Highlights of the Week: Aruba, Xmas, Santa, Food

Happy Day After Christmas!  What are you up to today?  Please don't tell me you're going to stand in any lines to return gifts!  Or worse yet, that you got hit with a snowsnow.  Well, guess it's ok if you like snow, but I like it hot-hot-hot!   We had a great, low-key Christmas Day.  We Skylar opened gifts

 

And we spent time just hanging out as a family 

 

Thanks for everyone who wrote in to tell me that my family pictures were beautiful!  You really warmed me heart; I mean that!  Anytime one puts candid shots of yourself on the internet, without a drop of makeup after just waking up and in your "house clothes", i.e PJ's, it's nice to hear people think you look beautiful!  I love you all!  muah!!!!!!!!!!!  And I'm glad my prose about being a mother, a parent, reliving the holiday through your child's eyes, hit the right spot for you, too.  And I'm following up with a few deeper thoughts at the end today, too.


So without further ado, let's get started on wrapping up the week's eats, treats, highlights, and Aruba Vacation Photos!  If you missed Last Week's Recap, Go Check it Out!

But onto This Week's Recap
Sunday Diana of Soap & Chocolate Shared her Raw Vegan Peppermint Patties recipe.  If you missed that one, check it out! 

Monday I Made Salads
Kale & Veggie Salad with Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing

 

And a Garden Salad with Creamy "Cesar" Tahini Dressing

And Posted some Aruba Beach Pictures

And Talked Advent Calenders & Religion (I know, on a Food Blog!)

Mmm...Skylar's Mouthful of Chocolate Face

And also Talked about the Winter Solstice and 108 Sun Salutations in Yoga (I know, on a Food Blog!)


Tuesday things lightened up considerably when Shannon Marie of Rawdorable Shared her high Raw Vegan Cookie Recipes 

Cinnamon Mocha Crinkles


Raw Nog Creams


Hawaiian Wedding Surprises

Raw Ginger Creams

Raw Snickerdoodles

Chocolate with White Chocolate Chunks

Russian Raw Cakes

Shannon Marie of Rawdorable....You are Amazing!!!!!!

Thank You for Sharing Your Amazing Cookie Recipes!!!!

Wednesday I showed you Pictures of Our Drinks at Sunset (and talked about why I didn't actually drink!)

And there was a Holiday Scene at the Hotel

And Pictures of Skylar and Me

And there was overpriced Chicken Parm and Ziti that we carried in for Scott's Birthday

And Kale, Brock, Cauli, & a Cuke Salad for me & Skylar with Homemade Vegan Slaw Dressing

Never. Get. Sick. Of. This. Meal. 

And Dark Chocolate for Dessert

Smooth, and the perfect barely sweet with a little bitterness.   Nice.

Thursday the Pure 2 Raw Twins Guest Posted about Vegan Gluten-Free One Pot Mac-n Cheese

...so you can put the Velveeta down asap, and go fix yourself something much healthier and tastier!   

There were some peeks at their sweeter mail-order goodies like Raw Chocolate Walnut Biscotti
And Raw Chocolate Cupcakes with Creamy Coconut Frosting
And I Received an Award

And Revealed Lots of Little Facts about Myself

And Nominated The Entire Blogosphere to Take the Award, too!  (and gave honorable mention to some friends I adore)


And Asked for your Help & Votes in the Raw Awards I was Nominated For.  Click Here to Vote for me on pages 6, 12, & 14!

Click Here to Vote for me in these 3 Categories (you don't need to complete the whole ballot, you can just quickly fill in the bullet point next to my name if you're so inclined in these 3 places).

And Showed You Some Breakfast Eats like Fresh Mango & Grapefruit

 

Muesli Bread  with pears & mangos that I mentioned here

Muesli Bread & Rolls Up Close.
Seeds, raisins, oats, flax seeds, nuts...good stuff!

And Chocolate "Brownie" Overnight Protein Oats

Pop it in the freezer for fudgy decadence.  Not Kidding!  Sooooo good!!!!!!!!

And this little girl Loves it All 

I revealed the Winner of my Nutridel Cookie Give Away


If you Missed the Winner, Click Here

And I posted about Christmas Morning

Santa's Gifts

Skylar's Joy

My Gratitude about Reliving Christmas through my Child's Eyes

And Gave my Recipe for a Quick and Easy Vegan Stir Fry

And Ate More Kale Salad with Vegan Slaw Dressing

Which was a dinner I loved feasting on!

 

Friday we went to an uncrowded beach at Sunset

And walked through a few hotels

And then raced home to play with Christmas Presents!

Yoga Today is Pincha Mayurasana (Feathered Peacock Pose)

I love this pose because when I find the Sweet Spot where I can balance effortlessly, and there's no work involved, that's the beauty of yoga: finding the perfect balance between strength and surrender.

Tip of the Day:  In life, many times we force ourselves to do things we'd rather not, but I think it's important to reclaim our choices, our power, our autonomy, our free will so to speak, whenever possible. 

For instance, attending an event that is not our cup of tea, eating food that is not right for our constitution or dietary's requirements, going to the dentist for a root canal, partaking in mindless smalltalk with an acquaintance are things that we do, but perhaps we need to find ways to both "do what need's to be done" while still honoring and respecting our own needs. 

Sure, sometimes it's necessary to "suck it up" and Just Do It; sometimes your health is at stake, and sure, being socially gracious is important, but many times I think it's better to say, "Hey Wait A Minute, I Don't Want to Do This, so I'm Not Going To!"

A Few Items I have worked on already using the "Hey Wait A Minute, I Don't Want to Do This, so I'm Not Going To!"Mentality include: 
Saying No when I mean it and when Saying Yes would just be too stressful for me
Not comparing myself to others' and what they have or I don't have
Allowing myself the freedom to eat the diet that I know works for me and my food intolerances and let people's comments or criticisms fall off me
Parenting and raising my child the way I see fit and not bending over backwards to accommodate what other's think.  They had their chance with their kid, it's my turn now!

Things I want to work on more:
Not forcing workouts if I am just not into them that day or week
Being on my computer less
Building more unstructured time into my days where I have time to just let things unfold organically & naturally

Not over-scheduling myself
Donating more time/resources to those who need help
Sleeping more than 5-6 hours a night 

As you set your New Year's Intentions (not Resolutions, see This Post about Why), I hope you are able to be mindful of finding that Sweet Spot in life between strength and surrender, and not forcing yourself to do things, or not do things, that don't suit you.  What do you think about this?  Is it easy for you to find balance in life?  Is finding the Sweet Spot something that comes naturally for you, or have you had to consciously work to achieve it?  Or is it a work in progress?  What do you intend to work on this year?  Or this lifetime?


Stay Tuned For an Amazing Guest Post from an Amazing Raw Woman...