Although it bordered be with flowers,

     Although I rest in fragrant bowers,

          And hear the singing

          Of song-birds winging

To highest heaven their gladsome flight;

Though moons are full and stars are bright,

And winds and waves are softly sighing,

While leafy trees make low replying;

Though voices clear in joyous strain

Repeat a jubilant refrain;

Though rising suns their radiance throw

On summer’s green and winter’s snow,

In such rare splendor that my heart

Would ache from scenes like these to part;

          Though beauties heighten,

          And life-lights brighten,

And joys proceed from every pain,-

I shall not pass this way again.

Then let me pluck the flowers that blow,

And let me listen as I go

          To music rare

          That fills the air;

          And let hereafter

          Songs and laughter

Fill every pause along the way;

And to my spirit let me say:

“O soul, be happy; soon ’tis trod,

The path made thus for thee by God.

Be happy thou, and bless His name

By whom such marvellous beauty came.”

And let no chance by me be lost

To kindness show at any cost.

I shall not pass this way again;

Then let me now relieve some pain,

Remove some barrier from the road,

Or brighten some one’s heavy load;

A helping hand to this one lend,

Then turn some other to befriend.

     O God, forgive

     That now I live

As if I might, sometime, return

To bless the weary ones that yearn

For help and comfort every day,-

For there be such along the way.

O God, forgive that I have seen

The beauty only, have not been

Awake to sorrow such as this;

That I have drunk the cup of bliss

Remembering not that those there be

Who drink the dregs of misery.

I love the beauty of the scene,

Would roam again o’er fields so green;

But since I may not, let me spend

My strenghth for others to the end,-

For those who tread on rock and stone,

And bear their burdens all alone,

Who loiter not in leafy bowers,

Nor hear the birds nor pluck the flowers.

A larger kindness give to me,

A deeper love and sympathy;

     Then, O, one day

     May someone say-

Remembering a lessened pain-

“Would she could pass this way again.”–Eva Rose York

Once I had kids, I didn’t want them to be video game people, either. I thought it nurtured a couch potato mentality and that’s definitely not what I wanted for them.

I was resistant to getting a Wii system from Nintendo even though it’s on the top of just about everyone’s Christmas list. But I felt bad when my 8-year old daughter, Hope, told me she was the only one in her class that didn’t have Wii.

Not wanting my child to feel left out, I decided to give “video games” a try. Besides, when else can you buy a family “toy” & write it off as “good parenting”. We got the Wii Console and some of the newest Wii games on the market–Wii Fit and Wii Animal Crossing: City Folk. The kids were so excited to get started and I was eager to see what all the hype was about.

In the short time our family has had Wii, it has completely changed the way I feel about video games, and quickly turned me into a video game person. I am now officially a Wii convert.

For an at-home mom like me, Wii Fit is so convenient, turning my living room into a gym, eliminating the endless list of excuses I might normally conjure up to avoid exercising (It’s too cold out, it’s too hot out, it’s raining, I look like a wreck, I have nothing to wear, the baby’s fussy, etc, etc, etc.). It gives me the freedom of getting in shape in private with all the accountability of a personal trainer. For my kids, Wii Fit is positive reinforcement of a healthy lifestyle that includes lots of physical activity and basic “core” strength.

Wii Animal Crossing: City Folk is a fun way to create your own little world and have fun yammering with woodland critters about silly things. And none of the Animal Crossing citizens bug you about what’s for dinner, did you sign their field trip form yet or when you plan to shave your legs next. For kids, Animal Crossing is a fun way to escape without ever realizing that Tom Nook, Katrina & Blathers are teaching them things that their parents want them to learn: sharing, responsibility, saving money to buy new clothes, making mortgage payments, recycling, being resourceful and more.

Everyone in our family can participate in Wii Fit & Wii Animal Crossing, which makes Wii an instant favorite with Mom-no one is excluded, not even 2-year old Brendan who likes to hold the remote & giggle at his sisters while they hula hoop or check turnip prices.

Nintendo’s Wii gives our family the opportunity to be together, to play together & to have fun together. The Wii games we have foster a love of fitness & strength, teach responsibility & manners, nurture healthy competition and help our children feel confident in themselves. Best of all, whenever we play any of our Wii games, our house is filled with laughter & happiness.

