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A Mom's Year

Creating a comfortable life one moment at a time

April 6, 2012

Chobani Black Cherry Cheesecake / Weekend Links

My friend Cathy posted the link to this Chobani Black Cherry Cheesecake on Facebook and I decided to give it a try. It’s incredibly easy to make and even though it didn’t taste exactly like cheesecake (there’s not a speck of cheese in it, after all), I wanted to eat the whole thing. I think that might be a good sign!

While I’m resisting the urge to go back for seconds (okay, thirds), here are some links to check out:

  • Lisa at Little Monster has so many great things going on at her blog—recipes for healthy and delicious-looking chocolate chip cookie cashew bars and spinach gruyere whole wheat crackers, gorgeous magnolia photos, and cool children’s stories posters—it’s hard to link to just one. But I think my favorite is this video featuring a 95-year-old former ballerina sharing her secrets for a long and healthy life. You’ll love it.
  • This moisturizing oil sounds amazing, and perfect for summer.
  • Does this poster give you a little chill (the good kind)?
  • If you still need a dessert idea for Easter, these coconut nest cupcakes look quick and easy (especially if you use a prepared mix and frosting).
  • Board books for book-loving parents.
  • Free Bunny Banner printable here.
  • Scandinavian-inspired nurseries.
  • Adorable DIY paper carrots.

Do you have fun plans for Easter weekend? Tim’s birthday falls on Easter this year, so we’ll be celebrating him and feeling thankful for his continuing recovery. (People often ask if Tim’s back on his bike and the answer is yes.) We’ll be with the extended family, catching up and enjoying lots of good food. I have my fingers crossed for warm weather and sunshine so the kids can have their Easter egg hunt outside.

I hope that you have a day filled with love and blessings, and that you feel all the renewal and peace this joyful season brings.

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.
Martin Luther

Filed Under: Books, Cooking, Holidays, Inspiration Shannon 4 Comments

April 5, 2012

Clever Design / Read Your Bookcase

{ image }

Tim sent me the link to this modular typographical bookcase by the Italian furniture design firm Saporiti. Pretty cool, isn’t it? Of course, I’m a fan of books and all things Italian (cheers to you, Grandpa Tony), so this is right up my alley!

Here’s the bookcase filled with books. Can you still read the hidden message?

Filed Under: Books, Decorating Shannon 3 Comments

April 4, 2012

Easter Dessert Ideas

{ Lemon Cream Rolled Cake }

I’m trying to decide on a dessert to bring to the family gathering on Easter Sunday. I’d like it to be special, but something I can actually pull off. I made the Turtle Cake last Easter, but this year I’d like to try something new.

{ Cupcake Skewers }

[Read more…] about Easter Dessert Ideas

Filed Under: Cooking, Holidays Shannon 1 Comment

April 3, 2012

The Deck of Cards Workout

{ image }

In the spirit of “If it isn’t fun it won’t get done,” I created a Deck of Cards workout for my Saturday morning boot camp class last week. One of my wonderful D.C. roommates, Amy, and I used to do a version of this workout where we’d do push-ups if we drew a black card and sit-ups if we drew a red card. It all came back to me when I read an article in Shape featuring Carrie Underwood’s favorite Deck of Cards workout. The description was pretty general, so I took the basic concept and created my own version.

The idea is that you work as many body parts as possible but trick your brain into thinking it’s all a big game by using playing cards. I think my boot campers would agree that this workout sneaks up on you because there’s so much variety and it’s broken up into bite-size pieces!

[Read more…] about The Deck of Cards Workout

Filed Under: Fitness Shannon Leave a Comment

April 2, 2012

DIY: Little Farmer Easter Baskets

I’m a big fan of traditional Easter baskets (what would Easter be without a big chocolate bunny and jellybeans?), but I love the fresh twist that Elisabeth of My Growing Home gives to the classic Easter basket. The Little Farmer Easter Basket is chock full of everything your little gardener could desire: plants, pots, gardening tools, books, a bunny or two, and, of course, some tantalizing treats tucked in under the leaves.

Even if I can’t pull together everything that Elisabeth suggests, I think even a scaled-down version with a few plants and gardening supplies tucked into a basket would be really fun. Especially since this year we’ve been enjoying such wonderfully warm weather! Don’t you think this would make a really sweet hostess gift, too?

You can visit Design Mom for the full tutorial.

Filed Under: Gardening, Gifts, Holidays, Kid Activities Shannon 3 Comments

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Welcome

Hello! My name is Shannon Taylor and I’m a mom of four, originally from Minnesota and now living in Maryland. I "published" my first newsletter when I was nine, and since then, I’ve written and edited for magazines, websites, and textbooks. I started this blog when my kids were small to reflect on life, share ideas, and preserve memories. Now that my children are grown, I continue to use this space to document meaningful moments and practical ideas.

