i am back

 where to start...

life happens, choices are made and before you know it, a lot of time has passed.  in the linear sense, as truly living follows a wavy or spiral pattern, mimicking nature.    

there were outside forces, you know the whole world sort of shutting down that changed us all.  this shifted my perspective too, in perhaps more ways than i'd invited.  

liam was growing up quickly and i felt an intense need to savor this time, to protect it, to honor it, to be less busy, less huried.  to be present, fully.

my best friend, my mom, had some health issues arise during this time as well.  it rocked my world.  she was the foundation, my stabilizer ... and i'd always envisioned her as immortal.  she has since eased out of this physical realm and into an unknown realm. 

 

 

although it's been almost 8 months, time feels different.  more appreciated, savored, my senses more acutely aware, colors more vivid, every sound a vibratory symphony.  

for months, i'd lived in a hazy, dream-like state.  i suppose this is God's way of easing this transitory loss.  only now has this eased into a child-like celebratory daily elation with life.  with all the things that light my heart afire.  there is so much beauty in everyday moments, and in my innate passions.

she loved art, fashion, beauty, order and harmony, gardening and growing english roses; and her beloved crown jewel-family.  

her essence lives on in me and this blog, incorporating all that she gave me infused with my own discoveries, interests, and passions.  

all heightened in appreciation for all that is, an energetic love for life.   in a wavy way.  

i hope you will enjoy this new journey with me- 

🤍 

  

wednesday wisdom

danacaseydesign

this is a personal friend of mine.  he couldn't have captured my heart-felt wish that we all embrace children with these so called "disabilities".  and, that we not only embrace them, we retool ourselves and our thinking to shift from thoughts of pity or belief that something is wrong with them, to complete and utter acceptance.  and, that we embrace their unique gifts and their ability to enlighten and uplift all of humanity.  xx, dana

happy sunday + recipe

danacaseydesign

danacaseydesign

bread making is a big tradition in our family.  we started making it when alex was little and every fall she always asks to make fresh bread.  yesterday we did, using a classic white bread recipe that she loves and paired it with a cream of cauliflower bisque.  this is a no-fuss recipe, yes you do some kneading but that's all part of process; and it creates an energetic connection between you and the bread.  we also changed up the recipe just a bit by using olive oil instead of butter, leaving out the sugar, and forming the loaf without rolling out the dough.  notice that dent in the top of the loaf...my finger dented in the dough before it went in the oven!  wishing you a lazy sunday full of joy and good energy.  xx, dana

recipe:  classic white bread

mother's day gift guide

1.  kristy woodson harvey's dear carolina  2.  club monaco  3.  poketo  4.  serena & lily  5.  one kings lane  6.  shop bop  

mother's day is a very special day near and dear to my heart.  being a "momma" changes you in imaginable ways and there is nothing quite like that special bond between a mother and child.  it's been the best experience, hands down, in my life.

in honor of this day (and in honor of all the mommas), i've created this gift guide with a few token gifts that would be great gifts for any mom.  i just cannot say enough about the dear carolina book, the story is so touching and it is a gift that keeps on giving and giving.  written by a true southern lady, kristy harvey (half of the wonderful mother/daughter team behind the design chic blog), and a great friend of mine, she's created a true southern fiction gem.   i urge you to go buy this book (and to grab the serena & lily turkish fouta beach towel above), to carve out some time for you,  and head to the nearest beach.  xx, dana

here's a bit more about the book: 

A moving debut novel about two mothers—one biological and one adoptive—from a compelling new voice in Southern women’s fiction.
One baby girl.
Two strong Southern women.
And the most difficult decision they’ll ever make.
Frances “Khaki” Mason has it all: a thriving interior design career, a loving husband and son, homes in North Carolina and Manhattan—everything except the second child she has always wanted. Jodi, her husband’s nineteen-year-old cousin, is fresh out of rehab, pregnant, and alone. Although the two women couldn’t seem more different, they forge a lifelong connection as Khaki reaches out to Jodi, encouraging her to have her baby. But as Jodi struggles to be the mother she knows her daughter deserves, she will ask Khaki the ultimate favor…
Written to baby Carolina, by both her birth mother and her adoptive one, this is a story that proves that life circumstances shape us but don’t define us—and that families aren’t born, they’re made…

