A year in the life...

I cant believe its almost been a year. So much has happened!  Well, to begin, here are my "babies" now, all beautiful and a year older. Im so lucky to have them as my kids. They bring my life and light every day.(Thank you to my amazing friend Paula and her photo skills for capturing their smiles for me).

I suppose updates are in store:

We are in our home 1 1/2 years and love it. The kids are so happy and comfortable here its been a huge blessing to us.

My business, Keen Bean Design is going great! We have grown to 7 strong and I have been blessed to have met some amazing people through the growing process. We have big plans and have a great team so expect big things! :)

Im still Gluten Free (well mostly) NO real pastas and limited breads. Everything else, GF and happy. Even the kiddos like it (they still have me pick up cheese crackers and pop-tarts on occasion) When I stick to it 100% digestion is amazing. So it really shows how your body is in tune with your surrounds and consumption. Luckily Rob and the wee-ones are great with the choices and love my homemade breads :)! Today NEPAmom featured 2 of my recipes - HERE

Our garden last year was great, but the deer and squirrels were a huge problem. This year we are re-designing for a new layout to prevent the critters from getting in and eating all of our goodies!

My back is still bad. Im at the University of Penn now and they are really trying. I beg them not to give up on me. That I will fullfill my promises to be active like I was if they can help. Dr. A Popescu is great and he sees the importance of being active and painfree!

Im back to knitting and loving it. Some FO's: More to come :)

Im still practicing Yoga, although my back has been so bad its been tough. Im starting from scratch which is really frustrating but there is not other choice. I love doing it and it helps so fighting through the pain is the only plan. I go to a great PT Clinic: Body Dynamic - they are working with me through deep tissue, pilates, yoga and soon pilates equipment! Im very excited. Sounds silly but only a few years ago I could like 100lbs and could climb a tree TO save my life! I was strong and active. Through the last 5 years physically its hard but it has affected me mentally. I have battled bouts of "depression" for lack of a better word b/c my life is so different. Trying to remain positive and fill my life with the tools needed to get back up that tree!

So I suppose thats all. If any of my followers are still out there - please let me know how you are doing! I have missed you!! xoxo
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inspired by: 2012

cheers, meg

A warm November day

The last 2 weeks have been brutal with the kids being sick and lovingly passing it on to me (lol) so when we had this warm November day - I thought - perfect time to go out and blow the stink off of us! My friend Betsy told me about this amazing place - Spring Hills Farm - 6 miles from our house (I KNOW!) and I packed the kids in the car and off we went.

Hannah, Harrison & I went to the Spring Hills Farm to pick up a wreath, maple syrup and pick out our Christmas Tree (waiting until Wednesday so Daddy can come too! :) ) and while we were there they let us roam the property, look at the sheep, chickens & roosters and very cool old cemetery across the street (the resting place of the 2 original owning families dating back as far as the revolutionary war! We had a blast and can't wait til Wednesday to go back!

 

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inspired by: being outdoors

cheers, meg

We are blessed

It's easy to be sad - to be happy takes work. 

 

Today a blizzard is coming and right now we have rain and flurries. Not fun. Not fun b/c it is 30 degrees out + the above noted weather. But today I feel really blessed. Really blessed. Blessed because I love our home, our family, our life. Do we have all that we "want"? no, but we have all that we need. 

Hannah and I baked a cake together, I set up my knitting and books in my favorite nook of the house & we have yummy pierogies cooking. The clothes are done, the house is straightened. The upstairs smells like yummy incense that I was burning for a friends loved one "Health" and later hot tea and some scary movies are in my future. Harrison & I played cars and Hannah told me "I just love you mom, because"......

Today is a good day and we are blessed for what we have. Thank you to Molly & Aunt Nancy and all that are looking out for us and blessing us like you have. We are very grateful and I am very thankful to your love. 

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inspired by: blessings, family, home, love

cheers, meg

Fall, Family & Fiber

My family is my heart - my kids are my breathe - my home is our sanctuary. Every day I spend with them I realize how blessed we are to have eachother. Lately we have been playing around a lot, the kids are in love with ice pops and I am back to knitting for love. Here is our mini tale.

 

That is all for tonight - love and light......

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inspired by: Fall, Family & Fiber
cheers, meg

Sunshine - at last!!!!

The weather in NEPA has been as schizophrenic as poor Sybil. But the few days of delicious pleasure we took full advantage of! Needless to say between the weather, the fun and the fresh air we have been outside a lot.

Because of that I have done some outside yoga, outside reading and toes in the grass time. I finished enLIGHTend and LOVED LOVE LUV it! It was witty, cute, and informative. Did I add a bit of inspiration as well?

My weeones were gifted a mini cooper as a 1st birthday gift for my littlest lovey.

and did i mention the outdoor yoga??

In other news - we bought a house! closing is June 3 and we couldnt be more excited. here are a few sneak peeks of my new digs that i am chomping at the bit to get into!

- Our Kitchen -
I love that the 1974 Blueprint Cabinet is now our island!

- Our quiet reading room -
This is for play, reading, puzzles, yoga, entertaining, talking, engaging

- Family Room -
The kitchen meshes into the eating area and family room - I love the floor to ceiling sunlight windows & doors - we will have a lot of fun & memories in here.

- Outdoor Fun -
Yoga, BBQ's, playtime with the weeones, quiet, peace and family time

Thats all for now - next time... a lovely review, moving chaos and hopefully my first summer margarita - OUTDOORS!

