form…helps with letting go of that oh-so-burdensome water weight & bloating after pregnancy, and also helps with energy levels.

*These are key during first 40 days when your body is doing the bulk of the initial healing work after birth*

For more ideas & inspiration about how to design & live the first 40 days, and the following months of PP, see my new mini course, coming soon…details here.

Nutrition baseline and Energy

*Postnatal depletion is so common and so unfortunate. You’re giving the very best of yourself to baby during pregnancy & if you choose to breastfeed, it just keeps going. You need to replenish after birth with the very best, and that’s been my experience in postpartum. After my first, I found myself dragging, exhausted, it wasn’t just the sleep-less nights. My body really was running on empty. My prenatal (at the time ) wasn’t doing anything for me, it was just expensive pee.

Fast forward to now…I have crazy amounts of energy, and don’t experience that deep fatigue so often associated with postpartum early weeks…I’m careful to rest, and balance with all of the recs here, but in particular, your baseline nutrition is KEY for how you’ll both nourish baby (my infants are off the charts for weight in early weeks ;), my favorite marker)…and yourself!

Nourishment also looks like…

*Doing things that bring you joy each day

*Taking tasks/housework/childcare off your plate & mental load–letting yourself be pampered & cared for the way you’re caring for baby

*Making choices about what you want each day to look like; clear boundaries, rituals that support you & baby, and trusting your intuition.

Here’s my 2 favorite recs. I actually mix & match, doing the meology packs and vitalizer strips alternating since I love both programs immensely & can’t choose one over the other….my meology pack has alot of omegas for example for brain health/mood balancing, and the vitalizer has those oh-so-beautiful combinations of nutrients designed to help mommas thrive and feel better than ever!!

Vitalizer Women: A best-in-class complete pre/postnatal plan with a daily strip you can throw in a diaper bag or take anywhere–it’s simple, comprehensive (80 bio-optimized nutrients from Bs, D’s and vitalea w iron, to a powerful probiotic). You’ll never go back once you start.

Me-ology: (It’s a totally personalized nutrition program where you put in your 3 main health goals and it creates a special nutrition pack just for your needs). I love this one, and it can vary alot in cost based on the goals you have and the supplements included. Play around with it, try it for 30 days, and the nice thing is that you can also adjust the pack as your health goals change, which is common in the 9 months following baby.

If you’re not sure which one to focus on, or have questions when looking at the details, email me hello@maddypidel.com….the meology will also prompt me when you’ve taken the quiz so we can discuss your results 🙂

Digestion

Any mother can tell you–digestion is one of those tricky things after birth and can be the difference between a pleasant & unpleasant first few weeks, as the body re-adjusts, organs move back into proper place, swelling & inflammation go down, and the body’s metabolism & digestion is natural sluggish right after birth when establishing the breastfeeding/milk production routine…

*Optiflora DI–a best-in-class probiotic with 4 strains that are highly studied & proven to work well together for not only gut health (which ties in with mood) but also for immunity boosting–something every new momma needs 😉

*Ez-Gest–digestive enzymes are key for maintaining a proper digestive pace, and especially in PP, these can play a key role when digestion can sometimes be sluggish. Helps break down food that can also keep baby from having tummy upsets (as does optiflora).

Garlic Complex–can be a useful aid; nature’s anti-biotic and helps kill off bad bacteria in the gut (while kombucha can help replace with new positive organisms). I take it on occasion.

Breastfeeding Support

A beautiful gift to baby & incredible for bonding/establishing strong mother-baby connections–but obviously something that isn’t the right choice for everyone, so no judgement. For me…it’s been a cornerstone of establishing my own postpartum rhythms & mood balancing, and is one of the reasons that I’ve defaulted to co-sleeping primarily during the first 3 months when milk production is getting established. Whatever you choose, we all know the whole gamut of leaking/cracked nipples/clogged ducts (ugh), and even breast infections. Here’s what I keep on hand to make breastfeeding as smooth as possible—along with a good quality pump which can help in times of engorgement/clogging when baby isn’t up to the challenge.

*Hydrate/Performance Electrolytes. Staying hydrated while breastfeeding, especially in warmer months, can be challenging. The all night feeding sessions take their toll, and we need electrolytes to replenish, not just water. This is my favorite formula, and I love the lemon lime, mixed with the energizing tea & chia seeds–the ultimate PP midday pick-me-up.

*Alfalfa–helps as a galactagogue (milk increase) but also in my experience, this blend with peppermint helps balance if there’s an oversupply issue…also amazing for baby (obviously, as a super green).

*Lecithin is key for thinning milk/unclogging ducts. This particular one works like a charm for me…take 1-3 when I feel a clogged duct issue & it resolves itself quickly with baby/pumps’ help. No time for that nonsense 😉

*Stress relief complex. Because stress can be tied to milk production, or lack thereof, always good to keep this handy. I rely on it in the early weeks to keep off my “edge” & to help both baby & I relax & enjoy the moments we have.

Sleep!

A good night’s sleep is literally magic for a new mom. And the beauty of these supplements is that they pass through (in small quantities) to baby so you can ensure you’re both getting optimal support for your rest.

PM Recovery–this, along with the epsom salt baths, will be a key piece of your early recovery & reducing soreness in the days/weeks following birth. It serves as a muscle relaxer & sleep inducer (with tart cherry) & I love how effective it is. Don’t do postpartum without it. Designed for athletes, and yes, momma, you’re a super star athlete in PP.

