Tumbling for joy!

My daughter Clara is a gymnast. She has been in love with gymnastics ever since she was five... We have enjoyed watching her blossom into a wonderful young woman and a beautiful, strong athlete. In 7th grade she was the only student at her school to meet all presidential standards for physical fitness... Most girls her age could only do 1-2 pull-ups on the bar, she did 14! Her commitment to her beloved sport is truly remarkable, spending over 16 hours a week at the gym, admirably without losing her academic focus, as she maintains straight A's in high school. But it hasn't been an easy road... We've struggled with our share of injuries, doctor visits, physical therapy sessions, X-rays, MRI's...

Clara, age 5

Yet, no challenge has been more frightening and  life-altering than the one she was faced with just a few months ago... Without any warning or obvious trigger, she slowly started developing this intense fear of backward movements, and most of her tumbling came to a screeching halt, as these mental blocks permeated and controlled her mind.... Her coach tried everything but felt helpless... I didn't understand it... She had done those skills before, why couldn't she do them now? Her regression was too strong to ignore, and our options were discussed.... Maybe seek a sports psychologist, maybe become a specialist in the areas she could still perform, maybe quit... But, even faced with the possibility that she wouldn't progress to the next level, Clara never considered quitting... She wanted to keep on trying...

I decided to do some research on my own about the fear of backward movements. I discovered that it was a lot more common than I thought, especially in gymnasts. I also found out that there was hope... Many gymnasts had been able to succesfully overcome this fear, in some cases with the help of a technique I have to admit I am unfamiliar with: hypnosis. I purchased a download on the spot, willing to try anything to make my girl better... This series of hypnosis tapes specifically designed for gymnasts included subliminal messages (to be heard while sleeping), aimed at helping with affirmation and validation of one's abilities. It seemed to slowly do the trick... I do mean SLOWLY... Every little conquest is being highly celebrated., and nothing is making me happier than seeing Clara's smile when she comes home glowing about her (re)achievements...!

I know how hard Clara has been struggling to conquer her mental blocks... One tumble at a time... There is still a lot of work to be done, but I am tremendously proud of her for never giving up... So, when I saw her perform her level 7 routine for the first time just a week ago, it brought tears to my eyes... It sure has been  a treaturous and bumpy uphill climb, but, oh, boy, the view from the top...? Priceless!!!

Living like a {French} princess...

In the French region of Champagne,  this 17th century home is so beautiful it truly makes me cry... Every corner is prettier than the next, and it brings my inner {French} princess out to play... As my mom always says, it costs nothing to dream...

Via

Giveaway winner!

Thank you so much for all who entered my giveaway, I wish there was a prize for everyone....!! The random generator selected the number #45, and the winner is Anji, from the blog Distractions. Congrats, Anji, I will be contacting you soon!!

Cookie Extravaganza!

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure to attend a cookie exchange party at Laurie's beautiful country home... There is nothing better than an afternoon of cookie indulgence with wonderful people!!!

I came home with a second place tie for my Almond Sighs with dulce de leche.... These are incredibly addictive and it is hard to stop eating them!! Below is the recipe, but don't blame me if you get addicted too!!

Almond Sighs with dulce de leche

4 large egg whites

1 cup sugar

pinch of salt

3/4 cup (about 3 ounces) ground almonds

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup dulce de leche*

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and set racks in thirds in the oven. Cover 3 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Beat the egg whites and salt in a mixer with the whisk attachment, on medium speed, until white and opaque.

3. Increase the speed to high and pour 1/2 cup sugar in, in a steady stream. Beat until whites are very firm but not dry.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar with the almonds and cornstarch. Fold it into the egg whites. 

5. Using a pastry bag with a round 3/8“ tip, pipe circles about 2“ wide. 

6. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, rotating and turning the trays in the middle. Watch them carefully to see when they are lightly golden and fairly dry (I have to eat one to tell). Cool on a drying rack. 

7. Once the meringues are cool, you can sandwich a thin layer of dulce de leche between 2 meringues. Store the meringues in a cool room temperature if you are serving that day. Store in an airtight container in the fridge to keep longer.

* to make dulce de leche, submerge 1 can of condensed milk into a pot with water (remove the label) and boil for about 2 hours. Let cool before use.

Here are a couple more recipes for some of my (and my kids') favorites from that cookie exchange...

Pecan Pie Cookies

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup dark corn syrup

1 large egg, separated

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 Tbsp unsalted butter 1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp dark corn syrup

3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

Beat 1/4 cup butter and sugar at medium high speed with a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup corn syrup and egg yolk and mix well. Gradually stir in the flour until combined. Chill for one hour.

Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Stir in powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and remove from heat. Stir in pecans and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a prepared cookie sheet. Bake for six minutes. You may have to flatten the balls with a spoon after the first round of baking. Top each smashed cookie with 1 tsp of pecan mixture. Return to oven and bake for 8-10 minutes more, until golden brown. 

Nutella Gooey Butter Cookies

1 box chocolate cake mix

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup Nutella (add more if you like)

Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the egg, then beat in the Nutella and vanilla extract. Mix in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls (I used a medium cookie scoop) and then roll them in powdered sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake 12-14 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and gooey.


Now excuse me, I hear my kitchen calling my name....

Classic Enamel Sign Giveaway!

The folks at Ramsign were so kind to offer me the chance to host a giveaway for one of their enamel signs... Ramsign is a small Danish company that specializes in manufacturing and selling classic enamel signs based upon original designs and techniques. You will have a choice of a sign with a number or a name, in whichever colorway you prefer.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, I will randomly pick a winner Wednesday evening! If you want another chance at winning, just blog about it and leave me a second comment.... That easy...! Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who participated!!!

Repurposing a doll crib

I found this adorable tiny doll crib at the flea market this weekend, and knew right away what I wanted to do with it.... I could picture it holding paper napkins, on our kitchen table...

I found just the right size napkins...

... and I love how it turned out, fun and whimsical!!

Monticello Christmas Show

Have you heard? Monticello debuts its Old Fashioned Christmas Show today, and I had a chance to get an early sneak peek... It looks absolutely fascinating!!! Wow, these friends of mine are truly talented, I kept walking around in awe, mesmerized by the stunning displays and creations...!! If you live in or around Portland, please make sure to visit! The show starts at 8:00 am this morning and runs through Christmas. A must see!!

 

 

 

 P.S.  I wanted to thank you all for the comments and words of encouragements you left me regarding my last post, I read them all more than once and wanted to tell you that it truly warmed my heart and it meant so much to me that you took the time to do so...!!! A mother knows what a mother feels...