12 year old Mabel

Mabel is so full of talent that it spills out of her unabated. Sometimes I feel like my only job as her mother is to help her see what she is capable of. Lots of times I feel like I am failing. But just as she taught me how to mother a baby 12 years ago, I know she will teach me how to mother a complicated teenager now. I think I just need to follow her lead.

Happy birthday Mabel! We sure love you.

happy weekend

I've been trying really hard to unplug myself this week. This is what I've discovered: I don't miss technology! Life goes on and is more peaceful without it! But that doesn't mean that I am completely in the dark. I still keep up with my close friends and family on Instagram, and I am so grateful for it. For instance, how else would I see adorable pictures like this one of my sister's chubby baby in England? Or how in the world would I find out that my brother's surfboards were featured on the Price is Right? Thank goodness for things that help us stay close when we live so far away from each other. But you know what? I don't miss Facebook or Pinterest one bit. And eliminating some blogs from my feed have only increased my feeling of serenity.

How do you manage these things? I'd love to hear your ideas.

We're headed out of town this weekend. Have a good one!

happy weekend

My kids are growing up before my eyes. I know all parents say that, but this is the first time I've felt it to be true. I'm starting to panic a little, feeling like my time with them at home is disappearing too quickly. Am I using that time as well as I could be? Or am I letting inconsequential things distract me. I know the answer to that, and I don't like it.

And so lately I've been trying to narrow my focus a bit, or be more aware of what I am allowing to influence me, I guess. Nothing is more important than what is happening in my own little home. I know this is true. So what am I looking for when I putz around on the internet, or check Instagram so often?

I needed to make some changes. We've canceled Netflix, again. Instead of trying to do things like Facebook less, I just removed them completely from my phone. I follow so few people on Instagram now, that it's hardly worth checking. I keep my phone on the kitchen counter and try not to touch it during the day. Mabel is getting nearer to the age where she will want to participate in social media, and how can I expect her to manage it well if I can't manage it myself? It's time to step away a bit. Blog less. Read fewer blogs. Put down my phone. Be more present.

Is this something you struggle with, too? The thing is, I don't want to look back to these good, happy years with my kids at home and think that I wasted them on something as ridiculous as social media. It's just not worth it.

Anyway, stay cool and have a happy weekend.

happy weekend

The kids have been trickling in to the kitchen for breakfast this week, one at a time. Elliot is always first, dragging his Wolfie and looking for a hug. Stella, who had a hard time moving quickly before school, has been staying in her bed sometimes for an hour after she wakes up. She makes her way upstairs last, usually after the breakfast dishes have been cleared and cleaned. Oh well. That's what summer is all about.

Mike signed them all up for swim classes at the city pool this week and next, but luckily they don't start til mid-morning. It gives us lots of time to move slowly in the mornings if we feel like it. And we do.

Since they don't have swim class on Fridays, I was thinking about taking the kids to see Maleficent today, but I'm afraid it's too scary for my little ones. Have you seen it? Is it as scary as the trailers make it seem? Because they make it seem really scary.

Have a good weekend!

***Update: I took Mabel (almost 12) and Oliver (9) to the movie, but I left Stella (6) and Elliot (4) at home. I'm so glad I left my little kids at home. It is way too intense for young children. I would have felt really uncomfortable with them there, and I know many scenes would have been much too frightening for them. But Mabel and Oliver and I liked it!

Berry Syrup

Something that we've been loving at our house lately is homemade berry syrup. We eat a lot of waffles and pancakes and german pancakes, and berry syrup is a nice change from the usual, sugary maple syrup we put on top. I like that I can make it with as much or as little sugar as I want. I am always trying to reduce the amount of sugar we eat, and this is a good way to have something sweet, but not too sweet.

Berry Syrup

1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/2 to 1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 cups berry mix, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup sugar, depending on the sweetness of your berries

Bring all ingredients to a boil on medium high heat. Boil vigorously for about 5 minutes (careful, it will splatter), or until the fruit has broken down and is very soft. Then blend with an immersion blender, or mash with a spoon. I use our bean masher, and I keep it sort of chunky. Serve warm on top of your favorite waffles or pancakes with some freshly whipped cream.

(I like whipping my own cream. I think it tastes better, and it allows me to control the amount of sugar here, too. I use a small half pint carton with just a tablespoon or so of sugar and a little vanilla. I like it sort of runny, so I only whip it until it is nice and heavy.)

Bonus: Berry syrup is super delicious served over vanilla ice cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

summer vacation, so far

Well, we are one week into summer vacation, and it might be a little premature to say this, but I think we are going to be just fine.

When I was growing up, summer vacation was all about watching too much tv, going swimming, and getting really really bored, all with minimal parental involvement. I want that for my kids, too. I don't think my children need me to entertain them, or to provide activities for them. They need to build things with legos, or draw pictures, or get lost in a book. And then they need to get really really bored, so that come August, they are excited to go back to school.

So this is our summer plan: hang out at home all day in our pajamas doing whatever we want until it's time to go swimming. Then eat dinner and go to bed. And repeat.

We have some fun trips planned, too, so we are looking forward to those. That's it! Oh, and a guitar. Mabel is borrowing my sister-in-law's guitar, so hopefully she can learn a few chords by summer's end.

I think it's going to be great.