Sleep gummies. These have become a favorite in our household since I began using them right before Nellie–it’s always good to have toddlers & other siblings sleeping well at night too. I LOVE how fast these kick in, and how well they knock you out–without a drowsy side effect if you do end up getting some interruptions to a stretch of sleep.

Gentle Sleep complex. Another formula of various herbs to promote restful sleep. I don’t use it as often as the other 2, but it’s equally effective & can be combined with the others—1 tablet of each 😉

Enjoy those precious hours of sleep…and…for the first 3 months, whenever possible…nap!

Hormone Balancing & moods

A very real part of postpartum life. This can really add a challenging dimension to caring for self, for baby, and for basic life stuff when moods are everywhere…even the basic things can feel overwhelming and then the guilt can set in that we aren’t enjoying this time the way we want to be. Here’s a secret….rest, rest, care for momma’s nutrition & mental well-being & the rest will work itself out. These tools can help ALOT & I start taking them in larger amounts (the GLA) in late pregnancy to help begin the process.

*GLA complex (A miracle worker for postpartum moods). It’s so simple & yet so real…these crucial healthy fats help us as we transition from birth through the first 40 days, and beyond.

*Cal-Mag. Not only does it serve the purpose of providing magnesium but it also gives us that crucial calcium boost (esp if you live dairy free like me).

*Magnesium supplements (there are a bunch on the market…I’ve been happy with these calm gummies, & sometimes give them to my kids too)

*Mood lift complex (St.Johns Wort & natural herbs) can be beneficial if you’re more prone to postpartum depression (I’m more prone to PPA, hence mag & stress relief). If you don’t know, have both on hand, and experiment to see if you can get yourself balanced.

*Epsom salt baths (also serve for purposes of relaxing/better sleep)…when we have a depletion of magnesium, we can experience more mood swings, and more swings towards postpartum anxiety. Take it from me, it’s not a great way to experience life with baby…Here’s the PP bath salts I use for healing & mood & sleep.

*Please don’t construe this as medical advice or taking the place of speaking with a counselor or psychologist if you’re having extreme mood swings or having trouble getting emotional balance in PP. You have every right to seek professional help if things feel too far “off” your normal.

Healthy weight in PP

I don’t like the idea of diets in PP–it’s truly a 4 letter word. We’re focused on deep nourishment & nutrition to balance the body, and supporting digestion….naturally, weight loss will follow. Dieting can also mess with moods/balance (deprivation will trigger anxiety in many mommas with good reason…you and baby need all the healthy nutrition you can summon…) But that also doesn’t mean you can’t care for yourself & lose the “baby weight” in simple, safe & effective ways…

Here’s a few things that can aid in feeling great, providing the best healthy snacks & meals in a pinch when mom has only one hand (but can start a blender)…I have many more tips & suggestions from my many years of baby recoveries & getting back to an ideal weight/fitness level…that I’ll share in my upcoming mini course.

*Life Shake plant protein: a simple & delicious meal replacement. I don’t suggest doing them as meal replacements until after 2.5 months, or when baby is established in feeding routines & their own weight gain…you don’t want to jeopardize baby’s caloric intake 😉 It’s So nice & easy to whip up a shake at lunch time, and depending on what you add in, it can be a nice caloric punch & also a treat, that tastes amazing.

*Metabolic boost: recommended for use after 3 months PP, for similiar reasons as above….establishing milk supply, etc, firmly first.

If weight loss is a priority for momma I do have some healthy programs & tools that I can offer you after a quick consult. I have modifications for a 7 day healthy cleanse that is totally safe for mom & baby, and works great (after first 3 months)…as well as other elements of the 180 program that may be tailored to your specific needs. Email me hello@maddypidel.com, and we’ll chat about how to get you to your ideal weight, without dieting or deprivation or reducing baby’s nutrition/milk supply…

My hope for you, momma, is that postpartum is a time of deep rest, deep grounding in the blessings of this season, of this incredible baby that you’ve been gifted with caring for, and that the bonding time is front & center, along with your own care & well-being. You will need to gather a support team to help you along this journey, and you’ll welcome all forms of next-level care that appear. This list of my favorite things is meant to transform your experience of postpartum, and to share all that I’ve learned and benefitted from in my experiences…(things I wish someone had told me or given me when prepping for my first;))…we all have our own unique experiences, but there are many shared elements of postpartum that mommas can connect about, and support each other with. You’re not alone in what you’re going through.

So here we are, sharing the mom tribe wisdom, and of course, if you have questions or want additional support in your postpartum journey, I highly encourage you to check out the mini-course I’ve been working on for you…it does touch on many of these areas & goes much deeper into other areas such as fitness, postpartum productivity & life design,

All my love,

Maddy

Reach me at hello@maddypidel.com with comments, questions, or just to say hello 🙂

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A “Galentines” (Valentines) Tea Party

My girls and I started talking about this idea in late January…we love to host (limited socializing in covid has not dampened our love for a good party)…and wanted to celebrate friendships & plan a fun treat for ourselves & our gal pals on Valentines.

It feels like just yesterday my girls were 3 & 6, just starting to love tea party traditions…and we used to throw them with their friends for just about any occasion and on cozy winter afternoons. As I look at them now, 7 & 10, I know that when I blink they will be teenagers & then heading off…these moments feel so precious, and a big part of living #inspiredmotherhood for me, is leaning into the things we love to do together (they have a fierce love of hosting & planning special events)…and I never regret it.

