Seems like ages ago that I worked at a large firm where I earned an impressive salary serving prestigious clients. Although time has flown by, it’s only been six years since I made the decision to walk away from my plush law firm job to focus on my three children. I would like to say the decision was a tough one, but it was not. It was an easy one to make since I wanted some sort of work/life balance. When I resigned, I couldn’t hope to supplement my lack of income with paid blogging gigs as I had yet to enter the world of social media. I left on a prayer that we would not run...
The Difference of Ten Years
What a difference ten years make for a mother. My brother and his wife just had their first baby and I was asked to be the godmother. I was so honored and happy to have been asked and realize that I have big shoes to wear. The Godparent is such an important role in a child’s life. As a Godparent, I am to help nurture the baby’s Christian faith, guide her as she grows up, and later serve as mentor to her. I am taking on this role with every intent to do the best that I can even though I am still trying to figure myself out as a woman and a mother. ...
The Runner’s Diet
The Runner’s Diet Diet. That four letter word that often leads seemingly intelligent people to do things to our body that we know is not healthy for us. Some of us diet at an attempt to cleanse our bodies of impurities and others may diet to lose weight fast. Whatever the reason, many of us have tried one fad or another. Maybe it was the Cabbage Soup Diet or the Master Cleanse, where you drink lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup only. When it comes to running, the old saying “you are what you eat” goes a long way. A runner that has not properly fueled her...
Flashback Friday – All Grown Up Now
Last night I was thinking about how chaotic my life used to be with three kids four and under. When my third baby was born, I had two in diapers and on bottles. That time period was really a blur. It zipped by so fast that I really can’t remember the details of what happened. I just remember the gist of stuff; the sleepless nights, the constant baby holding or baby feeding, and breastfeeding around the clock. Everything else, kind of a blur. In fact, I couldn’t really find a good picture of all three kids at this time. Hmm, strange as I always take pictures....
Recipe for Mexican Pozole
This recipe for traditional red pozole soup is so delicious. I learned how to make this soup while in Mexico this year. The soup is so good you’ll want to make it over and over again. Pozole, or posole, is one of Mexico’s traditional dishes. It is made with hominy, chili, oregano, and pork and enjoyed any time of the year but especially during the holidays. You can also use other meats like beef or even chicken. When I think about my trip, many of my fond memories include T., the woman below. T. and I met at the going back home celebration...
Beyonce Music Awards
Beyonce’s baby bump officially takes over the world. By now you probably heard the big news regarding Beyonce’s pregnancy announcement on last night’s MTV Video Music Awards. The VMAs quickly became the BMAs when Beyonce walked the red carpet and paused to do the standard, “I’m with child cradle of the belly pose” that so many happy moms do. Twitter and Facebook were all the flurry with funny comments, well wishes, and excitement about the news. As of this morning, it was still a trending topic. Beyonce later performed her new hit song, Love on Top, and ended her amazing, high action performance by throwing her...
San Miguel: Where The Doors Are Beautiful
It’s been two weeks since we’ve been back from Mexico and I miss it terribly! I came back to the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping, work, and a house that needed a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. One of my favorite things to do while we were in San Miguel was to snap pictures of the doors. The homes there are unlike ours in that there is usually a wall with one door that leads you into a courtyard, then the main entrance to the house. Usually you can’t see the front of the house from the road because of the...
New Series: Half-Marathon Training
Have you ever thought about running a half-marathon? The first time I decided to run one I had to Google exactly how many miles a half-marathon involved. My initial reaction was to chuckle when I realized that it was two miles further than my eleven mile drive to work — just 13.1 miles. Then I became doubtful. Yikes- 13.1 miles?!! Seemed impossible. I was excited and nervous. Could I do it? Why do it? How would I do it? I’d never run more than three or four miles at one time, ever, and that was back in 1999 when I was in college. Yet...
How to Buy Eggs & Other Family Adventures in San Miguel de Allende
We are finishing up our final week here in San Miguel and the end of our trip is certainly bitter sweet. We’ve met so many wonderful people and it feels like home here. In one of my earlier posts I described how frazzled grocery shopping had me because I had to walk from place to place and I didn’t know the ins and outs of the entire process. I knew there was a system but I was a little embarrassed to ask. For example, buying eggs was a mystery. Eggs are not sold in cartons of 6, 12, or 18 like we...
Mission Minded Mexico: Giving Back When You Travel
Giving back when you travel is a great way to give back to the cities that you visit. With a little advance planning, it can be simple. If traveling with children, you can also take this moment to teach children about giving back. During their first trip to Mexico we did just that. There were many teachable moments during the trip but teaching the kids the importance of giving back was definitely one of the most touching ones for me. My kids have lived a pretty sheltered and blessed life in our little town of Jacksonville, Florida. Sheltered in that Jax...