Get lost with your family in Lost Pines, Texas

 

It’s the middle of the night when I make my list in my head of what I packed and what I need to pack for our spring break road trip. That never ending list that mothers do to make sure their children are protected, safe and entertained…cough syrup (check), sunscreen (check), Cars DVD (check).

On a sunny Sunday our family of four hit the road to the Texas Hill Country. I felt in control driving down I-35 with the navigation programmed; it was going to be an easy trip. For weeks my children had been saying they were so excited for our vacation in Austin.

It was fairly easy. The navigation had us turn one road too soon and just when everyone had to go to the bathroom, we seemed to be lost. A quick phone call to the Lost Pines resort got us back on track and we started to wind down the road with that Mighty Python feeling that we keep on driving and we’re not really going anywhere.

As we entered the resort, we became one with the lost pines down an extremely long driveway. It felt like we were far, far away from civilization. Once arriving at the beautiful resort, you don’t really want to get back in the car until it’s time to go home.

We ventured out to Austin only once to go on a sunset bat cruise which was well worth the effort. Capital Cruises is the ultimate Austin experience because not only do you get to see one and a half million Mexican free-tail bats fly under Congress Avenue (their home from March through October) but you also get to see a traffic free look at Austin’s attractive cityscape.

Some travelers like to return to places they already know. I certainly do. We had stayed at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio last year. We knew another Hyatt Resort was going to be a hit. We met many people who were on repeat visits. It’s obvious why they wanted to come back; this is simply the kind of place that is almost magically bound to make those lasting family memories.

There were more activities than we knew what to do with. Upon checking in we were given an activity calendar of all the things we could experience: tennis, golf, horseback riding, kayaking, trap shooting, s’mores by the campfire, nature hikes, zipline, biking, archery, wagon rides, face painting, balloon making…My children’s favorite was the Crooked River water park because “a river runs through it!” This water park has a sandy beach, waterfalls, a lazy river, and waterslides.

My favorite part was enjoying being outside and admiring the old pecan trees and bluebonnets. Every time we saw a big bluebonnet patch my daughter would say, “Mommy look, bluebonnets! Don’t pick them!” I bet I heard her say that twenty times!

When I was researching where to stay in the Texas Hill Country, I found many places said that they were not child friendly. I knew the Lost Pines Resort was the place to stay when I read that Travel and Leisure Magazine ranked them #23 for World’s Top Family Hotels. Also, Conde Nast Traveler magazine highly rates and recommends the spa (another one of my favorites). It’s one of those places that keeps everybody happy.

We found a very laid back vibe with a Native American/Texan farmhouse style. It’s easy to feel comfortable enjoying the outdoors when you can relax in luxury. Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort is a 405-acre resort 20 miles from downtown Austin with more than 490 rooms that have patios or balconies.

Our room looked out over the beautiful Butterfly Garden. My daughter and I were lounging in the hammock when I looked over my shoulder to check on my son who was playing leap frog on the rocks by the lily pond when I turned and saw that he had just accidently jumped into the lily pond. An all boy picture, he was covered with green goo. Thankfully, our room was also right by a laundry facility! Something not on my check list…extra shoes!

Breakfast at the Firewheel Café was the perfect way to start the day and Texas style BBQ was the best way to end it. We enjoyed live Willie Nelson style music by the band Campcookie. The kids got up on stage with stick horses and cowboy hats to sing, Deep in the Heart of Texas (which I’m proud to say that my daughter knows all the words to thanks to her wonderful kindergarten teacher).

We left Lost Pines when the bluebonnets were blazing. All our cowboy activities seemed to add a little country swagger to our step. I’m proud to be raising little Texans. They look right at home on a pony, eating BBQ, wearing cowboy hats, singing campfire songs…

Like many of the families we saw who were repeat guests, I said to my husband…let’s come back next year!

The Taste of Memory Soup

Sunday morning (my favorite time to cook) I begin to bang pots and pans getting organized before I chop my vegetables. I had gone to bed thinking about what I would make the next day. Cold weather has me craving comfort foods. Craving warm meals means I am thinking of my Polish babysitter Zofia who put cabbage in just about everything. Her soup was deliciously flavorful and made us all happy to eat it.

Zofia was someone who had survived the war and endured much more; she had a lot of good secrets and cabbage was one of them. Eating cabbage is a childhood memory that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

When we are children, the people we have in our little worlds form and shape us. As our memories grow and we age, those special times are triggered by the little things in life…a meal, a song, a figurine. We are so lucky when we find people who love our children just as a relative does. Having Zofia in my life added to my happy childhood.

