This afternoon I loaded up 4 kids, a German Shepherd, helmets, life jackets, rescue ice picks, and my fat tire bike with studded tires and we went out on a nearby lake to bike and ski on the beautiful clear ice.
The conditions we are experiencing on the lake are called WILD ICE and it is nothing short of extraordinarily beautiful and FUN! We are taking our safety precautions, staying close to the shoreline and making the most of this amazing experience.
Here is a link to a short videos:
The November/December issue of Minnesota Parent Magazine is available throughout Minnesota and online now.
My ramblings in my School Days Column this month are my recommendations to promote family resilience in the challenging times we are living in.
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Pick up a print copy of Minnesota Parent Magazine, or read the full issue by clicking -->HERE.
Find the online link to my School Days column---> HERE.
It is with regret that I share that this is the last post of this kind, for now, sharing my contributions to Minnesota Parent Magazine. The pandemic has had a major affect on Minnesota Premier Publications and, although the magazine is still for sale this will be the last issue of Minnesota Parent.
It has been a privilege to contribute to this publication, which has helped me grow my skills and voice as a writer over the past six full years.
I recently spent some time wreath making. In this season that we won't be gathering for the holidays I wanted to put together something special to send off to the nana and papa, grandmas and grandpa that we won't be seeing this holiday season. Bo helped gather evergreens on a short hike in our backwoods and the wreaths came together nicely! The gifts were well received and the extras are on display both inside and outside of our home.
Help me support food scarcity needs in my local community while empowering small-scale global artisans and farmers by placing an order through THIS LINK (or clicking on the image above).
In this GIFTS that GIVE fundraiser,
SERRV will contribute 20% of funds raised on online orders to the organizing entity (St. Mary's Episcopal Church) and our church will be donated those funds (plus more), to the local food shelf in our community.
I recommend opening the full catalog when you are checking out the selection of offerings, there are a lot of great items.
Hello friends!
I thought I would just take a minute today to connect and share some of the ways I have been using my leave of absence from my full time teaching position to nurture my creative side.
Here's what I have been doing:
Knitting
I have been knitting for several years...incorrectly. I have completed a variety of projects, but I had developed some inconsistencies with the process. About a month ago I took a class on Craftsy to relearn the basics, and since then I have been making oodles of hats. But, I am certainly maintaining my beginner status when it comes to knitting. I have not yet mastered gauge, nor can I make good predictions of what size my creation will be given the needle size and yarn weight. So with my hats I have one too big and a lot of too smalls, whereas I am making a pile of giftable handmades for when I find the perfect sized heads to share them with.
I have no complaints however, I am going about knitting with the perspective as a learner. And it is proving to be a productive pastime while I am listening to my 3rd grade son read, during our ZOOM church services and/or in the car while I am a passenger.
Writing
I have spending a lot of time putting words together here on my MacBook with freelance writing opportunities. I mentioned in a previous post that I started back up writing for mothering.com. I have also been doing some other ghostwriting freelance work, which has been fun and different.
I recently put together a piece that about will publish in Taproot Magazine in January, where I not only contributed text, but also photos and illustrations. I am very excited to see how it all comes together. I will certainly share more about that with you in a couple of months!
One thing I did find out recently is that Minnesota Parent Magazine will soon be ceasing publication. I have had the privilege of contributing to the magazine for over six years and have been writing a monthly School Days column. The upcoming November/December issue will the last issue until further notice. This is certainly sad news, but I have been very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a great publication.
Making & Teaching Art
I have also been making art and teaching art on a regular basis. As I share in the piece I put together for Taproot, I have been creating phenology wheels as both a mindfulness practice and as a outlet for creative expression. I have been drawing in both pencil and pen and exploring watercolors with all different kinds of artistic experiments.
I am also having fun teaching art to three students in Russia two days a week. I have been developing and teaching a art class where we are exploring line, shape, texture, form, space, color and value through different exercises and projects via ZOOM. This experience has been fun and works with my life - even though my classes are at 5:00 a.m.!
I also have been teaching some art classes on the Outschool Platform. I just posted a class I will be offering:
Nature Journaling Through the Seasons
Please share with anyone who you think may be interested in joining me!
So, that is what I am doing to nurture my creative side!
All of these experiences are providing me with opportunities find purpose, balance, connection and joy.
Today, I am happy to share with you an interview with the founder of The Darling Apron: Ashley Leonard.
Can you tell us about yourself? Where do you live? Tell us about your family & your interests.
Hello! I’m Ashley, the creator of The Darling Apron food blog. I have been following Megan’s blog for years and am so excited for the opportunity to be featured here! Megan is my cousin and we also happen to share the same birthday. How cool is that?
A little about me: I live in the SW suburbs of Minneapolis with my husband David and our two girls, Clara (4) and Brielle (2). I grew up in northern Minnesota, went to college in Wisconsin and made the move to my husband’s hometown after we got married.