It was fun to spend time gathering the needed items & the girls poured themselves into the details, which made it more fun (easy) for me, and a wonderful event from start to finish. We had fun prepping with our favorite neighbor babysitter/mothers helper–it’s all about the details & my girls really enjoyed going all out.

Going all out doesn’t mean exhausting yourself by doing everything…It’s always good to choose to save time/energy where you can (we bought rather than made chocolate covered strawberries, but went all out in other things like prepping origami valentines packets for each guest)…just cut yourself slack & do the things that feel most fun or important.

Sharing some pics & some details of what we came up with, in case you’re inspired to try the same with the little or big gal pals in your life 😉 Doesn’t have to be for valentines…can be for any occasion!

Good friendships are so important, and so worth celebrating.

They featured a seltzer based punch with strawberry slices, orange juice, and food dye to make it that bright pink (but not too sweet). Genius.
This Rose Tea from Organic India was a big hit with the girls, and if you haven’t tried it yet, I think you’ll like it too 🙂
The snack platters featured cheeses (heart shaped brie ;)), pita chips berries, grapes, apple chips, fruit slices & nuts/trail mix. Super delicious & beautiful too.
Always fun to have an excuse to dress up & enjoy treats & chats with good girl friends.

They had a blast…and managed to do a number on all the snacks, sandwiches & platters, in addition to the candy & cookies. Then they went out sledding in the back, because February in CT means a foot of snow on the ground is life as normal 😉

Vintage tea set we got from my friend’s shop Something Special Vintage shop in Wilton made the table setting perfect. You can find beautiful vintage tea sets & they are worth storing for occasions like these.

My friend Antonette is a fantastic baker (sweettreatsbyantonette) and she made us a cookie kit–decorating cookies added to the tea party & gave the girls all something to contribute…and to take a few home for their parents. Find a local baker & support them, or make your own cookies/icing before your tea party for an extra fun surprise 😉

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An inspired & simple (make ahead) Christmas brunch

If you’re like me, Christmas mornings always feel FULL…our focus is always on being together, opening stockings, gifts & relaxing to enjoy each present & moment with our families. In our house, 4 little ones & next year…5, means I want to be fully present to the beautiful chaos rather than in the kitchen on Christmas morning. Of course, we want to eat a delicious brunch once we’re done opening gifts, but it’s nice when the majority of the work is done in advance.

In this case, I made the quiche & the coffee cake the day before, and we re-heated on the big day. My family is also obsessed with biscuits & gravy, which comes from their dad’s Southern roots & is a tradition I accept because he takes responsibility for it 😉

I will share a link for that simple recipe too, in case it inspires you.

Christmas brunch menu

*Festive Quiche (recipe below)…just choose red & green veggies and voila.

*Fruit platter (we went with a red & green fruit theme, and some family favorites like cantaloupe & pomegranates…do what your crowd loves best)

*Sour cream coffee cake (recipe below), one from my childhood, moist & incredibly good.

*Side of bacon or sausage if you have meat lovers in the crowd

*Biscuits & gravy is my family’s indulgence of choice…here’s a good basic recipe.

Christmas morning memories are some of the best there are…I hope these recipes & ideas help you have a peaceful, beautiful & truly inspired morning with loved ones.

All my love,

maddy

Sour cream coffee cake

Ingredients (filling):

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c finely chopped nuts

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

Ingredients (cake):

3 cups all purpose flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1.5 cups granulated (I used raw) sugar

3/4 cup butter, softened

1.5 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

1.5 cups sour cream

Ingredients (glaze):–optional (I find it plenty sweet & delicious without this)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tsp milk

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease bottom and sides of 10×4 inc angel food cake pan, 12 cup fluted tube pan, or 2 9×5 in loaf pans with butter or coconut oil/shortening. In a small bowl, stir all filling ingredients until well mixed; set aside. In a large bowl, stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well mixed, set aside. In another large bowl (ideally kitchenaid to make it easier), beat sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat about 1/4 of the flour mixture and sour cream at a time, alternating, into sugar mixture on low speed until blended.

For pans: if using a round pan, spread 1/3 of the batter in pan, then sprink with 1/3 of the filling, repeating 3 times. For loaf pans, spread 1/4 of the batter in each pan, sprinkle 1/4 of filling, then repeat, once.

Bake angel food or fluted cake pan about 1 hour, loaf pans about 45 min or until toothpick or knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min in the pan on wire rack. Tastes amazing warm and equally amazing reheated the next day!

Breakfast Quiche

Ingredients:

1/2 a red bell pepper, diced & roasted

1 cup spinach or kale, lightly sauteed to soften

1 pie crust (pre-made is fine, we’re trying to simplify 😉 For GF, you can find GF crust, or make your own, or omit the crust entirely, it will still be incredible.

4 large eggs

1/2 c heavy cream

3/4 c milk

1/2 c shredded swiss cheese

1 small onion, finely chopped

salt & pepper

optional: 4 slices bacon, cooked, or 2-3 sausage patties if you want to add meat. It’s delicious either way!

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Line pie pan with crust, and bake for 8-10 minutes. Mix cheese, eggs, cream and milk together. Once the pie crust is cooling, add onions, veggies, meat, and the wet ingredients, salt & pepper. Bake for 10 minutes at 400, then turn oven down to 325 and bake for approx 45 more min…quiche will be golden brown & bubbling when done. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving. I suggest making it Christmas eve, and then reheating at 300 for 20 min on Christmas morn! Bon Appetit!

