Work.Life Wednesdays

When I think of balancing - and enjoying - having a professional life in addition to being a mother of two young children at home, I see a beautiful, colorful puzzle.

While I feel like I'm always working to put the puzzle together, I've learned that the joy is in the process. But it's not easy. Some days, pieces snap together perfectly and neatly. Some days, I can't find any matching pieces. And other days, although I may try to force some pieces together, I just laugh when no pieces fit because these are the days I usually learn my biggest life lessons.

On Work.Life Wednesdays, I'm looking forward to sharing with you what I've learned about working from home over the past few years. And how to make it work well.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you.

Breastfeeding: The First Nutrition

This month, for part of my parenting focus, I'm spotlighting National Nutrition Month, a campaign implemented by the American Dietetic Association. Nutrition is the foundation of everything, regardless of our age! This year's theme is "From the Ground Up," so I thought I would kick things off by honoring breastfeeding, our first opportunity to provide our babies with wonderful nutrition. Breastfeeding not only has immense nutrition benefits for babies, but it has benefits for mothers, too!

I realize that breastfeeding is a personal choice, and not all mothers choose to or are able to do so. Regardless of the first nutrients we offer our babies, I firmly believe that we as mothers do so with tremendous love and the desire to provide the best for our babies...

If you are considering breastfeeding or have already embarked on your breastfeeding journey with a new baby, you’re well aware that a primary benefit of nursing is providing your baby with the ultimate gift: the best nutrition available.

Nothing can be better than this.

Also remember that along with feeding your milk to your new and tiny bundle, you are also selflessly giving your baby unlimited access to your body, your sleep, your hydration, your nutrition, your energy…and your time. So, taking care of yourself during the nursing stage of life is crucial. Helping the nursing mother rest and recharge should be a top priority in every breastfeeding household.

Crucial to a successful breastfeeding experience is natural, balanced nutrition, ample rest, and plenty of hydration. If your milk is to be the sole source nutrition for your infant for at least the first six months, your body must be treated like a temple. After all, the better you feel as a breastfeeding mother, the longer you’re more likely to have a successful breastfeeding experience. And, just like in other aspects of mothering, the better care your take of yourself, the more your baby will benefit.

Did you ever consider, though, that in choosing to nurse your baby, you’ve actually chosen a natural path that provides its own self care? Think of breastfeeding as Mother Nature’s gift that provides you with little added rewards for being the sole provider of nutrition for your baby.

After nursing my now 4 year-old daughter for 15 months and currently nursing my 13 month-old son, I’ve experienced many beautiful and powerful benefits of nursing, which have allowed the first year of feeding to fly by because of the ease and joy of what I like to call the “breastfeeding lifestyle.”

Although everyone’s bodies are different, a few things I’ve enjoyed while nursing are:

• Clearer, softer, glowing skin
• Extremely deep sleep and vivid dreams
• Increased metabolism and appetite
• Constant flow of oxytocin, resulting in a state of calm, rested alertness (even when sleep deprived!)
• Priceless bonding with my babies - holding their soft hands and caressing their tiny heads…
• Peace of mind in knowing I’m doing everything I can for my baby’s immune system and nutritional development
• A budget-friendly and easy feeding solution, and
• Precious pockets of quiet, mental relaxation time to sit and think or read, throughout the day and night.

As your babies get older and are on the go, and as your world gets busier, you’ll miss the restful moments of serenity that breastfeeding brings.

So, whether you’re a brand new traveler on the journey of breastfeeding with sore, achy nipples, or you’re a veteran who thinks it may be easier to switch to an alternative feeding source, be patient! Things will get easier – and you will begin to look forward to feeding times as much as your baby does. Remember all the good things that come to you and your family because of your decision to engage in nature’s most primitive feeding ritual.

Let us revel in God’s gift to mothers and babies! Always remember that breastfeeding mothers are beautiful! Lactating mamas are lovely!

And life is good.

This article originally appeared on The Motherhood Center blog, a nurturing resource for Houston mothers.

