Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Category Archives: Reflections

Musings on life based on my personal experiences.

When Family Outdoor Time Sucks…

When Family Outdoor Time Sucks…

Do outdoor adventures with your family ever feel like this picture?  If so, you are so not alone.  These sort of pictures are not the ones that usually show up on social media.  In fact, scenes like this are generally not even photographed.  This one happened to be captured by my husband on a picnic lunch at Julian Price Memorial Park. After a stressful week at work and getting our new water distiller system installed, we most definitely needed a break. We’d just set up camp, and were grabbing a bite to eat before setting off on a family hike. …Read the rest of this entry →

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The Freedom of Stepping Back

The Freedom of Stepping Back

I learned a long time ago that any writing done when I am rushed and/or not inspired to write is writing that is not worth reading.  Which is why you may have noticed things have been a little quieter around here of late.  The arrival of Baby Z, combined with summer (meaning no preschool mornings for Big C…) has put a giant dent in the time I have available to write.  In fact, over the past few weeks I’ve seen the small windows of time that I previously had for myself shrinking away to practically nothing.   While Baby Z is a…Read the rest of this entry →

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Another Reason to Put Your Swimsuit On

Another Reason to Put Your Swimsuit On

Recently I read this article encouraging moms to put aside their body insecurities, throw on a swimsuit, and jump in the pool/ocean/lake with their kids.  The message was that a child will remember those carefree moments spent playing with you and couldn’t care less about how you look in a bathingsuit.  The writer emphasizes that “at the end of the day, it is not about me.  It is about my kids.” I agree with those sentiments wholeheartedly.  And, as someone who for a long time struggled with an unhealthy relationship with food, this line resonated with me especially: “Because when…Read the rest of this entry →

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Sentimental Snapsots: The Power of “Do-Overs”

Sentimental Snapsots: The Power of “Do-Overs”

With a 4 month old in the house, one on one fun with my son is at a premium these days.  I always know his (and my) quality time tank is running on fumes when we have a day where everything seems to be falling apart.  You know the kind I mean – when you feel as though you can’t do anything right, and are a complete failure as a parent.  Yep, those days.  You’d think that by the second kid my track record would’ve improved a bit, but now that there are two of them, those out of control days seem to show…Read the rest of this entry →

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Just Love.

Just Love.

“I just don’t know what to do.” was the very frustrated text I’d sent my husband one afternoon a couple of weeks ago.  Baby Z was wide awake…again, after trying to get her to sleep for the umpteenth time.  It was clear that my ordinarily fairly predictable little sleeper was having a series of off days.  I’d remembered Big C having plenty of days like this (call them growth spurts, developmental spurts, or just the age-old infant constant of “change.”), but knowing it was just a phase didn’t help get my day under control, hence the text of desperation.  I’m…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN