'Tis the season of mamas putting too much on their plate.

But not this year.

Not this mama.

'Cause if it ain't

a warm, buttered roll,

a fried-to-perfection chicken wing,

or truffle fries,

I'm taking it off my plate.

And with it, I'm removing all expectations for myself to make the upcoming holiday season "magical."

Instead, what I'm hellbent on doing is finding the magic that is already very much present and often overlooked.

Because -- and it's a fact -- when we as parents stop trying so hard to make holidays, pictures, and moments "perfect," we are left with enough energy and awareness to see that they already are...because we have each other.

In a post (can I say that yet?) pandemic world, it's idiotic to waste any time forcing joy when we can just make it our ally.

So thats where you can find me--at the table with joy, some wine, of course, and very little that's not food on my often over-filled plate.

‘Cause this year, this mama, I'm saying bye to stress and hi to doing less.

Less is more if there’s love in store and that ‘ish is all over my menu.