If you make these dishes, tag me @maddypidel on insta or with hashtag #inspiredeats.

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A December cookie party

My intention at the beginning of this busy season was to front load all the things that had to get done, and then, with time and energy left over, create a list of things we wanted to do if time allowed…and this was on the top of the list, after chatting with the girls. We have done these in the past, when they were super little, like with their friends in Brooklyn, and in recent years, I had always done a smaller version or skipped it all together–just dreading the mess 😉 But this year, we timed it well with my cleaning crew arriving the morning after (as I’m writing this) and we also had an older crowd, who were more helpful than anything–that made a huge difference. They were a few of our favorites from school, that mine idolize, so they were in absolute heaven to have them over for tea and cookie afternoon.

We were working with a gluten allergy, and a diabetic in our group, so the focus was on cookies that everyone could enjoy, and I prefer to bake this way anyway. These 2 recipes from Ambitious kitchen worked so well for what we needed—usually almond flour based cookies are super crumbly and are hard to get into that rolling/shaping mode, but this was wonderful in taste and texture. The gingerbread is super tasty (and I’m pretty picky about mine), so give them a try if they inspire you. I’m sharing the better icing recipe of the 2 offered, because we found it was a better consistency, and while it’s not paleo, if you’ll allow for a little organic powdered sugar in your life, it’s a great recipe. Because, balance.

We also made one other fun (EASY!) cranberry bliss bar variation with GF crust of oats instead of the typical graham cracker crumb. I’ll share that too since they are very easy and delicious, and I made it up, so I’m sure I’ll want to come back to this next year to remember. Oh, and cupcakes, because we had the cutest nutcracker toppers to use, and those were GF from a box 😉 And we needed to have different stations to keep these cute hands busy while the cookies were baking…

Paleo Sugar cookies

Modified from the ones at Ambitious Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups packed fine almond flour (do not use almond meal)
  • 3 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Melt coconut oil, and toss the sugar, honey, egg and vanilla into your kitchenaid. Wait for the coconut oil to cool, then add that in and mix well to combine.
  3. Then, almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well–until a nice dough forms. Allow dough to sit for 5 minutes, at least.
  4. Can roll out and bake immediately, or can wait 24 hours (we made ours the night before), just give it 20 minutes to come back to room temp before attempting to roll it. Shape into all the fun holiday shapes you desire…and then bake for 8-10 minutes on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Remove from oven, and can leave on the counter on the parchment paper, which also makes for an easy decorating set up (we just moved them back and forth during the party). Makes about 15 cookies, depending on the shapes and sizes you use.

Paleo Gingerbread Molasses Cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup melted and cooled coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or use organic cane sugar)
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups packed blanched almond flour–the finer the better.
  • 3/4 cup organic coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger (or can use something called gingerbread spice which is mellower but same idea)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: Organic cane sugar for sprinkling, if desired

ICING (works for both cookies above)

  • 1 cup organic powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a kitchen-aid mixer, mix together melted and cooled coconut oil, coconut sugar, molasses, eggs and vanilla extract. (**Make sure your coconut oil is not HOT; it can be slightly warm just not hot!)
  3. Next add in almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, spices and salt; mix well to combine and form a dough; sometimes using clean hands might be necessary. Let the dough rest for just a few minutes.
  4. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper on a flat even surface. Roll out the dough so that it’s approximately 1/4 inch thick.
  5. Use cookie cutters of choice to cut the dough out and then place each shape on your prepared baking sheet about an inch apart. Sprinkle with organic cane sugar if you’d like then place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finishing cooling. Makes about 18 medium sized cookie shapes.
  6. To make the icing: Using same mixer (quick rinse!)–Mix together the ingredients well, until smooth.
  7. Transfer to a pastry bag to pipe icing onto cookies. We did with knives after it had been refrigerated a bit and was more solid, but you can also use a Ziploc bag and cut a VERY small hole in the corner after adding half of the frosting to the bag, then decorate! Definitely make 2 batches of this frosting–it’s that yummy that you have to make sure some of it makes it on to the cookies. Adapted from Ambitious kitchen.

Cranberry Bliss bars–GF and Easy

*1 cup oats

*1/2 cup butter, softened

*1/2 cup coconut flour

*1/2 bag white chocolate chips (6 oz)

*1/2 bag coconut (6-8 oz)

*1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

*1 cup cranberries, more if desired (I like mine with lots of cranberries)

*1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Mix the butter, oats and coconut flour with your hands or a pastry cutter or both, as if you’re making a crisp/crumble crust. Press into a glass pie pan. Then, layer in cranberries, white chocolate chips, coconut and walnuts, ideally in that order. Then, cover it all with the can of sweetened condensed milk, and bake for 12-14 minutes at 350. That’s it. Cut, serve, and enjoy! It has fruit in it…it must be healthier than your average holiday treat;)…but seriously, it’s an easy crowd pleaser, and packages up pretty well for special deliveries around town!

As we head into the final countdown for Christmas, I’m wishing you all the beautiful memory making, embracing the process and the mess that comes with it, and getting quality time with friends and loved ones, which is always such a gift.

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Healthy Holiday Fudge…and setting the tone for December

Happy December! Can you believe it’s already here?

Probably my favorite month of the year…especially when we keep stress to a minimum and magic and holiday spirit to a maximum!

