Plant Potatoes

ebb & flow

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:12:21 +0000

I have a tendency to make up my mind about how things should look and, in essence, be. when certain things do not go my way, I end up feeling somewhat frazzled. People that go with the flow have always inspired me, as it’s something I with to emulate. that being said, a life with children leaves little room for expectations and foreseeable outcomes. I may have plans for the day, but they may take a totally different turn – new circumstances arrive, an outside factor enters the mix… the entire plan changes.

this week I have had the opportunity to have this happen exceptionally frequently. I have gone with it. It is surely a mark of my own growth and my ability to adjust. I truly believe my Self exploration and role as a mama has enhanced this ability within me. I am grateful for my growth today.

Potato for today: go with the flow of life, as life’s flow has some beautifully unexpected trails you may never have ventured on otherwise.

planting potatoes

coolmomsmwa — Fri, 14 May 2010 11:54:07 +0000

this past weekend, we actually planted our potatoes – a simple act that inspired me to start this blog. my husband actually planted them for me, with little direction. when we originally planted them a few years back, we simply planted them – no order or reason to our planting. this year, we had instructions. I had one way I thought it should turn out, yet my husband planted them in his own way – his own time. initially, I felt like something was wrong, then I realized that it was what it was.

Potato for the day: Nothing is right or wrong in this world – only that which I label as being so. Really think about that!

the 500 year flood

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 05 May 2010 12:35:00 +0000

most that read this blog are in Nashville, so they know just how terrible it is here. I do not feel like I’m being overly dramatic when I say that. Simply driving down the streets I live by, that were not the worst of the affected areas here, was heart breaking. everyone’s possessions are lining the road in piles as high as a car. I have not ventured out to the more damaged places, as people with children are not welcome, but I was out in Bellevue Monday getting my sister, nephew and their dog. I still cannot believe all this is happening. what shocked me even more was the inability of the national news to even notice.

I am not one to watch news much. mostly because I cannot stand the way the media portrays things – they stay focused far too long on things that are long over, simply for their “effect,” or leaving our the positive stories all together. I choose not to fill my mind with depressing stories, however I did stay glued, off and on, to the WSMV this weekend. watching our dear city go under water was like watching a horrible movie. It was so close. In all this, too, I was unable to reach my mother and sister consistently. It was heart-wrecking!

I could continue writing all about that which has already been written, but what would that do? I want to help. I want to help SO much, but I have two small children with me full time. I cannot head out to sandbag areas or even really clean up – as I cannot really bend down much to help. I can make a small monetary donation, but want to do more. I KNOW the mamas in this community want to help. this entry is not to inspire, but to BE INSPIRED. let’s ban together and help Nashville rebuild itself. how can we, as mamas and fellow Nashvillians that may not be able to do the more manual labor, help.

email me your suggestions and we can work together. I know this weekend was planned to be the Mother’s Day Peace Parade. What do I want for Mother’s Day? to be able to help restore our city – to build community and love – to flourish positive energy and healing, even if the national media never takes a second look!

plant away

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 12:00:52 +0000

for the last few weeks, we have been watching our potatoes sprouting on our table. as I look at the little prods coming forth, ever so slowly, from these hearty vegetables, I am reminded how progress progresses. over time, I have done my best to do my best, hoping that I will become a better woman, wife, mama, sister, daughter, and friend, but most importantly, that I would love my Self as I am. when I look at a single day, sometimes I cannot see any progress and think I should just stop planting all together. other times, I have the ability to look over the time and see the progress. much like these sprouting potatoes, it may not seem that they have sprouted that much, but when I think back to when they had no sprouts at all, they have come a long way.

potato for today: mark your progress by looking at Who You Are now and who you were before – celebrate your successes today!

in the light of earth day

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 02:34:07 +0000

thursday is earth day, therefore I seek to bring light to the respect ask of us each day and especially on earth day each year. when I first began in my search of ways I could be more conscious of the earth and in caring for what we have before us, I felt somewhat overwhelmed. there seem to be so many options when it comes to “taking care of the earth.” at first I felt paralyzed because I could not see how one small change could really make a difference. that’s when I realized all I had to do was simply start.

potato for today: this year for earth day, start something new that will help keep the earth safe or improve parts of the earth that need aid. the key is to simply start – no matter how small the act!

email me if you would like places to begin: michelle.w.andrade@gmail.com

take time for self

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 21:55:03 +0000

being a mama requires a great dedication of time and energy on any given day. I have seen the necessity and often over extended myself, leaving nothing for my Self and nothing for anyone else.