If you're in the mood for a bit of Christmas cheer, you might enjoy THE ADVENT BOX, available wherever books are sold. You can click on the cover below to learn more.

Instagram

Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo`s Asian Trail.

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I`m not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra`s godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy`s a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

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Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18295977556171943
Pandas are back at the National Zoo! We were there within days of hearing the news. 😂 Bao Li and Qing Bao are enjoying the spruced-up panda home on the zoo's Asian Trail. 

We last saw the pandas during a trip to D.C. in May 2011. I'm not sure if it was Mei Xiang or Tian Tian who firmly kept their back to us, but it was pretty hilarious. (photo #7) Not only did we get to see those wonderful pandas, but we got to spend time with Alexandra's godmother, Amy, who was on home leave from her job with the State Department. Amy's a fellow Midwesterner I met when we were interns waaay back in the day. (We connected watching "Northern Exposure" at Thompson-Markward Hall, affectionately known as the Home for Wayward Women.)

Be sure to put "Visit the Pandas" on your itinerary when you come stay with us in Baltimore. ❤️

My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn`t been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy`s, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who`ve dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant`s claim to fame is that it was his favorite).

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn`t been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

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Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18047049827096632
My mom practiced, practiced, practiced and got to sing at Carnegie Hall for the premiere of "A Vision Unfolding" by Minnesota composer Kyle Pederson. A truly beautiful, uplifting work. I hadn't been to Carnegie Hall before, so to visit for the first time to watch my mom perform was really wonderful.

Before the concert, we met Mom and her fellow choir member, Kathy, at Patsy's, just down the block. The traditional Italian food was perfect on a chilly, rainy day—and it was fun to see photos of the celebrities who've dined there over the years, from Rihanna to Frank Sinatra (the restaurant's claim to fame is that it was his favorite). 

Mom, Tim, and Will hadn't been to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum yet, so we headed to lower Manhattan after the concert. As we walked silently through the exhibits, trying to take it all in, I was struck by the distance between the concert, "A Vision of Light," and the grief and darkness around us. I thought of the words Mr. Pederson shared in the playbill, "It is my hope that we lean into the invitation that the choir offers—that each of us might reach out beyond our comfort zone and seek to build bridges of care and connection, finding a better way of being in community." And that’s what art does—it offers light when and where we need it most.

📷: Distinguished Concerts International New York

Is there a more endorphin-pumping experience than working out to `80s music? I don`t think so! Thank you to @natalie_dancebody and @mindi_dancebody for a truly joyful workout this morning. So much fun to dance along with two songs the Dancing Mamas tapped to back in the day at our kids` recitals: "Footloose" and "Beat It"! I hope you do this again, @dancebody ❤️🔥🎉

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Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18107239066486783
Is there a more endorphin-pumping experience than working out to '80s music? I don't think so! Thank you to @natalie_dancebody and @mindi_dancebody for a truly joyful workout this morning. So much fun to dance along with two songs the Dancing Mamas tapped to back in the day at our kids' recitals: "Footloose" and "Beat It"! I hope you do this again, @dancebody ❤️🔥🎉

Happy Valentine’s Day! I approach holiday greetings with more caution than I used to because I know these occasions can be painful for people who’ve lost someone. Which is pretty much everyone, especially when you get to be my age.

This day might not be the same as it was, but I hope you still have a valentine, whether it’s a romantic partner or a friend or a much-loved pet. Or yourself. We make good valentines because we know our favorite chocolate and what books we want.

I’ll always hang the Hearts on a String for any kid who’s home on Valentine’s Day, except not this year because the puppy would tear them to bits.

What a great Valentine’s message. 😅 Well. I do hope you have some treats today and you know I’m thinking of you fondly. ❤️

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Open post by shannontaylorwrites with ID 18049981502173328
Happy Valentine’s Day! I approach holiday greetings with more caution than I used to because I know these occasions can be painful for people who’ve lost someone. Which is pretty much everyone, especially when you get to be my age. 

This day might not be the same as it was, but I hope you still have a valentine, whether it’s a romantic partner or a friend or a much-loved pet. Or yourself. We make good valentines because we know our favorite chocolate and what books we want.

I’ll always hang the Hearts on a String for any kid who’s home on Valentine’s Day, except not this year because the puppy would tear them to bits. 

What a great Valentine’s message. 😅 Well. I do hope you have some treats today and you know I’m thinking of you fondly. ❤️
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