belated apothecary day recap

a couple of weekends ago, a friend and i got together at my house to create some herbal goodies.  it was just one of those low-key days, when the music is playing in the background (MC yogi), the kids are running around like freaks, there are little bowls of nuts and chocolate all around, lentils are bubbling in the crock pot, and a ton of herbs are ready to play with!   days like this are medicine for my soul.

here was little herbal goddess helper #1----

 and big sister goddess helper #2-----(joey was running around and i only have videos of him from that day playing the wii...i'll spare you)

 i like renee's handwriting way more than i like my own, so i put her to work making all my labels!

 things got messy pretty quickly.  also, the computer was a must for googling the benefits of different essential oils...

at the day's end, we made a tea tree/comfrey salve, a yarrow/bergamot/lemongrass salve, a rosemary tincture, and some lavender/rosemary bath salts.  the kids really got involved with the label making!

 i'm pretty sure renee was pretending to anoint grace with some magical oils in this picture...

brownies were a must, too.  lulu and renee decided to bottle up some "secrets".  all of lulu's secrets are now contained in cute little tin containers.

 putting the secrets in...

overall, a therapeutic day!  i am really loving learning about herbs and oils and their different uses.  i'm toying with the idea of holding some VERY low-key classes here for my local friends who might be interested in learning how to create some herbal products from your natural medicine cabinets.  hit me up if you'd be into that!

xo

wisdom

how can something so simple be so profound, letting others go first, in traffic or in line at starbucks, and even if no one cares or notices?  because for the most part, people won't care---they're late, they haven't heard back from their new boyfriend, or they're fixated on the stock market.  and they won't notice that you let them go ahead of you.

they take it as their due.

but you'll know.  and it can change your whole day, which could be a way to change your whole life.  there really is only today, although luckily that is also the eternal now.  and maybe one person in the car in the lane next to you or in line at the bank or at your kid's baseball game will notice your casual generosity and will be touched, lifted, encouraged----in other words, slightly changed for the better----and later will let someone else go first.  and this will be quantum."

from "help, thanks, wow:  the three essential prayers" by anne lamott


yes.  yes.  yes. 

the beauty in doing absolutely nothing

today was another snow day.  a quiet day.  a day that i promised myself that it would be OK if i just wanted to hide out in bed all day and let the kids work it out amongst themselves.  a "detachment parenting" kind of day.  and so far, it's been awesome. i read, relaxed, juiced, worked out, listened to records, lit some candles, meditated, cleaned the house a bit, ate some salad, snuggled with the dog and the kids, had a B-52's dance party, watched the kids draw together, sent an insane amount of gratitude into the universe for a fantastic neighbor that plowed us out (john's away), made cookies, and just vegged.   deep breaths.  i find that when i set the expectations really low, and practice detachment parenting, the best sort of days happen.  the best part is, it's 1:45p and almost time for sushi date and watching "parade's end"...and then bed again.  

xoxo

the things i never thought i could do

the weeks are rushing by with incredible speed.  the kids are off this week for school vacation, so i've been in mama-taxi mode, where i spend most of the days just driving around, dropping kids off and picking kids up.  we took a trip to the zoo, we had a mini-reunion with friends over brunch in the snow.  we yelled and we cried and then we all snuggled on the couch and watched a diary of a wimpy kid movie.  there's a mini-vacation on the horizon this weekend, with a hot tub and a whole bunch of junkie snacks and fun magazines in my future.

in between, there have been lots of small things that used to be things that i never thought i could do.  or maybe never thought i wanted to have to do. something like that.  every day now, there are needles that i poke myself with.  there are bruises and lumps and lots of things that i thought would freak me out.  there are sharps containers and trips into the city by myself in rush hour traffic for doctor's appointments.  things that seemed too huge to conquer, but now seem just fine.  i look at it as prep work for something wonderful. 

i will admit, i have been lazy lately.  i've taken to napping every day, maybe for mental health but also because i'm tired.  maybe it's the weather.  maybe it's self care.  whatever it is, nothing feels better than curling up in my warm king bed in the middle of the day with a book and falling asleep for a bit.  so yes, the kids have been watching too much tv.  and yes, my kitchen is sometimes a mess of dishes.  but i am happy.  and warm.  and lucky.