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Sometimes I feel like one of my main motherly duties is to float around our home all day unexpectedly knocking cell phones out of peoples’ hands while barely slowing down my stride and murmuring under my breath, but just loud enough for the family recipient to hear, “Be present.” Few things drive these people crazier than that, but it has about an 85% efficacy rate that I’m going to carry on with until I find…

Once we can find the courage to let go of the things that no longer serve us, we will end up with newfound space.  This space, however, must be respected.  Sacred.  We must not confuse more space on our book shelves as automatic space to fill with new books. More room in our drawers is not a way to justify more clothing purchases. Getting rid of sweets from our diet does not make drinking more…

This has been a recipe in the making for years, but I think I’ve cleaned it up enough so now it (1) makes a LOT…about 40-45 oz of dressing, (2) doesn’t require a ton of equipment that needs to be washed, and (3) makes, basically, everything you put it on delicious. Once it’s mixed well, we actually put most of it into a 36 oz. Yeti Rambler Bottle with a Chug Cap. We then add…

Whatever our pre-pandemic routine was likely had some sort of discipline worked into it. In other words, the schedule we kept before likely helped us settle into some sort of rhythm that instinctively kept us from mindlessly snacking all day to fill the void of boredom, drinking more caffeine and alcohol than we do now, and subbing leisurely walks in for our more intense forms of exercise that we found at the gym with our…

Today marks the 2nd week of CFNE being closed to avoid the spread of COVID-19, and I am still being surprised at the many phases we’ve gone through so far. All of these phases have been so unique, too. Some as a parent of young children, some of older ones. Some as parents with Ben, and some as a parent as a stay-at-home mother. Some as an owner of a small business, some as a…

If you haven’t adopted the celebration of Festivus in your home, I would consider it this holiday season. The Seinfeld-created holiday of airing your grievances with your loved ones has really moved the needle for our family in an effort to be more honest with each other, and live in a home full of joy…not resentment. There is, of course, an inherent risk that the “celebration” turns into a tragic falling out. But, that’s a…

I had an experience at the end of our annual “Always Remember” workout at CFNE this morning. It’s a very special workout for our community as they’re a lot of symbolism in the rep scheme that reminds us of things like actual date of 9/11, the number of planes that went down that day, and the number of people who lost their lives. We do it every year, but only once a year. And, because…

Active listening is something I don’t think comes all that naturally to people, but is worth diving in and forcing yourself to get really good at. You know when you find someone who is really good at it. They’re the sort of person you just wish you could be around more because of what it feels like when you’re with them: you feel like they couldn’t be more interested in the story you’re telling, you…