The Luxurious Life Of The Single Mom - Audiobook Now Available!

I'm super excited for the release of my Audiobook!!!  I appreciate all the support of the book I've received, and, I can't wait for you to experience the audiobook.  To get your copy, click on the link below!

http://the-luxurious-life-of-the-single-mom.myshopify.com/collections/all

Live Your Bliss!

I saw a blog yesterday that changed my life.  It's all about a woman name Tonita, and her lovely, tiny cottage.  http://shabbychictinyretreat.blogspot.com/

It really is a cottage, and, it’s breathtaking.  She has created an amazingly lovely world in her backyard.  If I compare it to my backyard, mine looks like…well, I have no words for how lame my backyard looks!  My little papillon, Lola, has the run of the backyard, and; that is a story best left untold. 

However, I love how Tonita has the courage to live her bliss, and, create a space she’s dreamed of since she was a little girl.  Personally, I don’t want a separate little house.  I want to find out how to incorporate my dream space into my living space.  I am not a decorator, so this is going to be challenging.  

I was, however, able to find someone to help me organize my home.  I am so excited to work with her to straighten out a part of my life that is seriously in trouble.  What I’m learning, is that it’s okay to be me, embracing my strengths and my faults.  The trick is finding out who you are, being okay with that, yet; continuously striving to be your best self.  It’s really a balancing act, and since I’m more of an all-or-nothing kind of person; finding balance feels a little weird. 

However, I’ve got tons of pictures in my Pinterest, that can provide some inspiration.  I'm working to break out of the “functional” mode, and moving into creating beauty around me and my family.  Perhaps, this can be like creating art, except that my home will be the canvas.  I have no idea, but, the first thing is to organize and purge the crap that I’ve accumulated over the years.   Then we’ll move to aesthetics in  phase two of my master plan!  

 

Because I care....

My mission is to help myself and others design a beautiful life for themselves and their families.  Here is a resource that I have found helpful.  Watch this video.  I hope it helps you as much as it's helped me!  Ciao!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFuulCel1t4

Feli Nelson - by SJ Photography

I feel that it's time to formally introduce myself.  I'm Feli Nelson.  I'm a mom, daughter, dancer, photographer, blogger.  I'm so thankful to have shared so many things with you that add beauty and peace to my life, over the past two years.  I look forward to many more years with you!  

Redefining Luxury - By Anita Jiminez

Here's a great article from our friends at Xica Magazine!

http://www.xicamagazine.moonfruit.com/#/xica-home/4526248953

image from Xica Magazine

Photographic Artistry - by SJ Photography

I am so proud to announce an addition to The Luxurious Life Of The Single Mom Family - Jannet Perez of SJ Photography will be gracing our pages with her beautiful work.

I'll be featuring her work in this and future posts.  Welcome to the family Jannet! 

My Song Of The Day - Freddy - Nina

Here's a little something different...enjoy!

The Luxurious Life Of The Single Mom - AUDIOBOOK!

The Art of Femininity - Lesson 7

The Luxurious Life Of The Single Mom - AUDIOBOOK!

Farmer's Markets

One of the things that excites me most about spring is the return of the farmer's market. This is actually rather surprising. If you had talked to me about a farmer's market just a few years ago, I would have patiently listened, all the while waiting for an opportunity to change the subject. My extreme lack of interest, however, was due to my inexperience. I have found farmers markets to be a wonderful way for me to connect with my community. This is a big deal for me, because, typically, outside of my circle; community connection held no luster. That previously held view of mine, however, has undergone a seismic change...for the better!

..........ahh the allure of homemade gourmet jams!

Gourmet Popcorn

For our Jane Austen movie marathon, nothing less than gourmet popcorn will do. Making this is ridiculously simple.

I scoured the city in search of candied pecans. I found the most wonderful maple bourbon pecans, which I added to a bowl of sweet, buttery kettle corn. I gave the mixture a light toss, and it was off to the movies! 

A Little White Chocolate Never Hurt Anyone.

This was one of the gorgeous desserts from our tea party.  You've got to know about this in detail!  The center is made of a velvety vanilla bean, white chocolate mousse. The mousse was dressed in a confectionary white chocolate shell.  The fresh raspberries added just the right freshness to the dish. 

No, I didn't make it. I prefer to leave that type of artistry to the masters.  Nevertheless,  that dessert was magnificent!  I'll give you the details on a few other desserts too!  Till then, au revoir!

A Splendid Spring Afternoon Tea

Yesterday afternoon was wonderful.  I spent a gorgeous spring afternoon having tea with my mother and my two daughters.  I absolutely adore having formal tea.  What I also enjoy is that I get to share the beautiful things that I love, with people that I love. I look back at yesterday, and heave a contented sigh, eagerly awaiting our next afternoon tea.

After a Long Day

A glass of chardonnay will do nicely. Have a lovely evening!

My Favorite Healthy Snack - Sunflower Sprouts!