I’ve reviewed dozens of gifts over the past few months and I think Wii, Wii Fit & Wii Animal Crossing should be at the very top of every mom’s list. While they may cost a few hundred dollars, they are the absolute best gift you could give yourself & your family. Wii is so much more more than a “video game”, it is an investment in health, happiness & family togetherness, the gifts no money can buy.

How Do I Love Wii? Let Mii Count The Ways…

Wii Console & Wii Sports: Wii Sports is the basic game CD that comes with most Wii Consoles and features boxing, bowling, golf, tennis and baseball.
-Setting up the Wii Console couldn’t have been easier, even for someone like my husband who would rather leave something in the box forever than try to figure out how to “put it together”. I set up the Wii Console in about 10 minutes and we were ready to play.
-You can connect your Wii console to the Internet using your wireless network, upload updates, use Wii Speak, play with others around the world, shop, share photos and so much more. We haven’t taken full advantage of this element of Wii…yet.
-You can create a “Mii” that looks just like you and save all your games, scores & stats to it. (That’s Hope’s Mii pictured!)
Wii Sports offers a great intro to Wii games and there’s something for everyone & every age. Wii Sports includes Golf, Baseball, Tennis, Boxing and Bowling.
-Wii Sports is as close as you can get to playing the actual sport without leaving your living room, which is especially nice during New England winters! Hope likes Wii Tennis the best because “You feel like you’re really playing it!” and my 5-year old daughter Grace likes Wii Bowling because “The remote is lighter than a bowling ball and I get strikes all the time!”.

Wii Fit: Wii Fit combines fitness with fun for everyone, young and old. Players work towards personal fitness goals and check daily progress, set goals, Wii Fit Age, and even enter exercise time you’ve done outside of Wii Fit. Wii Fit Age is measured at the get-go by factoring the user’s age (by entering birthdate), BMI reading, testing the user’s center of gravity and conducting quick balance tests, all using the Wii Balance Board. You can spend as much (or as little) time as you want trying out all of the 40+ Wii Fit activities.

-Again, Wii Fit is very easy to set up. Just load the Fit CD into the console, take the Balance Board out of the box & sync it with the console, turn the Balance Board on and you’re good to go get fit!
-After the initial shock of my BMI and Wii Fit Age results telling me that I’m an obese 47-year old, I have come to love these features on Wii Fit, as they allow you to record–and see–your improvements on a daily basis. This is great motivation for someone who’s actually 39-years old and in need of some exercise to shed her, ahem, baby weight. (I know, I know, my baby is 2-years old!
-Hope loves Wii Fit running (she thinks it’s hilarious when she runs so fast that her Mii trips & falls!), hula hoops, skiing and her absolute favorite is Lotus Focus, a very cool balance game that has you sit in the lotus position while focusing on a candle, all the while scary things “pop out” and try to make you lose your focus.
-Gracie loves Wii Fit running and Soccer Heading. She especially loves the Penguin Slide!
-We all love the fact that as you progress, you unlock new games & new levels-it keeps us motivated and wanting to come back!

Wii Animal Crossing City Folk: OMG! This is the cutest, coolest Wii game. Ever.

Like being given the keys to your own community, you make up the whole story, as you move into a town and live your new life. Move there, buy a house and then do whatever you want. Befriend animal neighbors, decorate your house with cool furnishings, build your wardrobe, hop on a bus to visit the new city, get a job, visit the museum and just explore the world. Meet charming animal characters, some grouches, some chatterboxes. Time and seasons pass as they do in the real world, so there’s always something different happening. Animal Crossing City Folk teaches players about life, responsibility, human interaction, money (the “stalk market”!), manners, recycling, culture and so much more.

-Hope loves the fact that you can name the town you build (she named hers “Punksville”!), interact with cute critters like Tom Nook, Katrina, Blathers, Lyle & Redd and sell all kinds of things you find, like apples, flowers, mushrooms, fish, fossils, shells, lost & found items!
-Animal Crossing City Folk is an Allard family favorite-through an extremely adorable and fun game, Wii manages to teach players (in this case, our kids!) about making mortgage payments, community involvement, buying & selling on the “stalk market”, arts & culture, recycling, meeting new people, manners, working, resourcefulness, and so much more.