Celebrating advent–which is a season of preparation–means that we take time to savor the beautiful path leading up to the Christmas celebrations, and it allows us to keep our hearts focused on the right things–the real meaning of the season–the welcoming of the source of all LOVE and LIGHT into the world…and de-emphasizing some of the crazy commercialism, stress and overwhelm that none of us want to welcome into our homes this year.

For me, that means emphasizing simplicity and small, meaningful festive moments with the kids, and keeping our pace as calm and peaceful as can be—Creating space in the days for the good stuff, but not letting the possibilities of it all (Nutcracker, santa sightings, shopping, etc) get us carried away. How do you balance this time of year well? I’d love to know.

This is also the time of year when treats are everywhere…which is fun and festive, but sometimes it can feel like just too much sugar.

This is a fun, healthy twist on a favorite, and the simplicity, the fact that you can switch up the mix-ins, and how much the kids gobble them up, are reasons we keep them around all December…I love bringing small batches for coffee dates with friends…get creative, and tag me when you’re making and sharing them! So fun!

Easiest recipe ever–you’re going to laugh at how good they taste, when you learn how simple they are to make…

Healthy Holiday Fudge

  • 1 cup organic peanut butter or almond butter
  • 1 cup organic honey
  • 1 cup shaklee life shake (we usually do chocolate, but vanilla works great too!)
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, dark chocolate, butterscotch, mini walnuts or other optional mix-ins–not essential but fun to experiment.
  • Sprinkles!

In a medium saucepan, melt peanut butter and honey over med/low heat. Stir in protein until well blended. Then turn off the heat, and add in optional chips/nuts.

Pour into a pie pan or square glass dish to cool. Put your festive sprinkles on it, and pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes…or as long as you can stand it!!:) Sample and enjoy either cold or at room temperature. Makes a great gift and makes an awesome snack for kids and mommas–tons of protein and healthy fats. They won’t even believe you when you tell them it’s healthy:)

I hope that your December is like this recipe—simple, sweet, enjoyed with good company, and full of surprises! 

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Delicious carrot cake, and a 2nd birthday ;)

This recipe is a keeper if you love a rich, flavorful carrot cake–we made the cake and a bunch of cupcakes for a birthday and it worked out well–with some healthy swaps that no one noticed–I’d recommend it for your thanksgiving dessert table!!

 

Last weekend we celebrated Ambrose’ 2nd birthday with family, and some extra special family members (puppies) who were with us as part of my mom’s Lake Joy Goldens fall litter. The puppies were just 2 weeks old, the perfect age for lots of squeezing and cuddles from my kids, with their eyes opening, and beginning to move around on their own. Ambrose knew how special it was to be celebrating his birthday after watching his sisters make a big deal out of theirs over the summer, he was ready for his turn. We had a wonderful gathering of sisters, cousins and friends to help us celebrate our favorite little guy with a simple birthday brunch.

I’ve had my eye on this carrot cake recipe to try, thanks to discovering it on the Helena Daily list, and knew this was a great occasion for it.

The recipe is from Beneath the Crust–we know some of the ladies and their recipes look fab. I wanted to see if I could adapt for cupcakes, and to do a few swap outs. So I replaced the flour with Einkorn to make it friendly for folks with gluten sensitivities (not celiacs!), regular sugar easily replaced with coconut sugar (and the recipe calls for alot), and coconut oil for regular vegetable oil. We doubled the batch of cake batter to make a set of 18 cupcakes, which worked out great, and didn’t need to double the frosting (or filling) quantities—apparently original recipe makes alot of frosting!

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups coconut sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 cups flour (Einkorn is a wonderful consistency, but without the strong effects on our bodies that most gluten flours have…try it!)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 pound peeled, shredded carrot (I got bags already shredded, and we ran them through a blender to make them even finer).
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarsely (can also buy these already chopped, shortcuts for busy people, zero guilt).

Filling

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cream
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarsely
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 flour
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into tablespoon sized pieces
  •  8 oz cream cheese, room temperature and cut into tablespoon sized pieces

Instructions

Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease and flour three 9 inch cake pans.
  2. For cupcakes, if you cook those first, oven will be at 400, baked for 10-15 min. 
  3. Toast the pecans (make your life easier and toast the cake and filling pecans all at once!): spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast 8-10 minutes or until fragrant and toasty. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt and whisk well to combine.
  5. In a standing mixer fitted with the whipping attachment, whip together eggs and sugar on medium high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Turn speed to low and slowly drizzle in the oil in a thin stream – this actually takes a while, about a full minute or a little more – until fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and stir just until combined.
  6. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in dry ingredients until almost fully combined with only a few streaks of flour. Add carrots and pecans and gently fold in until evenly distributed.
  7. Divide batter evenly between the three pans. Bake for 25 minutes for 9 in pans – or until the top springs back when pressed lightly or a tester comes out clean.
  8. Let cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.

Filling

  1. If you haven’t already, toast the pecans (step 2 above); let cool and chop coarsely.
  2. Combine sugar, flour, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk well. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until incorporated. Stir in the butter and set over medium heat, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil.
  3. Turn heat to low and let mixture simmer for 5 – 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly combined and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and pecans. Set aside and let cool completely.