Here is a pic of my favorite late night snack!  I'm working on retraining my taste buds, and these sprouts are amazing!  They have tons of protein, reduce blood pressure, and calm inflammation. Basically, they keep you pretty, so eat up!

The Guilt pt 2

www.cotedetexas.blogspot.com.ar/

Have you ever had one of those flashes of brilliance that make you say:  Darn I'm Good!  This isn't one of those times.  It's more of my own incredulity in having waited so long to get help to clean out of my mess.  Feeling guilty for getting some help to dig yourself out of mess, is like feeling guilty for being sick and needing a doctor.

I am fortunate enough to have a friend who is great at organization.  In fact she is amazing.  She runs her small business, organizes me and my family (no small task), and cares for her husband and children.

However, it's not just what she does, it's how she does it.  She's amazingly calm, and doesn't stress about mess like I do.  Her Zen style, is helping to take me out of overwhelm, and into action.  It's funny that because of her, I have enough bandwidth to tackle other projects around the house that have been stressing me out. 

Bottom Line:  If you need help, go get it!  It's better to suck it up, admit you need help, and; go find it.  The alternative is to find yourself as the guest star on an episode of Hoarders.  Get ready for your close-up!  Ciao!

The Guilt

Do you know those women who seem to have it all together?  Yes, they may have challenging circumstances, like being a single mom; but they go about their lives in an irritatingly orderly fashion.   These women always seem to handle themselves with aplomb, and they make it look easy.  It’s like the girls in high school, you know, the pretty ones.  But not just pretty, smart. fun, organized, neat, well groomed, impeccable. 

My whole life, I’ve been trying to be that girl.  However, I’m not that girl.  I’m a mess.  My room, is always a mess, my clothes are a mess.  I don’t curate my wardrobe like the girls in the first five minutes of the Devil Wears Prada.  You remember.  The girls are carefully assembling their ensembles, taking great pains to make sure they look amazing.  Whereas, the protagonist of the movie, throws on whatever is clean (I totally relate to her). 

I’m so tired of feeling guilty for not being perfect.  I’m so tired of feeling lesser, because I’m not Martha Stewart.  I was not raised to run a household.  I was raised to bring home the bacon, not cook it.  Mind you, I can cook, it’s just  that I expend so much energy feeling guilty for what I can’t do well, that it just crowds out my mental energy from focusing on things I’m really good at. (I’m sure that was a run-on sentence).

I believe those women, the seemingly indefectible ones, have the confidence to be who they are and; not feel guilty about their flaws.  They realize that they are only human, and are modest enough to recognize their limitations.  I also believe they are working within their strengths, instead of always focusing on their deficiencies. 

Based on these beliefs, I now intend to embrace my singleness, and, fashion my life; my way.  My first order of business is to hire a personal assistant to help me get organized, and stay organized.  Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.  I don’t have a man in my life and all the domestic expectations therefrom, so; without contrition I’m going to hire a professional.  My domestic guru will also serve as an instructor to my kids, to help keep us all on the right track. 

There, now I feel better!  I’ve got to make some calls.  I’ll let you know how it turns out!

What Is Luxury?

I've been taking some time off from blogging to figure out my next steps.  I love connecting with people and blogging is a great way to do that.  However, I feel that I need to redefine what luxury means to me, and; what it means to live a luxurious life.

Is luxury hedonistic?  Does living luxuriously mean eating and drinking with abandon?  I don't think so.  I believe that living luxuriously means finding balance, grace, peace.

Horking down a gut-load of Twinkies isn't luxurious.  Eating and living healthfully is a beautiful way to show love to yourself.   Now don't get me wrong, in my opinion delicious, sinful food is our birthright. However, indulgences should be a delightful once-in-a-while fling; not a way of life.

In the spirit of redefining luxury, The Luxurious Life Of The Single Mom is now all about being sinfully healthy.  Please join me in finding balance, and health; as hedonistically as possible!

Snowy NIght

This has already been an extremely cold Ohio winter.  I can't remember it ever getting this cold (wind chill of -34) before.  To top it off, our furnace decided Sunday was a good day to die. 

I can't stand cold weather, so, needless to say, tonight; I'm not looking forward to a frigid drive home.  However, so I am choosing to concentrate on what I'm grateful for.  So here goes.  I'm so fortunate to have two wonderful daughters, and a dear mother who loves me so completely. 

I have an amazing group of friends, who are indeed an extension of my family.  With all the wonderful blessings I have, I'm going to drive home grateful for the lovely home I have.  No matter what, choose gratitude!  Be safe!

The Perfect End To a Blustery Day - A Hot Rum Toddy!

The perfect end to a wintry day is a hot rum toddy

                                      I found this amazing recipe. This wonderful beverage is ridiculously easy to make.  Now cozy up and settle in for the evening.

All you need:  

1 bag of your favorite tea. (I used lemon/ginger)

1-2 tbsp honey (to taste)

2 tbsp of good rum

1 cinnamon stick (or a dash of cinnamon)

1 slice of lemon 

Boiling water