All Products can be purchased on Amazon.com:

Wii Console $249 (includes Wii Sports)
Wii Fit $149 (includes Wii Balance Board)
Wii Animal Crossing: City Folk $49.99

Here are 3 of my favorite dip recipes. They’re easy, fast & delicious. Feel free to use low or no-fat ingredients to make them easy, fast, delicious & healthy. Enjoy!!

Taco Dip

1 pack taco seasoning
1 pound ground turkey (beef also works well)
8oz cream cheese
12oz salsa
1 cup taco cheese

Cook turkey. While turkey is cooking, combine other ingredients in a baking dish. Pour cooked turkey over combined ingredients and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring ingredients after about 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can artichoke hearts
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 package frozen chopped spinach

Drain & chop artichoke hearts
Mix with other ingredients in a baking dish
Follow cooking instructions for frozen spinach, then drain. (Be sure to squeeze out all the water)
Combine drained spinach with other ingredients
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread or assorted crackers.

Bean & Cheese Dip

1 cup pinto beans, rinsed, drained & mashed with a fork
1 small can chopped green chili or halapeno pepper (I usually find this near the taco seasoning packets in the Mexican food aisle)
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese
1 cup mayonnaise

Combine ingredients in small baking dish and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve with tortilla chips.

So, what’s for dinner Chez Allard? Well, we are the poster family for a “combination beef and vegetarian lifestyle”. But beef can be a bit tough on the pocketbook (especially in this economy!) and kids can be tough critics when it comes to vegetarian dishes. The result? I’ve mastered some delicious recipes using cheaper cuts of beef (and pork) and veggie dishes savory enough for the youngest epicurean. Like most moms, my wallet is a little tight right now & my time’s even tighter, so I’m happy to offer recipes that are also cheap & easy to make.

Meatballs

I originally got this recipe from my mother-in-law who is half Italian. I kicked it up a bit by using the ultimate in *fresh* ingredients that I get from Venda Ravioli on Rhode Island’s famed Federal Hill. You might know Federal Hill from Showtime’s Brotherhood but I’m lucky enough to know & shop Federal Hill each weekend! If you live in Rhode Island, I suggest you visit Venda Ravioli to buy the ingredients for my meatball recipe. If you don’t live in Rhody, buy the freshest ingredients you can find–they really make the difference!

3 jars marinara sauce
3 lbs. ground beef, pork & veal (Take the ground meat out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re gonna make the meatballs—that way you won’t freeze your hands off while mixing!)
3 eggs
3 handfuls Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3 minced garlic cloves
3 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
1 handful grated parmesan
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Pour the marinara sauce into a large pot and heat on low-medium while you mix the meatball concoction.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, parmesan, salt & pepper (this is one of my secrets!!) together to combine. Then, add the meat and mix well. Use your hands for this (as gross as it is!) part.

Now form meatballs about the size of golf balls—maybe a smidge bigger—and drop them gently into the pot of marinara sauce. Keep doing that until all the mixture is used, then shimmy the pot around a bit to make sure all the meatballs are covered with sauce. Let them simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve over spaghetti or pappardelle for a delicious meal.

Pasta With Pink Vodka Sauce (Vodka optional)

I got this recipe when I was teaching computer skills to K-8 at St. Augustine School in Providence, Rhode Island. The best thing about this recipe is that it starts off as a vegetarian recipe that is hearty & satisfying, but can easily handle the addition of chicken, shrimp, lobster or crab meat. I’ve even played around a bit with the cream, once using whole milk instead for a lighter meal. Though not as thick, the sauce was just as delicious. Enjoy!

1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large jar roasted red peppers
3 cloves garlic
1 cup tomato sauce or 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups light cream
¼ cup vodka (optional—I’ve made it with & without and it’s great either way)
½ grated Romano or parmesan cheese

Saute mushrooms in a bit of olive oil. Process ½ of roasted peppers with 3 garlic cloves in food processor. Add to pan. Chop remaining roasted peppers and add to the pan with the tomato sauce. Add cream and vodka. Reduce sauce by 1/3 until vodka is evaporated. Add cheese and stir. Serve over rigatoni or bowtie pasta.