I have a degree in Hospitality Management and have worked in the food service industry since I was 15. After the birth of my second daughter in 2018, I could no longer ignore my heart’s desire to become a stay-at-home mom. It was quite the adjustment, but I can say that I have no regrets. They grow up so fast!
Cooking and baking have always been a huge part of my life. My mom was a chef whose mom was also a great cook so I think it may run in the family. Besides cooking, I enjoy doing DIY projects around the house and embracing many of the outdoor activities Minnesota offers throughout the year.
Please tell us how you found your way to creating the Darling Apron.
The thing I was not prepared for when becoming a stay-at-home mom was the challenges of loneliness and the feeling that I lost some of myself in the daily grind of raising my girls. There is a mindset that as a stay-at-home mom you need to love every moment and need to devote all your energy into your kids. I love my girls more than anything and I feel so lucky that I’m able to be home with them but bundle the general stay-at-home mom feelings with a global pandemic, and I knew I needed an outlet. Hence, The Darling Apron was born. It took a little while for me to settle on creating a food blog, but when thinking about my passions (cooking, my family, entertaining) it seemed like a no-brainer.
Do you have any particular inspiration?
I grew up with my family sitting together at the dinner table nearly every night. In the hectic pace of the world, I think it is something that is becoming less and less common. I also think the value of it can’t be underestimated. While I don’t expect everyone to have the same passion for cooking that I do, my hope is that I can help people find cooking more approachable and valuable for their family. My family is on a budget each month, and everything I make for my family needs to fit within those means. I’m out to prove it doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Great tasting food is attainable and the memories you make with your family while enjoying or making it together is priceless.
I am also a believer that food is a universal love language. I am the kind of person that enjoys cooking for others. I love coming up with new ideas to make for my girls’ birthday parties, or if a friend recently had a baby, I’m sure to bring over a meal for them.
What's next for you?
My blog only launched a few months ago, so my hope is to continue to gain readers and followers to The Darling Apron. Having people write reviews or send me pictures of the recipes they have made from the blog is so fulfilling! In the future, I’m hopeful that The Darling Apron will continue to grow and that I can turn blogging into a career that gives me the freedom to be flexible and present as my girls grow up. If I’m really dreaming, I’d love for there to be a Darling Apron cookbook one day! Stay tuned!
Anything else?
I hope you have enjoyed learning a little bit about me and will come visit me over at The Darling Apron! If you have any other questions or thoughts please send me an email @ thedarlingapron@gmail.com . I’d love to hear from you! If you are on social media, be sure to follow me @thedarlingapron on Facebook, Instagram & Pinterest.
Thanks again to Megan for the opportunity to reach all of you. I’ve been very grateful for her support these last few months.
I’ll leave you with a quick recipe for my Banana Oatmeal Cookies. They are the perfect mix between banana bread and an oatmeal cookie. I hope you’ll give them a try!
Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Some of life’s greatest memories are made gathered around the table. Let’s make sure we’re eating some good food while we’re at it!
-Ashley Leonard
Be sure to check out:
Around here....
We are making the most of time at home. We are working to be cautious and conscious of how much we spread out these days. So that has meant, more time at home and more time together, which has been a blessing in its own accord. We are fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to get outside and play each day and also for other simple things we can do to keep ourselves busy and entertained indoors.
We are dabbling in our winter outdoor activities in our snow. It is likely that lots of it will snow with upcoming forecasted temperatures, but so far we have had the opportunity for sledding, skiing, and snowmen!
Around Here...
We've been online. I am doing some part-time work online that is connecting me with children and families all over the world. The top picture is a snapshot from one of the art lessons I have been teaching over zoom at 6:00 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays to middle schoolers in Russia. Yes, I am teaching art to middle schoolers in Russia. I have also been doing some work as a K-4 teacher for Oak Meadow, an independent distance learning school that is structurally based in Putney, Vermont. In this role I am supporting students and families all over the world as well - so far I have families in Egypt, South Korea, Spain, and in all corners of the U.S. The last picture above is a family portrait I screenshotted from our ZOOM church gathering this past Sunday.
So that's what is happening in our neck of the woods. I'd love it if you'd reach out and give me an update on what and how you are doing during this crazy and different time we are all navigating. Take care and stay well!
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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.
I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.
What are you grateful for today?
Eighteen years ago today we said I do!
I love the life that we have sharing together as husband and wife.
Happy Anniversary to Us!
...from the vibrant fall colors to a blanket of snow...
Today was the day to size up mittens, boots, snow pants, jackets - - and to take out the sleds
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This act of sharing photographs and ramblings of our daily life is a practice in gratitude that brings me joy.
I encourage you to reflect on the good in your life.
What are you grateful for today?