Friday Favorites # 3 – Sharing What I Am Grateful For
Hi there! I hope this past week treated you well. I’m back with the third installment of Friday Favorites. And, while this week did come with its own set of challenges – I feel like I spent most of it with my head in the clouds – there were amazing moments that I am grateful for.
And, I want to share them here with you, to inspire you to remember/look out for those little moments that may have brought a smile to your face throughout this week. After all, practicing gratitude is a fantastic way to change your perspective on life.
MAMA'S LITTLE HELPER
Lately, Sadie has been trying to help out more around the house. For instance, she has been really interested in helping out in the kitchen. However, the first time she asked if she could help clean the dishes, I separated things I thought were safe for her to clean. No glass cups, knives, or anything sharp, etc. But, I’ve loosened up a little bit, and Sadie has been coming around more and more to help.
This particular photo is when Sadie helped clean a sink full of dishes one morning while I was making breakfast. She grabbed her stool, the sponge and dish soap and got to work. It was nice to have the extra hands (especially since we don’t have a dishwasher). But, I am grateful that I had the sense to calm down and let her help.
As a mom, we often try to protect our kiddos from anything that could hurt them. And, that can be hard work. Well, it’s certainly not practical. While letting go a little bit can be painful in the short term, it will be more painful in the future if we fail to raise self reliant kids.
FREE OPEN AIR LIFE
I shared a little bit about this ideology in this post here. With the weather warming up here on Long Island, we spent most of our mornings on a nature walk this week. Let me tell you, there is nothing like starting the day by spending a couple of hours in nature.
This week, the buds on the tree branches were becoming more noticeable, the breeze was warmer, and the bird songs seemed to be multiplying. We stopped to see if we could count how many different birds were in the forest with us, and were able to count 4-5 different bird songs. But, we are going to count each week to see what we discover.
While we didn’t try out any new forest school activities, the girls made up some of their own. In one of their “secret spots” the girls created a fairy village. In another, they set up a den to play house in.
It’s great to have these treasured spaces within nature, and knowing that pretty much every trail we visit holds a secret spot or one just waiting to be discovered. My main goal is to help my girls develop a connection with nature. One that they carry with them throughout their lives.
I am grateful that my girls enjoy spending time outdoors. Some of my most favorite childhood memories are of the outdoor adventures I would embark on with my friends.
Apple Cinnamon Photo Bomb
Earlier this week I created a new sourdough recipe in my cast iron skillet. It was pretty delicious if I do say so myself. To be honest, we all went back for seconds. I just love how the cast iron skillet keeps whatever you’re cooking warmer, for longer.
Well, this photo happened when I was trying to capture the Apple Cinnamon Sourdough Bread that was left over. And, it makes me laugh every time I look at it. Justin has been one of my biggest supporters on this whole blogging/entrepreneurship journey. He sticks around when I pivot, when I question everything and when I spend late nights at the screen (#homeschooling mom).
I am grateful for Justin’s love, and support throughout this adventure.
72 DEGREES
Okay so, I am writing this post a little later than I would have liked. My bed was just too comfortable to get out of this morning. And, Roxy woke me up demanding breakfast instead of my alarm (2.5 hours earlier).
But, that means I get to share my Friday, Friday Faves. And, hands down it’s the beautiful weather we were blessed with today! Let me tell you, our first real glimpse into spring this year was well overdue.
So, like I mentioned, our day started off a bit slower than usual (like any day would if you woke up 2+ hours past your alarm). But, I made the girls sourdough pancakes for breakfast (with extra batter so, tomorrow morning is covered), and after their morning routine we sat down to our morning homeschool lesson.
Honestly, it felt like I blinked and it was time to march out the door, onto our field trip Friday experience. So, we were off to my old stomping grounds in Huntington Village. But, we were visiting a spot I never went to before, the Hecksher Museum of Art (these free library passes are clutch).
After visiting the museum (which I’ll share more about in a later post) we took a walk around the pond, and then headed to the playground. Let me tell you, at first I was a bit disgruntled at seeing so many people in one spot (too peopley for me)
but then I snapped back to reality and felt super grateful.
Grateful to see so many people freely out enjoying the nice weather (sans mask. A new thing to us New Yorkers believe it or not). I just stood there, took a deep breath, filled with hope that life would return to normal (for good, and not just during the summer months), and that perhaps the “new normal” could never transpire. Fingers crossed but, we all have to do our part.
For the record, after today, I am predicting a very hot summer.