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inspired by: sun, sunshine, family, reading, books, yoga, new home, toys
cheers, meg

Birthday Smiles, Tree Pose & a Good Read

There is something so amazing about our wee ones - their smiles, their cuddles & the way they mimic our actions. My daughter has been following in my footsteps by practicing yoga with me. Her latest accomplishment is Tree Pose. Now, I am 5'11 and STILL can't seem to master it and my little besu has knocked me clean out of the water. She is guided by the light!

My little man turned one on the 15th. My heart breaks at how he has changed. His smile is adorable and his kisses are hysterical! He is definitely a lover. Plus, he has super cute toes.

We got to enjoy the outdoors at last! The spring is creeping and pushing its way into April like a line for toys before Christmas. Pushy pushy pushy! We LOVE being outdoors so we told that weather to come on in - you are so welcome!

So things have been busy. Between birthdays, KBD, KMS and life, things have gotten a bit nutty. Oh, did I mention WE BOUGHT A NEW HOME? - that will be in a later post. (Promise)
But lately I have been so tired and "lazy" that my practice has been greatly neglected. It started when my upper back pain returned and I had to miss my favorite Vinyasa class and it escalated from there. My evening SS, is down to a weekly SS. My drive and desire is shaded but daily dramas. SOme of my wonderful yoginis from Twitter assured me it is normal and not to fret. When its ready to return, it will and open arms will hold it tight. To help with the process, I picked up a few books.

Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses - found here
EnLIGHTened - found here
Yoga as Medicine - found here

Partial Reviews:

Poser:
I have only read 2 chapters. Although its interesting and a bit funny, Im not hooked. I need to read more to give a thorough thought.

EnLIGHTened:
I am 1/2 way through and have a hard time putting it down. The humor, the truth, the frankfulness and the yummy recipes come together in a great - easy-to-read book on being a mama, yogi and a woman just trying to keep it all together & smile while doing it. Loving it!

Yoga as Medicine:
I am reading it slowly - like a text book. Written by an MD it has a great perspective on yoga for the physical & mental. I really like his clear writing style and look forward to each section as I go.

Im slowly coming back to life - between the joy of a new home, a new season full of gorgeous smells and sights and my babies who give me new breathe every morning. My practice will return. Maybe tonight. Maybe next week. But it will return. Because it loves my body like I love it. My husband used to do it with me every night. Maybe its time for us to start our couples practice again. As Martha says: "It's a Good Thing".
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inspired by: yoga, good reads, family, life & spring
cheers, meg

Isn't it funny....things you realize?

Isnt it funny:

1. some of your greatest friends are those you never met in person?
2. how hearing birds chirp for the first time since winter, first thing in the morning is a beautiful sound?
3. how you realize how much you truly love someone when out of the blue you look at them and think - I have never loved anyone like I love you.
   
4. how you love your second child as much as your first, in different ways but in a loving, squishing way?
5. how a movie is so similar to your life that you cry because it beings back all the pain you had?
6. how much you miss a loved one that passed away even 17 years after they have died?
7. how yoga in the morning makes an achy back fade away?
8. how a clean house makes a clean mind?
9. how a shower removes all the dirt of the day but also all the sludge from any negativity?
10. how a walk outside can give you a little nudge into happiness?
11. how the taste of a really good meal lingers in your mind?
12. how when you realize you have a few friends you realize how blessed you are that you even have one you can count on?
13. how hobbies & interests make you smile inside?
14. when you finally pick up a book after not having any time to read? even just one chapter a day....?
15. how you need people in your life even though you think you dont?

and isnt it amazing how truly gorgeous the human body is - inside and out? the intricacies of the organs, the pangs of the heart, the skipped beats over love, the tears that form from nowhere? Isnt it amazing that all of us are different yet we have the same "Isn't it funnies?"

Molly Elizabeth
Sept 21, 1982 - Jan 24, 1994

If you have some - post them! id love to see! :) share share share!

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inspired by: life, love & friends...... and Molly who for some reason, I miss terribly today.
cheers, meg

Sunday Smiles

Since I havent been around heres the last few months in pictures....

The kiddos got bigger.......



I did some knitting......

Harrison was Christened.......

I found a cool app for pictures on my Iphone.....

Started a rad new business.......

KEEN BEAN DESIGN

Got a beautiful Yoga bracelet........

Learn to make a yummy salad like at a local Italian Shop......



And did some sewing.........

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inspired by: a new year!
cheers, meg

Our last weeks in photos

Hello all! Things have been insanely busy. We are trying to fit a lot of fun in a short amount of time before winter coats & slick roads stop the good time! Here is our last 2 weeks in photos... needless to say... it's been A LOT of fun!

First we hit up the pumpkin patches a few times. Hannah has never ridden a horse I was hoping she would give it a shot. So we loaded up the kiddos, the bags of necessities (diapers, change of clothes for the kids, bottle, sippy cup, toys, snacks, band aids ++) hopped in the family truckster and went to Roba's Farm.

She had such a good time, the next week we went back with KidDilly!

Then there was our trip to Knoebels. It was a blast. Hannah had a great time on all the rides and had her first big girl successful potty day. No diaper, no pull up, no accidents. YAY!

Then we had some relaxing time.......

And a little bit of love time.....

I was a lucky gal this month and got an invite to the Martha Stewart show to sit in her FIRST EVER Twitter section! Martha is my crafting mentor & I loved being included in such a cool experience. Rob was a Super Trooper and accompanied me & even walked 30+ blocks with me to PurlSoho to get my yarn on. I love him.

I had to whip up something Martha fabulous so a knitting I began......



The supportive and darling husband........

My sister in law took a picture of us on the TV.....



And our money shot!!.......



My goods from Purlsoho.....



And some work in progress (WIP)........

So home we went & came home to our darlings who love to take baths & be silly. We love them...... xoxo

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inspired by: family, fall, crafting, idols, love

cheers, meg