It’s like what they tell you on airplanes – please secure your face mask before assisting anyone else with theirs. I am not much help to anyone if I am passed out on the floor. So for me, I have had to make a commitment to take time for myself every day. This requires me to ask for help (something I struggle with daily). Maybe it’s just 20 minutes for journaling and a little reading. Maybe it’s a 5 minute shower alone (you mamas know that is a treat!).

Potato for the day: take your time to take some time and you will be better able to be available to everyone (including your Self).

the ‘I love you’ touch

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 11:54:45 +0000

I have heard it said over and over the one thing you cannot do too much with children is say ‘I love you.’ I also believe that you cannot hug, kiss, cuddle, play, or just about anything with loving touch too much. Children cannot be over-loved. Children cannot be spoiled with love and affection.

I have found, too, that this loving touch and verbal affirmation help me. When I tell our children how much I love them, I am learning more to love myself. When I hug them and give them a big wet one, I am giving myself the opportunity to be hugged and kissed back! In a world full of cynicism and doubt, what a beautiful exchange to experience.

Potato for today: See how many times you can give or receive love and affection today – both verbally and physically. Allow the love to really flow through you and keep you present, even just for a moment.

share your story

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:52:26 +0000

Being a mama, and now being around groups of mamas has taught me so much. Hearing other people’s experiences has helped me tremendously in my own journey as a parent, as in many facets of my life. Sometimes, however, I forget that I, too, have experiences and a story to share. Maybe I have seen the benefits in changing my child’s dietary habits or the negative implications of being on the phone between the hours of 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Whatever the story, I know I have them to share and just as I benefit from others sharing their experiences, so others will benefit from mine.On thing I have learned, though, is to only share when asked!

Potato for the day: share what works and has not worked for you as a parent (and in all areas of your life) and we all can help one another on our journey.

proud of you

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:32:07 +0000

I have realized in the last week or so how much we say, “I am so proud of you” and have heard others say things like, “What a good girl” or “You’re so big!” As I ponder these types of phrases I wonder if they truly are an adequate use of encouragement. I realize their benefit, however I see the judgment in the simple act of labeling behavior as “good” or “bad.”

Today I want to encourage our children to do what suites their life, as opposed to what suite my perception of what life is intended to be. They are closer to their true authenticity than I am! No doubt, they have some deeper awareness about things that I have seemed to forget over time! Not to say that I do not want to help guide our children toward healthy, mature responses and use of their emotions, but this was a huge discovery for me.

Potato for today: Work to share your gratitude for what your children do, rather than labeling their behavior – allow them to have their own feelings about what they have accomplished.

How do you feel about what just happened?
I am curious to hear how that makes you feel?

weekly wednesdays

coolmomsmwa — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:08:52 +0000

I can feel so torn between all the social-networking sites (OK, really, it’s just Facebook for me), blogging and my life off the computer. Having two children now has consumed most of my life with playing, following, cleaning, going and doing. If I do not hear “mama” in a 30 minute period I start to internally think something is wrong. Last night both our kids were asleep. The younger had been asleep for three hours and I started to panic – I could not believe that I had not heard anything from either of them for more than two hours! Nonetheless, being a mama, wife, woman, person, and being is all about balance. I love the online modes of communication and enlightenment! So today, I not only seek to live off-line, but to share pieces of myself online, too!

Potato for today: Seek balance between living life fully off-line and embracing the flow of technology as it inspires change.