Have a Great Summer (and Weekend)!

It's that time again... I am off to enjoy my extended vacation on the beach. For those of you who read my blog regularly, you know the drill. But for those of you who have just found me, I will be back...so please stick around. While I'm away, the blog will go through some cosmetic changes, so I'm excited to return to a brand new blog in August! I hope you will be too. While I'm away, I'll be writing new posts, thinking up new series, and getting a few sponsors on board. I hope you like the new look and new navigation bar to make reading a bit easier. I will post one more time at the beginning of next week to continue my "10 Things to do in" series, but then I must say goodbye for now. Here are some of my favorite posts (and yours) to keep you company until I return.

Design & Decorating:
Outdoor Living
Playhouse for Adults
Meaningful Color
Color: Staging Your Home for Sale
Let's Work it Out

Health & Well-Being:
For the Love of the Game
Rain or Shine
Yoga
Beautiful Long Hair
Sugar Body Scrubs

Food:
Orange Chicken Stir Fry
Belgian Waffles
Lemon Cake with Raspberry Sauce
Homemade Maple Ice Cream
Comfort Food

Be Inspired:
Photo Contest: The Guidebook Cape Cod
If You Could do Anything
DIY Weekend: Industrial Pipe Shelving
DIY Weekend: Barn Doors
Spotted: Coffee on Wheels

Books & Writing:
The Art of Journaling
(Children's) Books
Do You Read About Food?
Good Things Come in Pretty Packages
You Are What You Read

Home & Family:
I'm Just a Mom
(Wo)Man's Best Friend
Getting Ready
Scenes From Around New England: Boston
It's the Week Before School

Happy Summer!

Photo: Orleans, MA

Female Role Models

Trying to raise two strong, independent-minded women today is getting harder. Although raising a son had its challenges as well, males dominate this arena. Female role models are a little harder to come by. That's not to say that all men are created equal—they're certainly not. The media is filled with one disappointing story after another regardless of gender. But the women our girls have grown up watching and listening to have fallen from grace one too many times.

I've always been a little strict when it came to television viewing no matter who had the remote, but actresses and musicians like Lindsay Lohan, Brittany Spears, and Miley Cyrus have (thankfully) drifted slightly out of favor. We were especially saddened by Miley...we had hoped she was going to beat the odds. Then along came Taylor Swift.

Fingers crossed, I bought three tickets to her Fearless Tour at Gillette Stadium. It had been a long time since I had gone to a concert of that size and I had no idea what to expect. My girls were 12 and 15 and I was still a bit protective when it came to large public spaces. I wanted them to enjoy the experience without mom hanging on their every move, but they were too excited to even notice and they were happy I was along for the ride.

We've since been to two more concerts of hers. No bad language, no inappropriate clothing and even her audiences seem as clean cut as the star herself. Through it all she has grown and matured without the slightest hint that at any moment she's going to disappoint her fans and turn into a spoiled star or worse. And thankfully, even at 16 and 19, they still love her.

Of course, there are women out there who don't have to be famous to be counted as role models. One of those women happened to be a Boston Marathon runner by the name of Shalane Flanagan. Shalane is a hometown girl who had been training so hard and was so determined to win after last year's bomb attempt that she actually apologized when she didn't win. We watched her lead with pride for most of the race, and in sadness when she fell behind. We were rooting for her too. All of her hard work may not have won her the race, but it certainly paid off.

Role models can have a powerful effect on you, which is why it was so important that I surround my girls with other girls and women who will inspire them. I remember getting asked who my role models were during my Junior Miss interview in high school. I paused for long enough to ramble off two women who came to mind—Barbara Walters and Chris Evert. Now, you can argue that I didn't do too badly. But I didn't answer honestly either. A role model is simply a person to whom you look up to, a person you admire and want to be like, and not necessarily someone who is well-known. (I'm still ashamed today that I didn't tell them I considered my mother to be my role model. We tend to forget their importance even long after those dreaded teen years are firmly behind us.)

It's important for all of us to recognize the power in strong, hard-working, good-hearted women. I know that (in addition to my mother) I look up to writers, artists of all kind, and people in my inner circle that help me be a better me. Because of them, I want to work harder towards my goals. I want to revel in their success without jealousy. I see this in my girls too and it makes me so proud of them. To know that they have listened to their hearts as well as their heads, and to cheer on those who may look up to them as well is heartening.

We're still rooting for you Taylor. (Please don't disappoint us.) Thank you and we'll see you at your next concert.

Photo: personal, taken during Taylor's Red Tour

Belgian Waffles

My oldest daughter loves breakfast food, so the other night I made her a batch of Belgian waffles that just melt in your mouth. This isn't a quick recipe, but it is easy, and most importantly, delicious. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, and dinner. Try them yourself.

Belgian Waffles

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 tablespoons butter, melted

2 cups milk (I use 1%)

Non-stick cooking spray

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. In 1 medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a second bowl use a wooden spoon to mix the egg yolks and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved and the eggs have turned a pale yellow. Add the vanilla extract, melted butter, and milk to the eggs and whisk to combine.
4. Combine the egg-milk mixture with the flour mixture and whisk just until blended. Do this a little at a time. Do not over mix.
5. In third bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.
6. Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the waffle batter. Don't over mix!
7. Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray and pour enough batter into the iron to just cover waffle grid. Close and cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Serve immediately.

Makes 8-10 waffles depending on the size of your waffle iron.

Photo credit: Joshua Resnick

Vegetables are King

I haven't been eating enough vegetables. I'm teaching a class this week and my whole health routine is all messed up. Every day we go out for lunch and I choose the healthiest thing I can find, but oh how I miss vegetables. And I never thought I'd say that.

Apparently, the world of food has decided that the vegetable is now king. Move over hefty chops, meaty burgers, and terrine of whatever, the vegetable is here to stay. Due in part to the (slowly) moving food movement of eating clean foods (certifiable organic), restaurants are now serving vegetable dishes as the main course. I'm fortunate to live in a community where farmers' markets are the norm and fresh organic produce is brought into the market I shop at all year long.

Read this article featured in the Boston Globe Magazine to be inspired to add more vegetable dishes to your menu.

Carrots at Alden & Harlow in Harvard Square. Photo credit: Kristin Teig

Book Reviews

Over the weekend, I read The Fault in Our Stars and The Paris Journal: Book One. I'm not one who necessarily likes to read what's popular. I've been disappointed in the past reading a book from someone's must-read list, so I'm a bit skeptical when it seems everyone likes a book. I didn't read The Help or Eat, Pray, Love until they were both in paperback (and still a bit reluctantly) and they are now two of my favorite books.

When my youngest daughter bought The Fault in Our Stars at our local bookstore, I was told by the great and knowledgeable staff that everyone should read it. I still decided that it probably wasn't for me. Even though I admittedly read (children's) books, I've stayed away from Young Adult novels. (Read what writer Ruth Graham thinks about reading YA.) Well, I was wrong, again. I found Augustus Waters absolutely charming and declared that all boys (and men) could do with a good dose of how to treat a lady under the tutelage of Mr. Waters. My oldest daughter also read it as well. (We were under strict orders that we needed to read it now because the movie was out and we had to see it soon!) In fact, at some points we were within pages of one another and whoever was behind got to recite lines from favorite passages. As she put it, "I seriously did not expect to like this book because of all of the hype, but I love it in a completely unexpected and amazing way." I couldn't agree more.

When The Paris Journal: Book One finally arrived in my mailbox, I was not surprised to find how beautifully packaged and presented the book was. Nichole and Evan really know how to do it right. Not only was there a little thank you card tucked in the box, but a Paris note card, and several bookmarks just for me. Of course, I knew the photographs would be beautiful, I'd seen many of them on their website, but the stories intertwined within the pages were equally engaging. I felt like I had just picked up someone's beautifully crafted diary and was given the secrets in how to savor the sights, sounds, and tastes of the streets of Paris.

Add these two books to your summer reading list.

Monday night we were at the movies. The movie was good, but not as good as the book. (Is the movie ever as good as the book?) Bring tissues.

10 Things to do in June

It's June! The month of grads, dads, no more school books...freedom. Summer may not officially start until the end of the month, but I think it's a state of mind. My family and I are looking forward to the lazy days of summer where schedules and have-tos are put on hold.

1. Buy a new swimsuit. If you're in and out of the water as much as we are, you need a few good suits to see you though the summer. Fading and stretching are natural, so try on your suits to see what fits and what doesn't, then treat yourself to a new suit that's fun and colorful.

2. Get ready for summer reads. Make your lists, swap books with friends and family (like I do each summer), and read something you wouldn't normally read like a biography, a book about birds, or a romance novel.

3. Hit the road. My parents were really into day trips when I was a child. We'd take off early and end up hours from home just to take in a change of scenery, eat at a new restaurant, or just enjoy the ride. When they come to visit, their car is like a traveling hotel room. They keep snacks, clothes, books, and just about every convenience you could think of stashed between the seats. I now have a basket filled with essentials that goes wherever I do. (Check out how to clean and organize your car.)

4. Do something different. When's the last time you played mini-golf? Or kayaked, boated, or canoed? How about played badminton, volleyball, bocce ball, or croquet? We try to do something each summer that we haven't tried before or done in a while. A few years ago, we went go-carting. Last year, the girls tried surf-bikes. And this year, I want to go clamming. What about you?

5. Try a new recipe. Take advantage of fresh fruits and vegetables and make delicious fruit shakes or these Fresh Corn and Summer Squash Tacos. When I cook on the grill, I make steak tips (on skewers with onions, peppers, and cherry tomatoes) with orzo salad (orzo, olive oil, garlic, and basil) that everyone enjoys.

6. Invest in a summer hat. If you're not a hat-wearer, it's time you were. Not only does it shade your eyes from the sun, but it saves your skin. I'm the one on the beach wearing a hat, sunglasses, and cover-up while sitting under an umbrella. I love the sun, but I'm not a fan of wrinkles.

7. Take up hiking. Walk in the woods and enjoy the shade of the trees. Take a stroll through the dunes. Or get reacquainted with your neighborhood.

8. Mix up your summer routine. Take one extra hour each day and spend it outdoors to get your dose of vitamin D or some fresh night air. As I mentioned last month, it's time to ditch the TV in favor of star-gazing. Play cards by candlelight on the porch. Work outside if you can. If I'm writing or researching, I can do this easily from my porch sofa. And I eat breakfast and lunch out there if I can't.

9. Become an artist. Grab that pad of paper, some pencils, paints, clay, or your hot glue gun. You don't really need to be an artist, just have fun. Put those pencils to use and try your hand at this drawing. If you're a seasoned crafter, how about making these outdoor cushions—perfect for concerts in the park. Scribble, doodle, use crayons. The more colorful and messy the better.

10. Make a summer playlist. Add upbeat, get-moving music to your iPod...the kind of music that makes you want to sing at the top of your lungs. (And date it so you can look back and see what you listened to.) Here are some of my favorites: "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams, "Our Song" or "Starlight" by Taylor Swift, "Beautiful Day" by U2, and "She's So Perfect" by 5 Seconds of Summer.

Photo: Orleans, MA