I heart hearty soups

As much as I love this time of year for our cold, crisp days and clear blue sky, it also means another thing: colds, coughs, sneezing, sore throats, repeat (three or four times!). Each time our family gets a cold, I want to do one thing: make a comforting pot of soup. Doing this usually takes some planning, but with this simple recipe for Hearty Pinto Bean-Rice Soup from The Old Farmer's Almanac, making a delicious, comforting and healthy meal was practically effortless...and made for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.

I've modified the recipe to make it heartier - the more protein, the better, with vegetarian dishes.

Hearty Pinto Bean-Rice Soup

2 T. canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water + 4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup brown rice
4 cups cooked pinto beans
1 large carrot, quartered and chopped
2 cups (1 jar) pasta sauce (I used a jarred Puttanesca sauce)
1/2 cup of each: frozen green beans, frozen (previously chopped) zucchini, frozen corn
2 T. low-sodium soy sauce
1 T. basil, dried
1 T. thyme, dried

Place oil into a large pot and add onion and garlic. Saute over medium heat about 5 minutes. Add rice; bring to a boil for 1 minute, then simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Bring to a slow boil. Lower heat to simmer and cover pot. Simmer for 1 hour (or longer. Longer is better!).

We enjoyed ours topped with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and a dash of soy sauce (to add some yummy umami) and some homemade cornbread.

We were so hungry that I forgot to take photos...but it was a beautiful, hearty soup that kept the whole family coming back for more. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Pancakes

After getting a new pancake griddle for Christmas, I'm still on a pancake jag! My next few food posts will be focused on pancakes - the easiest, quickest way to "bake" something comforting for breakfast. Our weekends have been so busy, so Mondays have turned into our "pancake day," since our girl doesn't have school on Mondays. (I do realize that next year's approaching having-to-get-up-and-be-dressed-by-7:45 daily kindergarten routine is going to, in fact, rock our world. We're soaking up a few slow and lovely weekday mornings while we still can.)

I've tweaked the original recipe to make it a bit sweeter by adding some vanilla yogurt (rather than plain) and some molasses (good source of iron, too). Remember that T = tablespoon and t = teaspoon.

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 T. sugar

1 T. and 1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. salt

1 cup whole vanilla yogurt
2 T. molasses

1 1/2 cup nonfat milk (more to thin as needed)

4 T. canola oil (plus more for the griddle)

2 large eggs

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl, whisk together milk, yogurt, molasses, oil and eggs.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Add more milk to make batter to your liking.
3. If not using a non-stick griddle, brush oil onto preheated skillet or griddle. Use 1/4 measuring cup of batter for each pancake.
4. Cook until pancake surface begins to bubble and a few have burst, about 1 - 2 minutes. Flip and cook 1 - 2 minutes more.
5. Enjoy with a little butter and maple syrup or molasses.

Viva la pancake day!

The Happiness Project (in person!)

Last Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of attending a book signing for Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. In town for the Mom 2.0 conference, she made time in her busy Houston schedule to jet down to the west side's sturdy, charming, indie Blue Willow Bookshop.

The intimate bookshop held a packed audience - all women - and was complete with cupcakes and flutes of champagne for all (things that make the shop owner happy, of course!).

I fell into fascination with Rubin's original Happiness Project blog (formerly at Slate) after reading one of her posts on Real Simple's blog. Her blog was a real-time chronology of her own personal "happiness project" - which she worked on for one solid year.

Rubin, a passionate NYC resident and mother of two, warmly noted that happiness means something different for each one of us; happiness is a subjective, personal topic. We all have different interests that make us happy. And in the hustle and bustle of life, many of us have forgotten how to play. We forget to do things just for fun. We're all business.

I look forward to sharing more as I read the book. In the meantime, if you're interested in learning more about Rubin and her journey, visit The Happiness Project, where she still blogs daily.

You may just be happy you did.

Productivity dip: To-do list is MIA

Looking for love behind curtained spaces

(love = big sister's night light)