Blurbs/Endorsements:

“Characters with rich, complicated lives…beautifully shows how a family comes to be.”—New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas

"Dear Carolina is Southern fiction at its best. Lovely and lyrical, with the strong voices of the two female narrators taking us deep into the heart of what being a mother is about. It shows us that love is not without sacrifice, and there’s little in life that doesn’t go down easier with a spoonful of jam. Beautifully written."—New York Times bestselling author Eileen Goudge

you can get it here:
BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND | BOOKS A MILLION | AMAZON | POWELLS | TARGET | iTUNES | GOOGLE PLAY | KOBO

children | are the most important work

i am recycling this quote from a year ago.  it is so important to care for our children in this manner, placing them in the highest regard.  today, this article came my way and i'm sharing it with you.  it's from one of my favorite authors of all time, eckhart tolle.  written by his partner in crime, kim eng.  you may have heard of him via oprah, but he has captured wordily attention for his enlightened messages.  he also wrote the power of now, a profound book filled with insight that is life-changing.  i believe the children are our future, lead them well and let them lead the way...a song that also rings true to my heart.   give them unconditional love and they will thrive.  happy tuesday.  xx, dana

dolce & gabbana: celebrating mamma before mother's day

oh, how i love the italians (my paternal great grandma is full blooded italian) and the influence they have on food, style, fashion and culture.  many days of my childhood were spent helping my grandma cook up a hearty pot of ragu as she called it , a thick and rich menagerie of meat with a tomato sauce base, and lots of garlic of course!  those days were priceless;  and seeing the dolce and gabbana winter of 2016 collection today transported me back to those happy days and memories.  not to mention how cool it is to see children, babies and mammas all on the runway together; such a humanistic fashion show with a powerful statement in celebration of mammas.  xx, dana

wednesday wisdom

a double dose of quotes today!  lately, many messages have come my way and it's difficult to sift through them all to let the most important ones come to the surface.  these two rose to the occasion.       xx, dana

wednesday wisdom

these two quotes came across my radar today.  they're anonymous but never-the-less chocked full of wisdom.  parenting children comes with many responsibilities; and we're all doing the best we can...these quotes really resonated with me.   xx, dana

lazy sunday + a recipe

crofton kitchen

we love a good pumpkin pie, especially my youngest, liam.  he's a huge fan and loves a large dollop of whipped cream on top.  so, yesterday we made one using my mother's recipe for the filling but updated it with a shortbread crust!  so yummy the sweetness of the shortbread makes it...it's really good but not in the way that makes you so sick afterward from all the sugar.  the recipe only calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar, making the crust sweet but i'd like it just a little sweeter;  next time we will definitely add another tablespoon.  

danacaseydesign

here is our pie!   we substituted flour with a gluten-free blend to see how this would work out.  all in all, it worked out pretty well.  it was a tad more crumbly/dry so we adjusted the butter by adding a half a tablespoon or so more.   we didn't have quite enough dough to make a thick crust and go up the sides of the pie plate (there's nothing better than a pie with thicker shortbread crust to dig into!)  doubling the recipe would take care of this and would give a better presentation too.  anyhow, my kids were very happy with it and the real vanilla whipped cream too.  happy sunday, dana

recipe courtesy:  martha stewart

wednesday wisdom

treat children well, it's simple really.  xx, dana

a little bit of music for today

meet one of my new, fav musical artists, birdy.  at a mere 17 years old, her voice reverberates such power and emotions. 