It’s December and I’m shivering from the inside out, this is probably why I started craving cabbage this week. I want to feel that warm comforting feeling that I so well remember with Zofia. Well-loved memories of my babysitter have me longing for my childhood.

She made the world safe with her Polish food and songs. I wish she was still here to sing Kosi Kosi Lapci  and cook for my children as she did for me and my siblings, but life comes full circle and our children will have their own Zofia who makes the world happy and safe with mashed potatoes, tractor toys, and Backe Backe Kuchen. The paddy cake song may be in a different language but it carries that same warm feeling.

Making my shopping list for soup I write cabbage and smile. Holding the cabbage at the store I feel as though I’m holding something much more valuable like a truffle. Sometimes the special ingredient isn’t anything expensive or out of the ordinary.

When you feel chilled to the bone, begin to worry about your well-being, and your memories sneak up on you…cabbage never fails to sooth you and those you love. As I made cabbage soup I was surrounded by happy memories and I’m thankful Zofia is in my heart to help me make them for my children.

Na zdrowie

Photos of Wroclaw, Poland where Zofia was from.

A sick day, a snow day, a just say no day

There are days when we should stop and smell the chicken and dumplings and listen to some Christmas carols. Sometimes when we are so consistently scheduled, it feels really good to break the pattern. When you have a sick child, things have to change and we are all forced to slow down and say no to obligations. In a way it is a blessing! It's like a bonus day, a snow day...when you have the time for more of those things you don't usually get to enjoy as long as you wish like coloring, cooking, and cuddling.

You know how there’s a Seinfeld episode for everything that happens to us in life? I think the same is true for Beatles songs…After a long week at work, I kept having a Beatles soundtrack in my head that related to how I was feeling…It’s been a Hard Days Night and we keep having to Come Together at work when all I want to say is Don’t Bother Me because I’m so Tired. I know that All Things Must Pass so I’ll say Ob-La-Di and when I need some, I’ll yell HELP and I Call Your Name!

After singing these songs in my head for a few days, my daughter got sick. I thought…more stress, but it was truly a blessing because I was forced to slow down with her and just breathe. We curled up together sharing a blanket and colored princesses. Isn’t it true that once we relax, answers to problems will often be revealed? What had seemed like such a big deal becomes much less of one. Then we can be more productive in every area… maybe we all need to color more.

I remember enjoying sick days at home from school when my mom would set me up on the sofa with chicken noodle soup, hot tea, warm blankets, a fire in the fireplace, and I Love Lucy. I felt warm, safe, and secure. Nothing beats home when you are exhausted and curling up in your little mom-made cocoon is pure happiness. “Stay-at-home” mom is the dream job for most working moms, but it has a more special meaning on a sick day. We all deserve some “stay-at-home” time. Make sure you take advantage of yours when you can.

Sometimes the most urgent and vital thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest.

~Ashleigh Brilliant

How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward.
~Spanish Proverb

Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself,
your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.

~Ralph Marston

There must be quite a few things that a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them. ~Sylvia Plath

Sick

“I cannot go to school today,”

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I’m going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I’ve counted sixteen chicken pox.

And there’s one more—that’s seventeen,

And don’t you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut, my eyes are blue—

It might be instamatic flue.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I’m sure that my left leg is broken—

My hips hurt when I move my chin,

My belly button’s caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle’s sprained,

My ‘pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb,

I have a silver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow’s bent, my spine ain’t straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is—what?

What’s that? What’s that you say?

You say today is… Saturday?

G’bye, I’m going out to play!”

~ Shel Silverstein

For your next “stay-at-home” day! Hopefully it will be a “snow day” and not a “sick day!” Read The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, listen to She and Him, A Very She & Him Christmas, eat chicken and dumplings, feel a cashmere sweater against your skin, and sip and smell some peppermint tea. You’ll be feeling better before you know it.

Chicken and Dumplings

8 chicken thighs (with skin and bones)

Dredge in and brown in 2-3T vegetable oil:

½ flour

Generous amount of salt

½ t cayenne

¼ t black pepper

Sweat in 1 T vegetable oil:

3 leeks, white and light green part sliced in half moons

2 celery ribs diced

2 carrots, diced

1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into chunks

2 parsnips, peeled, diced

2 bay leaves

Deglaze with 1 C dry white wine

Stir in ¼ C more of flour

Gradually add 6 C chicken broth

Stir in browned chicken and juices

2 t fresh lemon juice

1 t sage and rosemary

For the dumplings:

Blend

1 ½ C flour

1 C parmesan cheese, grated

2 ½ t baking powder

2 t sugar

Salt and pepper

Heat:

