Monthly Archives: February 2013

Chicken Pot-Shepherd’s Pie

February 26, 2013

I’m gonna jump in right off the bat today and say thank you all for being so awesome! The comments and private emails that I’ve received over the last few days from those whose stories resonate with my own have been incredibly encouraging. Feelings of failure and shame grow in the darkness, but I think it’s when we have the courage to speak up about our struggles that they begin to lose their power over us. The light shows the lies in our mind for what they really are and enables us to see more clearly in order to align …

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A Full Heart

February 23, 2013

I wasn’t planning to post today, but sitting here in my living room with a mound of laundry on the couch to my right and a sink full of dishes beckoning to me from the kitchen, my heart is overflowing. The chores can wait, my friends; for now, I want to share what’s on my heart. A couple hours ago, I returned from a coffee date with two women who are quickly becoming dear friends. The kind of friends who make you feel loved in the midst of a simple conversation and who aren’t afraid to challenge and say hard …

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Spiced Cranberry Scones with Cinnamon Glaze

February 22, 2013

For years after Eowyn was born, I felt like the odd man out. My network of women included other stay-at-home moms for whom I was grateful, but I always struggled any time I expressed difficulty in this task of raising little ones. It seemed like my words were bouncing off the walls and coming back to me void; I was very lonely and unable to find others who could relate to my experience. As postpartum depression hit me hard, I found my new life as a mom to be suffocating, and while I certainly expected things to change after having …

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Chicken, Mushroom, and Brown Rice Soup

February 16, 2013

This soup is one I’ve made twice in the last week. Once to share with others as we celebrated the birthday of a friend and then again to tweak it just a touch and take pictures in the daylight. Last night, we contemplated going out for dinner, but in anticipation of a Friday-night-after-Valentine’s Day restaurant rush, feasting on leftovers at home seemed a more sensible option. One last bowl remained in the pot that I had lazily placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator. It had been 3-4 days since I’d made the soup, and I’d either forgotten how …

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Samoa Orange Coconut Milk Ice Cream

February 13, 2013

A lot has changed since my days as a Girl Scout in my youth, but one thing has not: my undeniable weakness for Samoas! The crisp cookie base, made chewy by the addition of caramel and finished with scrumptious toasted coconut and drizzles of dark chocolate, is utterly irresistible. If ever a cookie was made to match my taste buds, this one is it. They are a once a year treat, a splurge to be sure, and quite frankly, it never occurred to me to do anything with them other than eat them straight out of the box with a …

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Split Pea Soup

February 6, 2013

Split pea soup is one of those things that I intentionally avoided for the first 27 years of my life. No matter how you slice it, it’s just not pretty to look at. Add some croutons or a dollop of sour cream if you want, but you’ll find it’s nearly impossible to disguise its unattractive, dull green hue. In addition to this soup’s homely appearance, I also thought of it as essentially pea puree, an adult version of baby food, if you will, which was not exactly an appetite-whetting image. It seemed like a dish of a bygone era; something …

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Elijah’s Mustache-Themed Birthday Party

February 4, 2013

I can hardly believe it – our little man is 1! From the moment he was born, Elijah has brought me so much joy. His enormous appetite, physicality, and full-body smiles are only a small part of what make him unique, and even though he has faced challenges including eczema and a recently discovered intolerance to cow’s milk, his happy spirit remains constant through it all. I have much to learn from my sweet boy. For his special day, we decided to celebrate his man-ness. Yes, he is just a baby, but I often am reminded that someday, if the …

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