Frosting

  1. Combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in milk, being careful to combine thoroughly with no lumps. Set over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Simmer for about 5-6 minutes, still stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and harder to whisk. Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl to let cool completely.
  2. When mixture is *completely* cool, transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whip attachment. Add vanilla and mix on low just briefly until combined. Add butter one piece at a time, allowing each to be fully incorporated before adding the next. Do the same with the cream cheese. Once all the butter and cream cheese has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Let stand for an hour to firm up (I wasn’t this patient, but it still turned out OK).
  3. Place one layer of cake on a platter. Spread enough of the filling to generously coat. Add the second layer, repeat with the filling. Top with the final cake layer.
  4. Frost top and sides with frosting.
  5. Top with toasted coconut, candied pecans, a sprinkle of cinnamon, blue sprinkles for a little boy’s birthday, or anything else that sounds good! Keep in fridge if you’re in a warm climate and take out an hour or so before serving.

*Note the baking times may vary according to your oven…

Here’s a few more pics of our October 28th birthday brunch. These 2 years have absolutely flown by, and this guy is such a staple part of our family dynamics that it’s almost impossible to remember life before his joyful, funny, cuddly, exploratory presence in it. This time around it was fun to see how much the girls could do to help with not only the cupcakes and food prep, but also making signs for him, and helping me pick out the decor, hang streamers, etc. Emma is such a party planner, my dad commented she may have a future in it, after she designed and orchestrated an elaborate “trampoline show” that same day:) Something about being the eldest, and she totally dotes on her little brother.

Grateful to my parents for hosting us, and that everyone came together to celebrate Ambrose, and to make sure the puppies could be included, tiny party hats and all!

What a memorable birthday for all of us, and hopefully Ambrose the dog lover will remember his “puppy party” when we talk about it with him.

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4th of July fav: Patriotic Fruit Pizza

This is my all time favorite summer dessert from childhood. The recipe was shared by some close friends, and then my family morphed it into a patriotic theme since we were very into celebrating all things 4th of July…I remember making it all growing up, and posing with my sisters and besties with our flag pizzas–so it was a fun moment to do the same with Emma this year. All 3 of mine added their personal touch to it (cough) and while it neared disaster when Ambrose decided to play toss the blueberries onto the flag, we had a great time and made a memory. It’s super easy to make the dough and the cream cheese frosting in advance (read: before the kids are up) and to do the decorating later. Pro tip: it’s best really cold so see if you can give it an hour of fridge time after frosting and decorating, before serving.

I changed the recipe in a few ways from how it was passed on to me: I made the crust gluten free…because–happy bellies and equally yum! And I increased the quantities of crust and the frosting because you just can’t have too much of those flavors to balance out the fruit, and it’s meant to fill a large rectangular pan. 

Seriously–how can you go wrong with these colors and summer flavors? Seasonal eating? Yes please. Obviously if you can find local strawberries and blueberries, even better! But it will be amazing regardless.

Here’s the combination of flours I’ve landed on for most of my gluten free variations–I find the flour textures balance each other out–and you’ll want to double check the oat flour–some brands are labeled gluten free while others say “may contain traces of wheat”…the coconut flour is heavy, and cooks up denser, so the tapioca flour seems to add the right balance. Have fun experimenting and let me know how you LOVE this recipe!!! I dare you to make it only once this summer:)

Fruit Pizza–patriotic and gluten free

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (can possibly substitute coconut sugar or raw sugar but I didn’t want to mess with my childhood memories..and the crust is super thin so it’s not too sweet).
  • 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour:
    • 1 cup oat flour
    • 3/4 cup coconut flour
    • 1/2 cup tapioca flour

Cream cheese frosting:

  • 12 oz cream cheese–you can get (full fat) whipped variety that blends up really well.
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine butter, flours and sugar. Use a pastry cutter for best effect, and finish with hands. Flatten into cookie sheet crust, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown (recommend you poke some holes with a fork so it doesn’t puff on you).

Then mix the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar for the topping. Spread onto a completely cooled crust.

Layer fruit in the patterns of your choice.

Refrigerate an hour, then serve!!! (Can be stored up to 24 hours before for fantastic taste!)

Crust is totally cooled (we went for a hike and errands in the meanwhile)…fruit washed, strawberries just have the ends trimmed.

Make it happen! And enjoy the process:)

This is when things got a little exciting 🙂 Luckily most of it ended up where it was supposed to and the older girls modeled how best to spread and place the fruit…

Voila!! It tastes even better than it looks!

Loving her toothy grin, and these fun slower summer days together…

She wanted to add marshmallows for the stars…but was flexible when I convinced her that the fruit would taste amazing on it’s own…she’s all about the inspiration, and artistic process, so I’m sure we’ll be doing lots of fancy baking this summer. Share with me pics when you and your loved ones make this–that is my favorite part!

Happy 4th to you all!

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Women’s Health Month: Stories and Inspiration

May is Women’s Health Month. A time to celebrate the incredible gifts of women, and the ways that their contributions to the world shape it for the better, every single day, in unfathomable ways.

And that’s what I believe we celebrate and hold up when we single out women’s health month. I really think there are no better folks to address this topic than the powerhouse women who are contributing in today’s blog their thoughts and reflections on what it means to prioritize and value health as a woman.

____________________________________________________________________________________

SAMANTHA

Hi, My name is Samantha, and I am a born and raised Jersey girl 😉 (not the jersey shore kind of gal though) lol. I grew up in a small town outside of Philadelphia. My parents still own the farm that has literally been past down from generation to generation. Hard work, dedication, and compassion towards others (humans and animals) have been some of the core values my parents instilled in our family. I am still the happiest when I am outdoors, whether it is running, picking fresh herbs from the garden, or sunning myself on the beach.

