Beautiful Sunny Sunday

What a wonderful weekend. 

I feel blessed for such a good, well-lived Sunday.

Sunday, it's becoming the Sabbath day it is meant to be

in our happy home.

Today:

Had a simple, nutritious breakfast.

Played a game of "Slap Jack" (card game) with my precious daughter.

Washed and dressed and talked while doing it.

Was up and out in the cool, crispy, air after bathing in the sun under the window in her room.

Praise God, we can afford healthy food for our week!

We went to Trader Joe's and picked up everything on our list...

all healthy. My girl even picked up a healthy root beer, her favorite.

After a quick cup of tea, it was off to church, our home church.

We've been visiting the churches of family and friends for the past few weeks so it

was nice and comfey to be back at our special place.

Then home for a beautiful yoga session for this Mama...one hour

of a glorious class underneath my sunny window. 

Afterward, I made a big, healthy salad for me and my girl and we 

enjoyed it together. 

There was kitchen cleaning, friends coming over for a loving visit 

with pieces of confetti cake with homemade icing. And then I may have had a quick nap
on the couch while watching Rosemary & Thyme. 

I watched the sun going down from our large living room window and listened to Gungor, my 

new favorite worship band. Oh, they take my breath away with their 

creativity and messages. 

And I felt extra-blessed to listen to a sermon online from a friend's church this early 

evening. (It's titled: "First Things First: Relationships")

I needed to hear this before starting my week.

Blessings abound.

The kids can be heard playing upstairs and listening to our new favorite station on the radio, 

99.1. My daughter is loving her worship music lately, too! So good.

Tonight: It's breakfast for dinner or bean with bacon soup...and 

Downton Abbey after Lesson Planning for the week!

It was the perfect Sunday.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend too.

Love & Blessings, 

Cyndy

More Raw Veggies

I've been reading a lot about how we can get more enzymes essential for 

good health from eating raw vegetables. 

I make a mean salad with radish, cucumber, shredded carrot with a 

lemon-shallot vinagrette! We eat it at least twice a week and I often 

pack raw veggies as a snack for work.

This spring, we are planning our first container garden. 

I'm concerned about pests and the local cat and other

neighborhood "friends" getting into our stash, but hey, 

it's worth a shot...and I think it will be fun to experiment with different

organic pesticides.

We are starting small, as suggested by friends and family who are very experienced in this 

department. Sooooo

I thought we would definitely grow some cucumbers, since 

they are a staple around here...and 

some arugula (ordered some seeds from Italy) should

be interesting.

I'll update as we go along.

This should be a wonderful learning experience for us.

Any experience with container gardens?

Pointers? Tips? 

My Earth Mama Life

I just wanted to come over and share that I have started to write 

a new blog documenting my journey as a foster mom.

http://www.myearthmamalife.blogspot.com

I can not express how much this means to me. 

It has been a life-long calling.

I have decided to step out in Faith and pay heed to the calling

from the only father I've known, God.

I know He would not steer me wrong, ever...and that 

there are boundless opportunities for Love, Joy, and spiritual growth.

I chose this photo because I love it so much. It is just me and my daughter.

I'm carrying her cake this past birthday to her and she is waiting patiently.

It represents all of the love I have for her.

The love I have to give as a Mother. 

I feel so blessed. 

I hope you will check out my blog and come along with me on this 

new journey...this new chapter of our lives. 

Season For Love

It's been months since I've written on this blog. 

So much has been happening...so much positive change and transformation...that sometimes, it's nice

just to be able to give one's self over to it and live it in the moment

taking it all in, and enjoying life as it unfolds.

But the magic of this special season is upon us and so I will attempt my 

best to take a written snapshot of what this time has been like for us.

In church today, I felt like we are all being pulled in two distinct directions.

In late October, what I consider to be the beginning of my favorite three months of the year,

we had Hurricane Sandy hit. And I did not feel that it was right to 

celebrate while so many suffered.

Thanksgiving came and we sat gratefully at the table with our dearest, sweet family...all together.

We had dinner at a historic stone inn out on the eastern coast of our beloved, Long Island.

It was quiet and beautiful and perfect. 

It was restful, even though it was only for a couple of days. 

I was able to sneak off for an afternoon of holiday shopping and Starbuck's, which was extra special.

This Christmas, again, pulled in two directions by the trouble in and of the world.

And yet, I sat next to good friends today in church, looking up at my daughter as she read from the pulpit, the first reading...and happy, warm tears flowed. I am so proud of her, so proud of us.

We are strong. We are courageous and brave and proud. 

