Mama's Musings

Weekend Discovery

Another marvelous weekend of meaningful engagement. On Saturday, I slept in, then enjoyed an afternoon of wellness at the gym with my husband. Instead of pounding the machines, we lowered our pulse in the sauna and infra-red booth. It was incredibly refreshing! At night we cooked a delicious Thai curry meal and had it in front of the fire. Sunday Jackson had a soccer tournament all afternoon. While Sophia did homework, I did a photo shoot in Munich for a Christmas photo story for a popular teen magazine. By 3:30 I was at my son's tournament, a few Euros and experiences richer.

In this season of gratitude, I've decided to donate the day's earnings to a local women's shelter. My son promptly volunteered to donate something, too. It is in the giving that we receive the bounty of life's offerings!

[Slow News] Igniting the Fire Within http://bit.ly/21aI9N

The Lessons of History and Imagination

If you are looking for a really great gift for your tween, look no further. I just read two adorable books, Miss Trimble's Trapdoor and Miss Trimble's Trapdoor: The Perseverance of Christopher Columbus by Lori Jordan-Rice. Geared towards fourth-graders, the book has an engaging protagonist, Tyler, and his canine friend, Barnabas Bailey, to guide your child through the anals of history. Tyler has a hard time concentrating in school, making his time there rather stressful. On a particular hard day, he goes to his 'quiet place' in the room and starts tapping his feet, which magically opens a trapdoor through which he falls. He literally falls into his history lesson, meeting his benevolent guide dog Barnabas Bailey to help him along. Lori has a series of fun history books for kids coming out that you won't want to miss. A real treasure for the holidays and beyond!

One more thing: Kids can visit www.MissTrimblesTrapdoor.com to write to main characters Tyler and Barney, as well as for helpful educational links, crosswords and word searches. The books are perfect for kids ages 6-12.

[Slow News] Time-Swathing http://bit.ly/35bFFk

For the love of trees

Little known fact about me? I'm a hobby arborist. Well, okay, I really like trees and all that they do for the environment in the way of putting out good CO2 offsets. Besides, there's a spirit about trees that humbles me immeasurably.

I'm also an advocate for volunteers (once upon a time I almost got to be a volunteer coordinator for an international student exchange program, but then they started asking unkosher questions about family planning, and I left the building. Literally).

So when Volunteer Spot approached me with their grand idea, I had to give it a nod. Basically, for every volunteer effort you list with them, they will plant a tree in your honor. Whether it’s class parents planning food drives or nonprofits and congregations preparing for community meals, toy drives and charity bazaars, VolunteerSpot’s free online sign-up tool makes it easy for any group to sign up and coordinate volunteers (you have to invite at least four volunteers to be eligible). And in this tough economic climate, volunteering will play an even more crucial role in ensuring a brighter season for struggling families and communities.

The Giving Tree Giveaway is a co-led effort by Arbor Day Foundation and VolunteerSpot. Plan any local holiday service activity on VolunteerSpot, and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree in your name in a fire-damaged national forest. So no, they won't plant it in your backyard, but they will replenish the supply where it is need most (think California, Oprah's mansion and all those poor trees that withered in the flames).

“The trees we plant will be lasting symbol of service to generations to come,” said Kevin Sander, director of corporate partnerships for the Arbor Day Foundation.

“Giving to others is the true spirit of the holidays, but in this economy, one of the most important things we can all give is service,” said Karen Bantuveris, VolunteerSpot founder and CEO.

“VolunteerSpot wants service to be easier – which is why we created our online tools – and this holiday season we want service to have a double benefit by giving back to our nation through replanting our national forests.”

Here's how you do it:

To get a tree planted, register a new account at www.volunteerspot.com and plan a holiday service activity. Just add the word “TREE” where we ask what type of group you organize, and be sure to invite at least four volunteers. Once completed, VolunteerSpot and the Arbor Day Foundation will plant a tree in your group’s name in fire-damaged national forests.

Don't have a volunteer idea? Volunteer Spot has you covered. Check out this list of holiday event ideas. Who you are makes a difference. Tree-ly!

 

[Slow News] Give Forgiveness Pants a Try http://bit.ly/DPoSA

Weekend of Miracles

We are nearing the end of our weekend (while you may still have all of Sunday ahead of you). It has been one of most satisfying weekends I've had in a long time. It's not because we did much of anything; it was more the way in which we did things that has granted me the serenity to know the difference between this and other Sunday evenings that have made me grateful for Monday mornings.

It may have started on Friday afternoon when I decided to make a dish my kids had never eaten before. I knew I was treading on thin ice; my daughter and I had been on tenuous terms about, well, whatever. But I had a feeling if I didn't start cooking new things, my kids would forever be stuck in their three-meal rut. And I'd grow in my resentment of it.

And so I served up broccoli in a chicken cream sauce. Further, I tossed in a few mushrooms, too. After an initial stink, my kids actually tried it. My daughter even ate both broccoli sprigs with an audible "Yum!" thrown in for good measure. And she wasn't faking it because Lord knows she won't fake anything that has to do with questionable food.

The culinary miracles continued as I got a sudden hankering for cheese cake ~ not just any cheese cake. It would have to be a home-made one. So I whipped out a recipe and started baking. At one point, I could hear the silent satisfaction of my family as they read in the kitchen to the rhythm of my electric beater. It was as if they thought As long as Mama's got that thing in her hands, she's not boarding a plane any time soon. Two hours later I served up my husband with the most delicious cheese cake with mandarins I had ever made (I think it was my third in this lifetime). And today, after spending two glorious hours reading while my daughter had her riding lesson, I donned my apron one more time to make a lamb stew with curry because my husband, The Cook, wasn't home from the pool with our son yet.

It's not that I'm trying to trump my husband, who is the singularly most fabulous cook on the planet. It's merely a need I have to nest as the days grow dim. I even made a few Christmas ornaments with the kids this evening.

Dag. The power of slow brings magic at every turn. I am so very grateful for the beauty that has ensued because of it.

Twenty Minutes of Sunlight

The light pierced the heavens like an orange slicer. For a brief moment I even thought it might get warm. Then the Earth remembered it was mid-November. In Central Europe. And it sewed up the sky in cottony grey.

I went outside anyway.

Since I started living the power of slow principles, I have learned there are many ways to keep oneself motivated and happy despite external circumstances. I went out for a brisk, thirty-minute walk, laughing into the wind. I used to suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, but now I have powerful strategies to cope with the seemingly interminable darkness.

1) Light simulation. I love my BlueMax Light that shines lovingly on me even in the mornings.

2) Fires in the evening. When it gets dark outside, I have my husband light my fire - in the fireplace!

3) Walks outside when it is still light out. Nothing beats natural light, no matter how dim it may seem.

4) Wellness days. I signed up for an eight-week spinning class from now until Christmas. The best part? My health insurance company will reimburse 80% of the cost.

When you know you have seasonal fragility, it's important to take care. I'm all about personal empowerment programs to get through with style and grace!

[Slow News] Space Liberation and the Maker of Miracles http://bit.ly/3AsoRb

[Slow News] How to Design Your Pockets of Win http://bit.ly/2q45ZC