Working in the healthcare field, I see how detrimental poor health and illness can be to the body as well as the mind. I am thankful that I have the ability to move and live the active lifestyle that I choose, as it allows me to live my best life for my family and closest friends.

I have been involved in athletics my entire life, and was very competitive at the high school and college level. I now enjoy running, a mix of cross training, and yoga.

One of the biggest changes to my health (physical and mental) was the addition of a yoga practice. I found yoga one of the years in college. At the time, it served as a place to quiet my crazy college brain while I was finishing up my doctorate. I came to find out that it has been something that I started to lean on a lot. Yoga got me through college, through a breakup, through a move to the Big Apple, through a new job, and through a move back home. Currently, I am making meditation and a daily prayer journal a part of this whole practice.

Some of the most important elements of my day that help me be at my best are when I take time in the morning to write, read or meditate. I have struggled with a daily gratitude journal, but I know when I make it a habit I feel better going into my day. My mind is sharper and it just sets me up to be at my very best. I also try to have a healthy breakfast. Sometimes it’s just on-the-go oatmeal, but I know for me to feel energized and fueled, I need to start my day with a powerful meal. Lastly, I try to get in some kind of movement for the day. It may be a morning run or evening at the gym, or it may just be a Sunday afternoon walk or some easy yoga poses. I feel getting out in the fresh air is rejuvenating and its important to take time out of our busy days for moments like this.

I think health and wellness as a whole has been ingrained in me since a small child. Growing up on a farm blessed us with our own free range grass-fed beef and pork, as well as a full garden of vegetables in the summer months. My mom home made almost all of our meals, and growing up in a family of 7 I now understand the value in cooking at home versus eating out(monetary value too). I am very thankful to have a mother who prioritized healthy meals for her family. I am inspired everyday by any and all moms. I seriously cannot fathom how it’s done. Maybe one day I will understand, but right now you guys rock ☺

One of the biggest lessons that I have learned in my adult life is the power of forgiveness. Not only forgiveness for others but especially forgiveness in ourselves. I have really spent a lot of time in prayer on this, and then one day it clicked. For me to move on and let go, I really had to find that forgiveness in myself. For me to allow happiness and joy into my heart I needed to forgive, and to know that I have already been and will allows be imperfectly perfect just the way I am. I think one of the most powerful things we as women can do is too forgive ourselves. It is also one of the most difficult things to do. But to be able to move on, take on new challenges in life, and experience life to the fullest we need to first start with our own forgiveness.

You can find Samantha sharing her yoga, running, inspiration and balanced living on Instagram @samanthadesimone

KATIE

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I will always be a tree and mountain lover at heart, but I’m living the SoCal life for now. 🙂 I’m an achiever and strategic thinker, but I have a deep love of the beauty that is evident when all things connect and work together in harmony. I’m passionate about helping things grow to reach their truest, most beautiful, and most authentic form — whether that’s myself, people who trust me with their hearts, or the little organic herb garden on my kitchen windowsill.

As I’ve grown to know myself better, I’ve learned just how critical my daily habits are in the big picture of my health. My non-negotiables include:

  1. Time boundaries. They add balance and help me keep my priorities in the midst of the demands of 21st century life. For example, my mornings are sacred — I set aside at least 15 minutes for reflection, prayer, meditation, and/or journaling (and more time if I’m feeling particularly unbalanced that day or season). I also know that I need to be realistic with the amount of rest and sleep (which aren’t the same!)  I need in order to function well in all parts of my life.
  2. A diet that’s right for me. I’ve learned the hard way what does and doesn’t work for my body, and I’m learning self-mercy and acceptance of my limitations in the process. I make sure I take my multivitamin, I don’t buy foods that don’t agree with me, but I don’t let my diet become my #1 focus. I keep in mind that maintaining a healthy body is just one part of the bigger goal of being a healthy person in every aspect.
  3. Embracing outdoor time. Reading, running, whatever I can do — surrounding myself with nature (regardless of weather!) fuels my soul and hits the reset button on my mind and body when I’m overwhelmed.

I’ve had a few health crises over the years, from broken bones and bad breakups to times of intense anxiety and panic. When I was less aware (and less accepting) of my individual needs, I would just react in any way I could order to cope with the challenges. Too little sleep, too much work and TV, being around toxic people, or just indulging in distractions — these were all poor coping mechanisms that I turned to. I finally reached a point that I realized and accepted that I needed help in caring for myself, and in addition to opening new resources to me for healing and thriving, it freed me of the burden of thinking I had to do everything myself. I monitor my thoughts and actions more closely now (daily even) to make sure I’m not just “coping”, and also not expecting myself to be God when I should be embracing and loving myself as a human person.

One of the best things I’ve done for myself as a woman is to learn how my cycle and hormones effect — and are effected by — the other aspects of my life, including diet and nutrition, sleep, and stress. I began using the Femm app to track the different phases of my cycle as well as my emotional health on a daily basis. A daily check-in like this is something I recommend to every woman from high school on through adulthood. It is so enlightening and so empowering to know how and why our bodies work the way they do, and it provides a look into a side our overall health that’s so often overlooked and undervalued.

One of the biggest lessons — and greatest graces — of my adult life has been seeing the importance of community. None of us can do this life alone, and we were never meant to. I’m so grateful to have amazing sister-friends in my life who encourage me, speak truth to me, and constantly teach me more about the beauty of being a woman and being whole. It’s a blessedly long list of names, and I make it one of my priorities to foster those special friendships — they’re the treasures of a lifetime.