1 C whole milk

4 T butter

Preheat oven to 375. Cut chicken into large pieces. Combine flour and seasonings in a resalable plastic bag. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess in a deep oven proof pot, heat 1 T oil over med-high. Brown half the chicken; transfer to a plate. Brown the rest in a bit more oil then remove and reduce heat. Sweat the vegetables and bay leaves in oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Deglaze with wine; simmer until almost evaporated. Stir in flour to coat vegetables. Gradually add broth then chicken. Cover pot and transfer to the oven; cook for 20 minutes. While stew is in the oven, make dumpling dough. Stir in lemon juice, and herbs before adding dumplings. Blend dry ingredients for dumplings in a mixing bowl. Heat milk and butter until butter melts; blend into dry ingredients. Shape using a small ice cream scoop then drop dumplings into the simmering stew. Braise in oven until dumplings are cooked through, about 20 minutes. 

Here’s to another week and wishing for Good Day Sunshine!

Back to School: Fashions, Backbacks, and Bento boxes

 

There’s nothing like back to school shopping to put you in the mood for fall. This time of year is almost as busy as the holidays. It’s like there is something crisp in the air that gives off a fresh new energy. I love it.

With the autumn season rapidly approaching I am reminded of the movie You’ve Got Mail.  I loved what Tom Hanks says about back to school smells and the fall season, It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. I also love the scene when Meg Ryan comes into her shop and picks up a roll of Scotch tape and says, Can you beat that?



I loved the dress I wore the first day of first grade.



Walking into my classroom I’m excited about the smell of new crayons but also the visual display of first day of school outfits. I remember what I wore the first day of school every year. The pictures my mom took on that first day show the excitement and anticipation of that moment; I always felt good about that first day outfit. It’s part of making a great first impression and having an outfit you feel happy in.

This is a special year for me because my daughter will be joining me at school (my work) . She is starting Kindergarten; and as an elementary teacher, I’m thrilled that we will be going to school together.

Fashion has always stimulated me and I’m tickled to see my daughter developing her own opinion on colors and textures. She’s picked out three first day outfits and loves to try them on to play fashion show. It is my hope that this year she will dress herself and feel good about what she’s wearing.

I’m always impressed with mothers who encourage their children to dress themselves. If your child has an opinion about what they like to wear then they’re probably capable of choosing their own outfit.

Not long ago, I had the pleasure of teaching a little girl named Isabelle. I loved seeing her explore her fashion sense; she would come to school with multiple patterns, glittery scarves, and hair accessories all in one day. The scarf might turn into a belt at recess and the fancy shoes might be changed to sneakers but she was so proud of her style. Her look  worked because she had confidence and her mom had given her enough direction and freedom to explore her fashion-sense; that resulted in choices that were all weather-appropriate, tasteful, and fit her body.

I recently cleaned out my children’s drawers in preparation for back to school shopping; you could say I went shopping in their closets first! This way I was able to do an inventory and organize what they already have that still works. Naturally you should do this for yourself too; but it’s always easier to do for someone else isn’t it?!

When my daughter came downstairs from getting dressed I could tell she had fun picking out her clothes because she had forgotten about the many adorable clothes she had hiding behind her favorite Hello Kitty shirts. She was so excited and proud of her fashion selection.

The tricky part of going back to school is that it’s still summer and here in Texas we won’t be ready to pack up our summer clothes for a while. This is why I love layers; they allow you to mix and match until the seasons really do change then you can add more layers.

I think it’s fun to play with patterns…stripes, stars, and polka dots all together? Sure, a child can own that look and it can make you long for your Punky Brewster days! Think bright colors and happy patterns that can still work with the favorite Hello Kitty shirts!

I’ve never been one to just buy from a single store; like my daughter, I like to mix and match! I have many favorite stores when shopping for my children. I love to have that European feel mixed with classic American staples. This fall, I coveted Janie and Jack (for classics), Hannah Andersson (basics), Mini Boden (undergarments, especially tights), H&M kids (inexpensive tops) and Garnet Hill (backpacks and lunch totes).

You know the saying, If you look good, you feel good? Happy colors and patterns with pizzazz will add zip to everyone’s step and truly make you and those around you feel good.

As a teacher, I know how observant children are to each other!  Just think of how good it feels when someone compliments you on your outfit; children are more comfortable to freely complement each other and do it often. If your child dressed themselves AND received compliments, you can feel good knowing that you have a confident child who is comfortable with their decisions and are not afraid to express themselves through fashion AND in the classroom.