(via)

listen here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=z9gmhxv_ny0#t=150

happy tuesday with much love, xoxo dana

wednesday wisdom: trust children

feeling some parenting vibes today.  listen to your children, trust in their innate wisdom; know that as you struggle, this is part of your growth...a healing of yourself in the process.  ♥dana

wednesday wisdom

i am a little late to the draw today.  i celebrated my son's 8th birthday, his second birthday celebration; and it was a joy to see him honored with his classmates.  every year is another one filled with the joy of watching him grow and evolve into who he is and what his soul is calling for.  this anonymous quote seemed fitting for the day.   ♥dana 

 

 

 

 

the best chocolate chip cookies

i love to make home cooked meals and treats for my family.  one of our favorite everyday treats are chocolate chip cookies...well, any cookies really but if chocolate chips are in the pantry, we are always up for cookies with chocolate!

 

we've tried many chocolate chip cookie recipes, from gluten-free to a mint chocolate chip version.  but, ya' know what?  we always go back to the nestle® toll-house® recipe.  the one my mom used to make for me, that my sister and i always made growing up, and now the one my kids make.  it's just a good and simple recipe (click here for the recipe). 

 

 

alexandra and i made a batch yesterday, sharing this time together brought back many happy memories and warmed our hearts and hearth.  sometimes, it's the simple things that mean so much♥  ~dana

 

 

wednesday wisdom: listen to your child

i'm feeling the need to post on behalf of kids today.  sometimes, their voices get lost; be it from poor parenting, fear, or an overall sense of lost hope.  treating a child as a human and with dignity will make the world a better place.  they are our future.  ♥dana 

fall trip to the cider mill

 the sun was shining, bees were busily hovering above in hopes of taking in the sweet-smelling nectar in the air.  sounds like the beginning of a blissful novel right?  nope, reality it was yesterday...and it was the perfect family outing.  well...almost.  we brought the two teenagers along and let's just say they were not as enthusiastic as liam!

hmmmm...which one should we choose?

a 54 pound beauty was the final choice!

lots of cider and donuts too, and we watched a cider press circa 1890 press 200 gallons of cider.

my kids requested one of their favorite desserts, apple crisp.  this simple, betty crocker inspired recipe, I adapted and added ground chia seeds to the topping ( no one even noticed)...shhhhh.

recipe 

4 medium apples, chopped

3/4 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c oats

1/4 c ground chia seeds

1/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 teas ground cinnamon

heat oven to 375degrees.  grease bottom and sides of 8x8x2 inch pan with butter

place apples in pan.  mix remaining ingredients.  sprinkle over apples.

bake 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown.  serve warm with ice cream or cream....and...enjoy!

here's to family and fall!  xoxo, Dana

friday fashion crush: kids and family

this post is a little different...my friday fashion crush is all about spending quality time with your family.  it is vogue to do so. 

 

so fast is our world, we rush around, schedule as many things to do and see and learn from that we can lose focus, fast.  family is and always has been, the number one priority in my life.  from natural child birth, to extended breast feeding, to homeschooling, and placing the kids' needs as high priority; it is as simple as breathing to me. 

 

no matter how you parent; quality time with your family is fashionable and an investment that benefits you, your kids and ultimately, the world.  in this article from the family focus blog, the author lists several benefits of spending lots of quality time with your family. 

 

for our family, cooking has always brought everyone together and brought great joy to our home.  liam loves to chop stuff...go figure!  chopping has action and he just love this.  alex comes up with some lovely recipes and ideas for food and...well,  i get to do the work of shopping, assisting and helping to clean up.  you can also find more of our family time adventures and photos on instagram. 

 

alex is studying the culture and language of japan.  these are her noodles she made using a traditional japanese recipe.  they were quite tasty!

one of liam's favorite meals right now are sloppy joes (it changes as he grows, tacos were once his passion and eating them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!).  he loves to chop the green peppers and celery and it gives us time together.  what could be better than that?