Rustic Baked Pasta with Roasted Veggies & Italian Sausage

This is another fabulous recipe that can be either vegetarian or “meat lovers”! Omit the sausage if you’d rather just have veggies or add sliced meatballs or grilled chicken for a different twist. Yum!

2 red pepper cut into 1 inch chunks
2 summer squash cut into 1 inch chunks
6 white mushrooms cut into quarters
1 yellow onion sliced into 1 inch chunks
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1 pound pasta (penne, ziti & rigatoni work well)
3 cups marinara sauce
1 cup grated fontina cheese
½ cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup grated Parmesan, plus ½ cup for topping
1 pound cooked Italian sausage

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Put cut veggies on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper & Italian seasoning. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
While veggies are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 6-8 minutes. Pasta will be cooked a second time in the oven, so don’t overcook in pot. Drain pasta.
In a 9-13 inch pan, mix the pasta with roasted veggies, marinara sauce, cheeses, Italian sausage & peas until combined. Coat with ¼ cup Parmesan.
Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F and bake for 30 minutes until cheese is melted.

I hope you & your family love these recipes as much as we do. I think they’re perfect for cold winter nights. Oh, and if you’re looking for great wine pairings, follow @mmWine on Twitter.

Mangia!

As per her usual reading style, Hope ate up every word Clutter Control had to share and began implementing ideas from it. “Momma”, she said, “it says in here that you should buy a 6-compartment hanging sweater bag and use it to organize your outfits for the week.” “Oh yeah?”, I said, not really giving it much thought. “Can we buy one now, Momma?”, my dog-with-a-bone daughter asked. “Sure, we’ll go look at Bed, Bath & Beyond.”

With three kids in tow, we drove to Bed, Bath & Beyond and purchased two clear, 6-compartment hanging sweater bags totaling $40 . We brought them home, unwrapped them and hung them up in the girls’ closet. I knew what was coming next.

“Momma, can I put my outfits for school in here now?”, Hope asked. My girls go to Catholic school and they wear uniforms, which most moms consider easy-peasy. But just because they wear uniforms doesn’t mean they don’t have wardrobe dilemmas each morning. Should I wear the jumper or my shorts? Should I wear navy knee-socks or white ankle-socks? Should I wear a blouse or a polo? See what I mean?

So, we picked out five days worth of uniform outfits, including underpants, and placed them on the first five shelves of the hanging sweater bags. We repeat this each Sunday and I have to admit, this simple idea from Clutter Control has made my life (and theirs) infinitely easier and our mornings less stressful. I no longer have to pull clean clothes from the dryer and race upstairs with them each morning. I no longer have to calm a freaked-out Hope when she can’t decide what to wear. I no longer have to have to spend ten minutes every evening laying out tomorrow’s outfit for Grace.

And while this idea came from a book for eight year old girls, it is an idea that we can use ourselves. We can take a page out of Clutter Control and plan our weekly outfits each Sunday. Or we can use our hanging sweater bag to organize our weekly business tasks, like paying commissions, filing orders or choosing fabric.

Like most good ideas, this one from Clutter Control is small and simple but offers big rewards.

Apparently, the kid’s just not a sleeper. Don’t get me wrong–there are reasons that he’s not a sleeper. Reasons like RSV, chronic ear infections, tonsillitis, early (and painful) teething, eye infections, severe eczema, infected eczema, food allergies and probably several other things that have yet to be diagnosed.

But enough about Brendan. I’m TIRED and I just want to know when I’ll ever get to sleep for more than three hours in a row without having to roll over onto my left side to nurse the milk vampire every time he wakes up. I want to know when I’ll ever shake this crippling exhaustion. I want to know when the muscle weakness and bone tired feeling will ever go away. I want to know when these bags under my eyes will recede. I want to know if I’ll ever feel normal again.

I crave sleep. I dream about sleep. Hell, I’ve even asked for sleep as a birthday gift, a Mother’s Day gift, a Christmas gift, and an anniversary gift.

Shakespeare said, “To sleep perchance to dream…” and he obviously hadn’t lived my life. I say, “To sleep perchance to well, SLEEP!”

When, when, when can I sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep????