10 things i'm grateful for

1. EO hand soap in Lime-Coconut-Strawberry scent. It's a non-toxic and natural brand, but it also smells delicious. Like a daiquiri. So good.

2. Slow simmered pinto beans. I use my mother-in-laws basic recipe, which is beans, water, and salt, simmered for many hours. I add some kombu for digestion, and you can't taste it at all! They are so full of flavor, and just amazing!

3. The chance to be a student again.  I actually really like highlighting and dog-earing books, and the feeling of a completed paper. I'm studying photography officially now, and feel like a kid in a candy store.

4. Meeting new mamas--hooray to social networking. I'm bowled away by the friendships I'm making through Instagram. I guess it's the way of the future, and it still seems like something out of some alternate universe that we can meet people through this medium, but I am grateful for it. I've "met" so many beautiful souls because of it.

5. Pressure points. I am a big believer in Chinese medicine, and frequently use acupunture/acupressure to alleviate every symptom under the sun. I'm grateful for my receding headache at the moment.

6. The amazing healers of the world. There are a ton of different, beautiful healing methods, and I am blessed to call several kinds of healers both my friends and angels.

7. My sweet family. They are my everything.

8. Tahini. It is the most versatile thing in the world, and probably what I use in my kitchen more than any other ingredient. Puddings, raw cookie dough, a thickener, and that special, hidden ingredient in curries, stews, rice dishes, and dressings. Not to mention, it's full of iron and calcium.

9. Bucket bibs. I'm really not sure how we got by without them in the early days of feeding Julie. They make for SO much less mess and clean up woes. Plus, I recently discovered the flexible kind you can stuff in your bag. I'm probably late to the party, but they are such a game changer :-)

10. Riding the swings at the park. Have you tried it recently? I joined Julie today, and kicked my legs up toward the bluest of skies, remembering in an instant, that rush of freedom and exhilaration that I loved so much as a little girl.