GottaLoveMom

Sometimes words just don't come easy... My almost 21 year old daughter noticed this bird's nest while she was watering the plants. Can you see the three little baby birds and how their beaks are wide open just waiting.. The mother bird is just nearby...  I wonder what is on her mind.. I wonder if we are interrupting lunch or early dinner... I guess I better leave them alone... My Mom planted these bright and light pink peonies eight years ago. ( Oh how I wish she can touch and smell these) It's going to be a very busy weekend ! Happy Memorial Day weekend! Keep smiling :-)

“Serenity now…Insanity later…” At this moment, I’m sitting on my deck, under the umbrella – the sun is shining, butterflies spreading their wings, no wasps in sight, no lawn mower guys mowing the lawn, the occasional faint sound of an airplane passing by, the clouds are floating around the sky, the ducks are quacking, the birds are singing – a peaceful afternoon! Yes…Peace. Calm. Quiet. Serene. I would love to have a week when there’s nothing to cry about. I don’t mind having a boring, routine life if it means everything’s calm and peaceful. But the lines in the palm of my hand do not reflect such life. Hence, I have to embrace the fact that maybe life – my life, is just chaotic! So therefore, I have to find ways to spice up my day no matter what. Every day, I have a choice, and with that choice, I have to react in a way that will result in calm, peaceful, quiet and serene day. Do you remember that Seinfeld episode when Kramer was trying to open a bag of chips, un...

A few weeks ago, I started my little vegetable garden. I put together a tomato and herbs topsy-turvy. ( I think I overdid it with the tomatoes!) There are 12 slots in the topsy-turvy planter. I planted 10 tomatoes: one at the bottom and then nine on the side. I also planted an oregano and mint seedlings on the side of the planter. (I just hope the planter is sturdy enough to hold the tomatoes when they all hopefully bloom!) The tough part with the topsy-turvy is putting them together. If you're kind of clumsy like me, there's no easy way to put the seedling on the side and bottom part (make sure you remove the plastic stopper), fill the planter with soil while it's hanging (expect to have soil splattering on your shirt and face), and make sure you hang the planter where you want it to be because it'll be very heavy to move it to its final destination. But once you get the hang of it, it's quite an accomplishment to brag about :) This is my first...

Do you want to have something meaningful to do this Saturday? The founders of http://www.themotherhood.com/ , in partnership with Hebrew National, are launching the Hebrew National Better-Than-A-Picnic Picnic this Saturday, May 22nd from 11:30am – 3:30pm at the Randall’s Island Park. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/randallsislandpark There will be FREE Hebrew National Beef Franks, refreshments, entertainment and activities. What makes this event special is that various people get together not only to enjoy each other’s company but also gather together to make a difference – to give back to the community. A Picnic with A Purpose , indeed! For other news and updates, be sure to visit Hebrew National's Facebook Page, too: So come join me and the rest of the gang!

Hormones can really mess up your normal mood! And as one gets older, the monthly mood swings are more noticeable. Being aware that you’re short tempered and acting “strange” (as my 9yo says) makes the mood swings more controllable. The past weekend was just remarkably sunny, so I took advantage of Mother Nature’s gift and walked from my town’s main street back to my neighborhood. It was quite a walk, and I loved it! Later that afternoon, my husband and I took a walk back to town. He gets amazed on every new development with the bridge construction that started last summer. A few pavers, new pavement, railing or equipment are few things that tickle my husband’s interest. It must be that engineer in him! If I can only record his comments and description of the progress (or lack-of)! (Men are definitely different than women. I don’t know of any woman who exhibits enthusiasm with the sight of a newly paved walkway!.) We do have a lovely and quiet town. Whil...

The only way to get to the finish line is to start. You may have to take different routes, adjust your schedule and re-direct your plan, but if you don’t start it, you won’t get to where you want to be. Sometimes we just need an inspiration, a little push, and a little jump start. And then once we start it, don’t second guess yourself! Just do it and everything will fall into place. My children give me inspiration. Their energy, enthusiasm, and motivation drive me to fulfill my dreams, too. A friend in theMotherhood, Julie Pipert, introduced me to a very catchy slogan, “CHOOSE YOU”, and it just sums up what we usually take for granted. So grab a pen and paper, start writing what you want for YOU...and every day make an effort to get you closer to the finish line. Good-luck, have fun and keep smiling! (Here's my 14yo's rendition of Elton John's Burn Down the Mission) Every goal starts with a plan. So start NOW.

"Yesterday is but today's memory,   tomorrow is today's dream.” – Kahlil Gibran One weekend, a dear friend introduced me to “topsy-turvy” gardening. My mom loves to garden and she has the patience and the passion. I don’t have a big backyard and we mostly have pavers, trees and shrubs. There really isn’t a whole lot of ground where I can plant vegetables and herbs. But to my surprise, I was intrigued with the prospect of harvesting my own tomatoes, strawberries, herbs, eggplant, zucchini, squash and a little treat for humming birds! I have a topsy-turvy life, it seems. I have plenty of projects that have not seen its completion. So surely I don’t have shortage of tasks I need to complete, but I’m having a major writer’s block that I need a little diversion. The other project that I have to work on in the next few weeks is emotionally exhausting so tackling a “gardening challenge” can be fun and uplifting? Or am I setting up myself to another source of frustrat...