Perhaps for the first time in a long time, I am making some real new year's resolutions for 2013.  Of course I always vow to eat better and exercise more, maybe get myself organized {ha.... that'll never actually happen!} but this year I've really given a lot of thought to how I want to make this year better.  I didn't say perfect, just better.  Better for me, better for my children, better for hubs and hopefully that will help to create a less stressful and more enjoyable existence for our entire family.

The first order of business is to focus on what is most important and from there to simplify.

For instance, if spending time with my 4 year-old during this last year that she is home with me is the priority, then instead of volunteering to make homemade, perfectly decorated heart-shaped cookies for her preschool class on Valentines Day, then perhaps I simply sign up to bring the napkins and take my little boo out for a special mommy & me lunch date.  Or for my son's next birthday, instead of spending half the day stressing out and building a killer monster truck birthday cake that everyone will oooh and ahhhh over {meanwhile sitting him in front of the TV so I can do it}, perhaps I take him to the park for a couple of hours instead and we stop by the local bakery to pick up his favorite peanut butter cupcakes afterward.  Sometimes less really is more.  Less time spent in the kitchen making extravagant and time-consuming meals means more time to spend with the little ones I love {and I get to nourish their souls as much as their bodies}.

Here's a simple recipe my mother-in-law suggested for our NYE dinner.  Instead of spending two hours creating a decadent chocolate mousse from scratch, I threw this together in less than a minute with a gorgeous presentation.  It was the perfect way to end the evening and kick off the new year!

Happy 2013 to all of you!   Thank you for allowing me to do what I love and coming to my kitchen table.  xoxo  -Amy