Mother Love

motherhood + home + family

HAPPINESS TODAY

It’s no secret that our world is obsessed with negativity.

From the news to celebrity gossip to our own hearts and minds, we can suddenly become inundated with all the wrong things and thoughts if we’re not careful. I used to be a big news junkie, and whenever I was around a television, I could literally sit and watch the news for hours. But these days, I will literally have no idea what’s going on around the world or even in our country sometimes. I rarely watch or read the news, and while I’m not definitely not saying that no one should be interested in world happenings, I’ve just found it’s better for my own state of well-being to let all that information out of my mind. I’m more the lets-bury-our-head-in-the-sand-and-everything-will-be-just-fine kind of person, and obviously if we were all that like, we would have massive problems, so if you are a newsy person, do carry on.

But really…if you ever do stop and think about how much we are surrounded by negativity, it’s pretty overwhelming. A while ago, I made a conscious effort to curb all the complaining that was escaping from my mouth, and I can honestly say that it has made a huge difference for me since then. Obviously, negative comments still slip out (it’s so cold! my coffee’s not hot! i have nothing to wear!), but I’m well-aware of them now and make an effort to correct myself.

We’re still in the throes of winter here in New York, and I think that this time of year more than any other time is the easiest to be negative and uninspired. The arctic chills seem to never end and spring still feels like it could be a long way off, and you just want to find yourself on a beach somewhere with the sunshine and a cold drink. So in effort to combat those winter blues, let’s focus on good things.

Here’s a list of things making me happy today::

+ homemade cinnamon rolls
+ reading Psalms
+ clean sheets that smell like lavender
+ lunch time kisses
+ macarons from my favorite bakery
+ baby kicks and squirms
+ quiet days at home
+ using up leftover food
+ our weekend plans
+ hot coffee
+ checking things off my list
+ listening to this
+ the promise that spring and warmth will come

What about you: what are some things making you happy today? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

A MONTH OF NESTING // freezer meals

I can tell the thing they call “nesting” is hitting me.

I’m making lists and trying to knock out cleaning projects and empty closets and organize drawers and get rid of things we aren’t using or don’t need any longer. I’m a huuuuuuuge list-making-lover, and I always keep a composition notebook around with all my respective lists inside, which now has even more lists than normal inside. I have a phone app for lists too, but there’s just nothing quite like taking an actual pen to a page and crossing off something you accomplished. Don’t tell anyone…but sometimes I even put something on the list that’s already been done just so I can cross it off, haha.

Our countdown to baby is down to about five weeks, give or take however many. I’m actually not emotionally attaching myself to a due date because I know that babies come when they come, so mentally I just make myself think April. Maybe the beginning of April or maybe the end…and while of course I hope our baby decides to come sooner rather than later, I know it will hang out in there as long as it needs to in order to be ready to be born. And that’s ok.

One of the things I’m setting out to do before baby is stock our freezer with some ready-made meals…breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. We like to eat tasty and nutritious food as much as possible, and I know that my time will be limited in the kitchen in the weeks and months after our baby is born. The more I can prepare ahead of time the less we will need to rely on take-out or throw-together meals. We’ll want to have as much time as we can soaking up our little one’s first weeks and enjoying that short newborn stage, so the less we have to worry about making meals the better!

Some of the meal prep I have on my list include a lasagna or two, breakfast sandwiches, lentil hot pockets (crossed off yesterday!), white bean and sausage soup, batches of brown rice, lunch wraps, meatballs, and some chicken curries. I also want to do some snacky foods too, since I hear that keeping up with a hungry newborn can keep your appetite rolling and hungry as well! Nut and seed bars, granola bars, and oatmeal cookies are all on the list too. I’ve also cooked up a bunch of chicken to have on hand to throw on top of a salad or make chicken salad sandwiches or a quick chicken and hummus wrap. Quick and easy is where it’s at!

What about you: what are some of your favorite freezer meals to have on hand for those busy days? 

I’d love to hear your thoughts + suggestions!

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