I'm Just a Mom

"I don't understand why women say 'I'm just a mom'. Remind me again which job on the planet is more important..." Mother's Day is just around the corner. My mum is up from Florida for the season and I got to see her for the first time in months this past weekend. Four generations of women were in the room that day. As I was watching my granddaughter with my youngest daughter by my side, a torch was passed.

No matter how far away she is, my mother is always on my mind.

Read about what my mother has taught me and what I hope I've taught my children. I know I want the same thing for Mother's Day that I asked for last year—to be surrounded by my family...and maybe a little ice cream; that's my idea of the perfect Mother's Day. Here are few gift ideas for mom you may enjoy giving. Gather some simple ingredients and pamper her with sugar body scrubs you can make yourself. Or check out this Mother's Day gift box. (Save 15% through May 11th.)

And here are a few posts on motherhood you may like...Hiding Out, The One Two Punch, and Worrywart.

Quote by Susan Hallum

For the Love of the Game

It's lacrosse season once again. My youngest daughter, Amanda (she's the one on the left) has played in one scrimmage, three away games, and this afternoon is her first home game. We traveled to New England College to see her play, but I'm really looking forward to just driving down the road to watch.

Sports have played a big role in my life over the years. My father taught me to play basketball when I was young and I even tried out for my junior high school team. I made the first round of cuts, but I never made the team. I kept playing anyway, just for fun. Somehow I strayed away from physical activity as I got older, but thankfully I'm back into it.

I married a huge sports fan and my son can recite any statistic you could ask him about. My husband and my youngest daughter are runners (she now does triathlons too). My son played baseball, football, and just about any sport that required a ball, throughout his childhood. He even joined an adult basketball league a few years back. My oldest daughter played lacrosse, field hockey, and now stays in shape with workout videos with a few runs thrown in every now and then for good measure. And three of them ski. (I'm getting tired just typing this.) Me—I'm a walker. But I also love my bike. (We all love to bike.) I went on my first ride of the season this week and it was a killer. Time to work some new muscles. Yoga finally re-entered the picture so I hope that will help.

And of course we're all big New England sports fans. We're fortunate to go to several Red Sox games a year and we try to score tickets for other sporting events when we can. But I can get so frustrated with professional sports. That's why I cheer when I'm there, let go of the negative aspects, and enjoy all of the athletic things we do as a family even more. We do it because we love it. We cheer each other on. We motivate each other. We may not be playing a game, but the saying still applies.

The rain is sure to keep me from biking this weekend. Looks like I'll have to revert to my indoor routine. What about you?

Here are some links you may enjoy...

Some of my all-time favorite movies happen to revolve around sports, including Remember the Titans, The Blind Side, and Miracle. Rainy weekend = movie marathon.

Every November, my husband's family puts on the Edaville Rail Run road race. My daughter's and I man the food tent. Some of them even run it. Come join us!

My husband wants us to train for the 2015 Pan-Mass Challenge...the same year my daughters want us to do a Tough Mudder. I think they're trying to kill me.


Photo taken by Lauren Carney

Do You Read About Food?

I don't think there is any kind of book I won't read, but cookbooks can be tricky. It's so easy to grab a recipe off the internet these days that I wonder if cookbooks have become passé. Not according to The New York Times. Cookbooks have changed for the better. Instead of thumbing through pages and pages of ingredients, we can now look at beautiful photographs, intricate drawings, and learn all about the digestive benefits of cumin—all culminating into an edible feast for the senses. I can remember the first time I came across a Susan Branch book in the 80s and thought, "this is more like it".

I've since sought out storied recipes, instead of the other way around. Frances Mayes led the way with her delectable descriptions of the Tuscan countryside whetting more than just one kind of appetite. Then there are authors like Erica Bauermeister who have written about cooking, but left out the recipes until her readers wanted to know how to make the food she was writing about, so she gave them the recipes too. You can fall in love with Paris (again and again) through the pages of My Paris Kitchen by food blogger David Lebovitz. Visions of beautifully polished copper pots will begin to dance in your head.

In fact, food blogs are taking over blogland with their luscious photographs, potable concoctions, humorous anecdotes, and of course—food. Dinner: A Love Story is a food blog "devoted (mostly) to helping parents figure out how to get family dinner on the table", which leaves lots of room for stories about the family meal and all the challenges that ensue.

You can find recipes focused on seasonal and high quality ingredients that will make you want to get up and drive to the farmers' market right then and there. The revolution of gluten-free and certified organic will have you seeking out your nearest natural market. Thank goodness more and more national chains are starting to include these items among their shelves.

I'm writing this post as I run in and out of my kitchen trying to simultaneously sauté peppers and onions for tonight's supper. My cookbooks sit on a shelf in my pantry and I have maybe two or three I reference on occasion. The rest of my recipes have been collected and created over time and scribbled or pasted into two hefty volumes that I hope to pass onto my children. The best of the best at any rate. (Like my spicy chicken rub and this yummy fudge recipe.)

If you love cooking and eating, I hope you enjoy these links...