Katie can be found sharing beautiful captures, reflections, and worldwide adventures at @ciaokaedo on Instagram.

CLAIRE

I am a Pacific Northwest native, living my best life through love of God and self-care. I am on a mental health journey and love sharing my story and tips with others suffering from mental illness. I am the most content if I am outside enjoying the sun and the beautiful natural world with family and friends!

The most important aspect of my health is having the mental clarity and stamina to be with people I love. When I have mental clarity and stamina, I can fully engage with my surroundings and the people around me, and this makes me happy and content!

In college, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and immediately put on antidepressants. After a few years of unsuccessfully trying different doses and medications, I decided enough was enough and I would try a more natural approach to my mental health. As I set out on the journey, I didn’t know much about natural medicine or how to get better going the natural route but deep down I knew this was the right way for me. I started with exercise as this was familiar to me and I did know that every healthy person was active. I decided to go big and challenge myself in an extreme way and train for a marathon! I am so glad I did! It set the groundwork for my mental health journey by showing me that nothing can be attained without hard work and dedication.

I recently started slowing down my mornings (I am NOT a morning person and tend to snooze for too long then rush out the door) and make time for morning prayer. I make my bed when I get up.  It is one small accomplishment to start the day and makes a soothing and visually calming sanctuary to come home to after a crazy day at work. Last but not least, I make daily exercise and healthy eating a priority. The foundation of any healthy journey whether mental or physical (or both) is diet and exercise. You can’t do one or the other or neither and expect to be healthy. Believe me I’ve tried!

My Mom was ahead of her time as far as healthy eating habits! She would always say “we must have a salad with every meal” especially if it was the rare take out pizza! She would often refer to Westin Price, and we always knew the nutrition content for every vegetable. She inspired my love of gardening and we were spoiled as children by being fed from her large vegetable garden. My sister, Emily, is another great inspiration in my life. Her dedication to healthy eating and exercise with four small children is admirable. Her calm and reasoned approach to life has gotten me through my toughest times, she has saved me more than once. My best friend, Maddy, inspires me daily with her unflagging encouragement, she is the best cheerleader and friend a girl can have! Her faith in me and my journey is what has pushed me to continue my journey by helping others! I wouldn’t be where I am with these three amazing women!

Find and follow Claire on Instagram at @onefingeroutofwater and cheer her on as she launches her website next month, promoting holistic approaches to mental health challenges and sharing her journey. We’re so excited for the ripple effect you’re already making for many women.

VALERIE

I am so excited to be a woman of today who has the ability to understand the importance of health, nutrition, commitment and fellowship. I am lucky to have been exposed to the principles of hard work, determination, and commitment at an early age and having the ability to apply them in all faucets of my life. I have been exposed to ALL challenges of life and I truly believe that without daily exercise, attention to nutrition and the support of a few good friends, I would not be where I am today; healthy in mind, body, and spirit! I work as a mental health and substance abuse counselor, and running a dog business.

 WHAT I VALUE MOST ABOUT MY HEALTH AND HOW IT ALLOWS ME TO LIVE MY BEST LIFE:

 I VALUE MY HEALTH!!! All components of it! My health allows me to attend to all the requirements the demands of a busy life place on me. My health allows me to be available to my family, my job, my relationships, but more importantly to myself! I love life! My health ensures me that I will be able to live the best life that is afforded to me with enthusiasm, excitement, and zest! I feel blessed that I have been graced with the knowledge of the importance of good health and the ability to accomplish all that I have as I know there are those that have not been so lucky. I have been committed to helping other women endorse this knowledge of the importance of health for a long time and will continue to do so.

 AN EXAMPLE OF A HEALTH CHALLENGE:

I was raised in a family where there were multiple physical health and mental health issues as well as battles with addiction. Through the struggles to overcome these issues I have discovered the importance of daily attention to my own personal health. With daily exercise, attention to proper nutrition, and a healthy relationship with a strong network I have been able to develop a positive perspective regarding healthy living and the importance of a daily regiment of the proper vitamins and supplements.

 The two top health habits that ensure that I am at my best are: daily exercise and proper nutrition.

 I would love to give a “shout out” to Madeleine and Latisha for the commitment that they have displayed with my introduction to Shaklee and all of their products. Although I have maintained my regime of supplements, nutrition and exercise, I saw a tremendous improvement in my overall health, physical performance and strengthening of hair, nails and skin after the addition of Shaklee to my routine. I feel blessed to have met these two ladies and will continue to use them both as positive role models

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I have always believed and understood that there is nothing so fierce, so powerful, so purposeful, as a woman who knows her mission on this earth, and who knows her true worth. This worth stems from her understanding of herself, in right relation to God, to her friends, family, vocation and so much more. But this worth also starts within, when we are able to love ourselves with the  recognition of just how special we are.

Of course, none of us are without our challenges, struggle, health concerns and setbacks. That’s what makes us human. But we are tremendously encouraged when we see other women valuing self-care, their holistic—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual—health, and that ripple effect spreads beyond each of us when we make a personal commitment to health and fulfillment.

A happy Women’s Health month to you all! For a bit more sharing about some of the beautiful tools available to support women in every decade of their healthiest life, go here.

And feel free to share this article with a women who inspires you or who could use some encouragement. We’re in this together–and we rise by lifting others.