 

what sort of things does your family do together?  i'd love to hear from you.  happy friday, dana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

monday morning feng shui: clear your space, clear your mind

it is good to be back!  after a long family weekend, it's time for me to change gears and share my energy with the rest of the world.  between sibling sword battles, learning to shoot rubber bands with our fingers and a family sushi treat on sunday, i can say the family fulfillment factor was high this weekend. 

 

recently decluttering and styling liam's bookcase (from his early childhood years), made me think about this post.  spending a hour or so clearing out old books, videos and collections of pins, marbles, shells and basically anything liam keeps, made me feel like i accomplished a GREAT big task.  and, it made the feng shui flow in his space, this is not superstitious ju-ju...it works! 

 

here is the before photo of the nook that liam's bookcase was placed in (i just plum forgot to get before photos of the cluttered bookcase...trust me, it didn't look so good and housed about 50 or so dvd's):

the blue walls had to go, along with the extra cable and messy carpeting.  liam chose emerald green and we had the wall behind his bed painted this wonderfully saturated hue.  the rest of the room we had painted white.  a reveal for this will be later, as the right art work has not appeared yet to finish this space. 

ta-da!  the styled bookcase reveal.  in this post from Cosy Carolina, my friend talks of reusing what is already around your house, and i love this idea!  i happened to have an abundance of those mason looking storage jars from our country house that had a HUGE pantry; and so i decided to make these useful. 

i filled this one with shells liam collects from our lake and some crystals from his sister and grandma. 

more of liam's belongings...some favorite children's tales and a couple of books that were alexandras.  someday, he will be ready to read these. 

a few of his favorite movies made it through the decluttering process!!! now, i have another project figuring out where to put the remaining dvds. 

and...there are plenty more jars for liam to fill with shells and such.  the painting, made by liam, may move to another area of his room or bathroom as we continue to search for art and things to hang on his walls. 

this clearing of space felt so good, not only did i feel a great sense of accomplishment, my mind is no longer focused on the mess and clutter of this bookshelf.  happy monday and happy ch'i, dana

wednesday wisdom: children are precious gifts given to parents

a simple man

this post may not mean much to my readers in the Netherlands, Spain, Argentina, Brazil or Russia; but nevertheless, it must be penned. 

his name was roger, he wore old, tattered jeans, black boots with thick soles and white t-shirts, and on occasion he would "dress up" and put on a flannel or plaid shirt and a new pair of jeans.  he lived simply, he lived free, he lived for the dinner he was preparing that evening.  often times he would go on and on about some dish he made that warmed his belly and heart.  it was the chicken tacos that made him really happy; yep, those chicken tacos.  something about them and the wrapped warmth of the meat and salsa and shells that he loved.  and in the fall, he would talk of pot roasts and chili and goulash. 

he rode our tractor for hours, with his baseball cap on and a heavy sweatshirt; even in the heat of the summer, for the big horse flies followed him and harassed him all the while.  sometimes, he found treasures on our property, wild raspberries or black dirt or hickory nuts that he would gather, take home and feed to his squirrels.  he enjoyed these things.  for he was a simple man.

he was disabled, working for a corporation, he gave his all and in the end it took the best of him.  he wasn't appreciated there and it was best he left.  he lived simply as such; without much money or power but he didn't need it.  he loved the birds and squirrels and the feel of the sun as he rode our tractor. 

he often gave the kids rides on the tractor, the big orange machinery.  they always thought this was just great.  riding all over the property, listening to his ways; to his tales and understanding of the earth.  those were special moments for him and he always hoped that my children would remember these times and take it with them in later years. 

if you needed something, he always helped.  and, he never really wanted anything in return.  when his pay was cut in half, he still mowed, cleaned and helped around the house.  i had to tell him to stop doing so much work without pay. 

he is gone today.  he will be missed but his memories will ring strong in our minds and hearts for many more years.  he was a simple man, but that doesn't matter in the end; it is the love and light shared that matters.  he gave his all. 

dana