Best food blogs of 2014: Saveur magazine

Oldies, but goodies: 10 essential cookbooks.

Make it yourself...you'll be glad you did. Homemade ketchup.

Ever dream of taking a cooking class? (Live in Brooklyn? Try this one.)

Why I love France Mayes.

A cookbook that reads like a book. A cookbook without any recipes. (It's Italian. Enough said.)

Have wonderful weekend, Easter, and Passover!

Photo: nytimes.com

Lemon Cake with Raspberry Sauce

If I'm going to eat dessert, it's probably going to be something chocolate, but during the warmer months, I fall in love with lemons all over again. Lemon shampoo, lotion, lemon water...I can't get enough. So one day when I came across a box lemon cake in the grocery store (Betty Crocker makes a good one), I decided I would make my own and then play with some berries. I love adding blueberries to my banana muffins so I thought maybe strawberries or raspberries would pair better with lemon. I love the combination of sweet and tart the raspberries add. This is what I came up with.

Lemon Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large lemon, zested
5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
vegetable spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift and mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together shortening, sugar, and fresh lemon juice until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and continuing beating until well combined.
4. Fold in the lemon zest.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients a little at a time. Do not over mix the batter.
6. Spray the pan of your choice with a good amount of vegetable spray. You can pour the batter into a bundt pan, 2 9" round pans, or a large loaf pan, it's up to you.
7. Bake approximately 30-35 minutes. Insert a wooden toothpick to test. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Raspberry Sauce

2-3 pints fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar

1. I set aside a dozen or so for garnish. Use 3 pints if you prefer more garnish.
2. Sprinkle sugar over top and let set for 15 minutes and then I push the remaining raspberries through a sieve. You can use cheesecloth too. The goal is to get as much juice out without any seeds. If you don't mind the seeds, continue with this method but allow some of the seeds and fruit to push through as well.
3. Add garnish and drizzle sauce over cake just before serving.

Even better with fresh whipped cream. (I don't like mine too sweet, so if you're like me, just add the vanilla.)

Spring Color Inspiration

I'm usually not a fan of subtle colors, but when I saw this inspiration board featured in Veranda magazine, it spoke to me. Soothing, serene, yet still infused with some intensity, it inspired me to find these paint colors.

Color Inspiration

BM 808 Sapphire Ice, BM 2069-40 Violet Stone, BM 537 Shades of Spring,

BM 1270 Tara, BM 2067-30 Twilight

The Paris Journal

I've been a fan of Little Brown Pen (now Obvious State) for a while now. Nichole Robertson's photographs are just lovely, but so are her stories. She and her husband Evan have come up with a very ingenious idea by combining Nichole's photographs with fictitious journal entries in their new collaboration, The Paris Journal, Book One. Check out their blog to win a copy and don't forget to sign up for their mailing list for an extended sneak peek.

Photo: Obvious State

Polar Plunge Doggie Style

Even though there is still some snow on the ground, spring is finally here. So yesterday afternoon, my husband asked if I wanted to take the dogs for a walk at the state park. I'm ashamed to say that I've been so cold this winter that our doggie walks dwindled considerably this year. My family is getting enough exercise, but I realized my dogs weren't. I've vowed to whip them back into shape even if I have to drag Cooper around on his leash. And he hates his leash. 

My daughters and their friends have been participating in a Polar Plunge. It's even made the papers due to the dangers of jumping into freezing water. Luckily, all of their friends have been smart about the plunge—making sure there are enough people on hand to help anyone who can't make it out, and staying away from strong currents. After I shot a bunch of pictures and video of the dogs yesterday, I thought it looked like they had participated in their own version. Dante (the husky) loves the water. Cooper does not. Dante is trying to coax him across the flooded grassy area just before you reach the beach. 

Cooper was hooked. He did it again and again. 

This was our walk to and from the beach. The sun hasn't gotten rid of all of the snow just yet and they couldn't pass up the chance to roll around in it again and again.

A few links for dog lovers...

Cooper and Dante's kennel stays are over. We finally have a dog-sitter! If you're looking to give your dog/pet a taste of home while you're away, check out DogVacay.

I could use these tips. I hate lugging around my good camera all the time, so my iPhone has been filling in. Check out these 10 tips for photographing your dog like I plan to.

Dogs welcoming soldiers home. Tissues might be a good idea.

Woman's best friend.

Marley and Me is one of the best dog movies you can see. (And the book is good, too.)

(Children's) Books

My goal was to read all seven Harry Potter books over the winter. I'm almost done with book #4. I read the first book of the series when it first came out because the book club I belonged to at the time decided we needed something "light" to read, so I did—sort of. I couldn't get into it even though my son was utterly fascinated. (A lesson in giving books a second chance.) He couldn't read through the series fast enough, and when he had to wait until they were published, he was not happy. Once book #7 came out he pretty much locked himself in a room until he was finished. I can still remember taking him to the first movie... We we're absolutely enchanted by then.