Like Jesus did, we too, must overcome the world, with all it's sin, tragedies, 

devastation, and sorrow. 

And I think we are doing pretty amazing, if I do say so myself.

We are both flourishing and thriving. 

Happy and Healthy. 

Grateful and so very Loved by so many, 

especially a loving God.

Our journey to foster continues. 

In fact, we are almost done. 

Just a short ways away to meet our new family member.

We are both so excited, waiting for 

her with open hearts and arms. 

So much to look forward to in the days and year ahead.

Meanwhile, these last days of advent are my personal favorite. 

I am performing the finishing touches on the handmade gifts, not too many this year. 

There were some crochet and upcycled cardboard ornaments and frames, 

some ring-dishes made of clay- painted and sealed...a fleece wrap for the matriarch of the family,

a book-safe for a special someone, photo coasters made of porcelain tiles, and some stuffed dolls made out of one of my 

favorite cardigans. 

I had big plans for candles this year and had even thrifted and saved so many pretty teacups and glassware for the "event," but it never happened. Neither did the herbal-sea salt handsoaps, 

the spice-infused scotch, and a couple of other creations I was hoping to pull off.

I couldn't help it. This season, I just wanted to be in the moment...

relaxing, exploring, doing, educating myself on fostering, making memories

creating, meditating, yoga-ing, and reading up on alternative healing modalities.

So much to learn and see and do! Always.

Off to do some thrifting today. My family decided to do Secret Santa this year. 

We have such a small family and there was no way I could NOT give each individual a little 

something, so I've been doing really well at the local thrift and consignment shops. I found a real hidden gem on the other side of the island. I am so happy!

I was able to buy some beautiful books, ornaments, a vintage throw from Mexico, brass raindeer figurines, 

porcelain vases, a cookie jar, vintage candy dishes, and more all for under $20.00.

'Tis the season!

Tis the season for Love and Healing and Joy and Peace and Giving

and Laughter and Spending Meaningful Time with Our Loved Ones.

Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward Men.

xoxo

{Recent} People, Places, and Things

Summer has officially ended for us with my return back to work today.

Tomorrow, my Girl Cub begins third grade at a new school. 

Hold good wishes for us please as we begin our school-year journeys.

xoxoxoxoxox

I found this in the sink late one night when I went to brush my teeth.

...Remnants of one of the zillion Barbie Fests Girl-Cub 

had with her friends this summer. 

I guess this was the grand finale! 

Stained glass sun & lotus flower in our kitchen window

greet us each morning.

Mama's Malas on windowsill

Dharma Yoga, NYC

Another one of my spirit homes, which I didn't realize

until I went there for the first time.

So grateful for such a beautiful, personally-

powerful summer filled with Love & healing.

Here's to the next season!

Namaste.

Summer In the City

I had the blessing of living & learning through

my 30's in New York City.

I lived in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for a year in the late

90's and then moved in with my boyfriend at the time who 

had a beautiful apartment downtown. 

The relationship didn't last,

but my love for NYC did.

Now I share that love with my eight year old, who can't get enough of taking the

ferry or driving over the bridge to get there...

Either way, as long as we go!

Mama/Daughter Mani-Pedis...a good way

to kill time before my appointment to 

get some new specs.

Wouldn't typically gravitate to the Upper East Side, except for the park, Whitney or the Met.

But our dearest family members live there and we have a knack for discovering hidden

treasures up there...Like the garden courtyard 

of All Souls Church. 

There is beautiful energy there and you can easily feel its

welcoming presence.

Nothing like ending the visit with a candlelight
sushi dinner al fresco-style.

Can't wait to go back on Friday for our last Kirtan downtown 

before it's back to school & work.

We've spent a lot of time in the city this summer, more than any other 

and it's all been blessed.

New Moon Kirtan

What is Kirtan, you ask?

Kirtan in Sanskirt, means "to repeat."

It is a form of call & response chanting, whose

roots go back to over 500 years in India. 

Read more about it here.

It has changed my life and my daughter has

become a huge devotee...and so has our neighbor friend

who has been joining us regularly. 

We enjoyed celebrating the New Moon Kirtan this week. 

New moons usher in change...

and that has been most appropriate for us at this time.

It's a beautiful trip into the city for us every few weeks and 

a blessing to be able to chant the names of God

with such a wonderful yoga community. 

I "LOVE PANDA"

Me & the girls below after

we were gifted some bindhis to wear. 

Below is a photo of my girl reading over the evening's chants. 

I am so proud of her. 

She is also a really excellent conga player.

The drummer and other musicians even stopped to comment 

throughout the evening and 

complimented her at the end of the night.