Besides clothes, other fun things on the list to shop for are lunch and backpack gear. Garnett Hill’s patterns have always been some of my favorite. My daughter studied the backpacks as seriously as if she were picking out her Halloween costume. They also come with a complimentary lunch bag.

What you place inside the lunch bag is just as important. The Japanese are whizzes at making whimsical joyful characters that are usually animals. Bento boxes are all the rage; not only are they adorable with frogs, pandas, bunnies, and even Hello Kitty characters but they make for smart food choices in a neatly presented way and encourage children to eat a variety of foods.

This fall when you’re doing your back to school shopping, involve your kids in the planning and have fun together! Helping children learn to make decisions about their clothing pays dividends for other decisions they must learn to make later.

 

Happiness is...

Americans like to smile; we like to be happy! It’s a good thing we are a culture with the best dental hygiene because smiling is something we do well. I think of the French who are not big into smiles (or teeth). Luc Tessier in the movie French Kiss says, When people tell me they are happy, my ass begins to twitch. This makes me laugh and want to smile even more! When Americans are not happy we are very good at fixing it and if you don’t want to fix it, well people will just assume you are French!

I think there’s a recipe for happiness just like your grandmother’s cookies, they’re not that hard to bake and when you make them, everyone’s glad!

All recipes begin with the ingredients; the same is true for happiness. A recipe for happiness might go something like this...add a heaping cup of family and friends, a cup full of meaningful work, a dash of optimism, a sprinkle of gratefulness, plenty of forgiveness, a generous amount of giving, and two hands full of spirituality. You can’t find these ingredients in your pantry or buy them at the store, but you do have them at your fingertips should you choose to use them.

It seems that the happiest people surround themselves with family and friends; this is a sure-fire way to find happiness and to feel fully alive. Happy people don’t spend very much time alone; they like to be around the ones they love. Someone who is cheerful probably tends to have strong relationships with those who share their joy, sorrow, and stress…It’s a wonderful thing to invest in relationships with your friends, it’s a bonus if your friends are naturally happy people.  

There are some people who manage to always look on the bright side. We may not all be as sunny and optimistic as the famous Pollyanna character but we can find her same enthusiasm for life if we can play the ‘glad game’ every now and then. Think about something you’re grateful for and voila, you’re smiling!

Grateful people are happy people. To me, gratitude is best expressed in writing letters, journaling, or even an email or a text to tell someone you love them, this can make you and that person feel better in an instant.

I find when I get really into a project or activity, I lose all track of time, stop worrying and just enjoy the moment. This is when I think busy schedules are a good thing; life’s many activities bring great satisfaction. I find this happens to me when doing enjoyable daily tasks too…dancing, playing with my children, writing, reading are all things I can lose myself in. Taking time away from other important things like work is good for our soul.

People feel happiest when they’re doing what they do best…work or play. I think you will agree with me that we should all have more fun and less stress. If you love your work and it’s meaningful, that plays a huge factor, but equal parts play and work are what equals happiness. I’m sure Freud would agree when he said, Love and work…work and love, that’s all there is.

There’s a bigger chance that you will be happier if you don’t spend too much time alone. It’s a good thing to accept social invitations, initiate social get-togethers, have face-to-face time rather than online time, and hug your family and friends. Nurture your relationships; having tons of friends could never compare to those few very close friendships that consistently make you happy. When I’m having a bad day, I like to relive a good memory spent with friends and family. 

Another way to get happy is to forgive. It may be extremely hard to do and take some time but once we forgive those who have hurt us, our hearts are happier.

Spirituality contributes to our happiness, believing in something higher gives us direction and purpose and it just feels right.

A few weeks ago, most of the world watched the Royal Wedding with great joy. This one wedding made people all over the world so happy and gave us optimism and a reason to celebrate with the world. I think most people look forward to the next big celebration that brings us all together like the Olympics.

Quotes to inspire and make you feel happy:

The best way to cheer yourself up, is to try and cheer somebody else up. Mark Twain

Whoever said you can’t buy happiness forgot about puppies. Gene Hill

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.  Anonymous

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. Nathaniel Hawthorne

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. Marcel Proust

Questions to ponder… When have you been the happiest? To get you thinking here’s some food for thought with three top five happy lists from my husband, my daughter, and me. Can you guess which list belongs to whom?

1.       a to do list that’s already been done

2.       the feeling after an intense work out

3.       bedtime rituals with our children

4.       a night without doing dishes

5.       seeing the lights turn on in our children

1.       birthday cake

2.       balloons

3.       kites

4.       Hello Kitty

5.       parties

1.       the beach

2.       hugs

3.       pink peonies

4.       the sound of music and laughter

5.       being skin to skin with my babies

What’s on your happy list?