Then it was the girls turn. As soon as they started to read them, they were dedicated fans. In fact, all of my children have read through them at least twice. Now it was my turn. Because we had two copies of each book in the house, my daughters were kind enough (if not entirely willing) to let me borrow one. We're all very particular about our books, so I decided it was time I had my own set.

After a day of prom dress shopping, my youngest daughter and I went into the bookstore and I asked her where would I find them. She replied fantasy, so off I went. I came up empty-handed and then went to one of the computers to help me out. To my (silly) surprise, I found out they were housed in the children's section. Of course I knew these books were children's books, kind of, but it never occurred to me that they hadn't graduated somehow to the fiction section.

Harry Potter is much more than a children's book. J.K. Rowling is a brilliant writer who captured a world that anyone would want to return to again and again. Lurking behind the narrative of witches, wizards, and quidditch lies a story of friendship, family, bravery, love, and hope. READ THEM.

I've already started purchasing books for my granddaughter. I bought her Guess How Much I Love You and The Very Hungry Caterpillar for starters. I know my son will make sure she has her very own set of Harry Potter books before I can say "expelliarmus".

Do you have favorites from your childhood? Here are some links you might enjoy...

As a young girl, my oldest daughter liked the Madeline series. She's very much into dystopian novels such as The Hunger Games and Divergent today. My youngest daughter liked the book The Very Noisy Night when she was little. She was a fan of the Dairy Queen series and now, The Summer I Turned Pretty Series. My son also loves/loved Brian Jacques.

We're huge fans of the Berenstain Bears and Dr. Seuss! I have boxes and boxes packed away for each of my children.

I read We're Going on a Bear Hunt again and again and again—and again. (As well as the above.)

You can get a whole list of children's book recommendations here.

Once you're finished with the books, you MUST see the movies. (I adore Alan Rickman and Maggie Smith.) We hold a Harry Potter marathon every New Year. ABC Family also runs Harry Potter weekends, so check it out.

10 Things to do in April

It's April! It's my mum's birthday today (yesterday was my dad's), and on Thursday my oldest daughter turns 19! Then there's my sister-in-law, uncle, and whole group of people who share April as their birthday month.

We've had quite a bit of rain over the weekend and the rain finally gave way yesterday afternoon. March showers may have preceded April showers, but I'm sure they're on their way. Here are some fun and practical things to do to embrace April.

1. Go puddle jumping. I love to do this during the summer months, but once the temperature gets above 50 degrees, dashing through the yard in search of puddles is a great way to wake up. Even better when you have a couple of dogs to help you out.

2. Open up the windows. Once the sun is shining, open up your windows even if it's only for 10 minutes to let fresh air in and the stale air out. Now go ahead and start cleaning those windows. I've started on the inside and once the snow recedes from the house a bit more, I'll get started on the outside. (My mother used vinegar and newspaper.)

3. Start to edit. I still have a few stray winter items lying about, but I've stored away the heavy blankets, and all snow/winter related accessories. Start to go through the closets and put away heavy boots, coats, and other clothing. Now is the time to check on your spring wardrobe to see what needs sprucing up and what needs replacing. Tops on my list—a pair of tall puddle-jumping boots! Donate what you don't need.

4. Get outside! The cold temperatures this past winter had me walking on the treadmill, but no more. As of yesterday, the track is cleared for take off and I'll be there for the first time since November! Even if I know I'll be stuck in the house for hours on end, I'll pop on out to the porch and grab a bit of vitamin D. Soon the bikes will tuned up and ready for action! It's my new old favorite thing to do.

5. Force spring bulbs indoors until you can see the real thing outdoors. This is especially important in my neck of the woods because winters are long and my yard doesn't get full sun for quite a while. I have some leftover paperwhites from Christmas that are starting to bloom on my kitchen counter right now.

6. Clean up the yard. Oh boy, this is a biggie for me. I walk outside and see planks and pallets where the wood used to be and plenty of wood shavings just off to the side of my porch. We do a lot of raking when the snow is finally gone. And sometimes that's enough to get you through. Remove fallen branches, rake up leaves, and leave behind a nice clean yard.

7. Are you a gardener? Get a jump start on planting by gathering herb and/or vegetable seedlings on a windowsill. I'm never quite sure what's going to make it through the winter in my own herb garden, so it's off to the garden center for little peat pots of rosemary, thyme, sage, and mint.

8. Start planning outdoor activities. Since my oldest daughter is still in Boston until May when there are all kinds of outdoor activities planned at her school and around the city that we'll take advantage of. My youngest daughter has already started planning to register for bike races and this year's local triathlon.

9. Celebrate D.E.A.R all April long. Drop Everything and Read Day isn't just for kids, so grab your book, grab a blanket, and head outdoors.

10. Start a summer bucket list. What are some of the things you've been meaning to do, but didn't get a chance to last summer? Here are a few examples: Take a boat ride. White water river rafting. Camp under the stars. Go to the drive-in. Try out a few new BBQ recipes. Learn how to play croquet. Picnic in the park. Attend a movie or concert in the park. Ride a roller coaster. And here are a few more.