Once they were gathered all together, we got a bowl of water and decided to wash them. I read some recipes that had you wash them, and some that didn’t. My kids wanted to wash them since there were a few ants in them and I figured it was good to wash them since kids mostly love things to do with water.
I also think that it’s easier to get the petals off when you wash them (but more on that later…)
We dipped them in water, shook them out and then let them dry on a towel in the sun. The 5-year-old loved lining them up. The 3-year-old did a couple and then went on to her own projects in the yard. One thing I recommend is giving the younger ones (2 and 3-year-olds) their own bowl and some flowers to wash that you don’t intend to use in the syrup…more on that later too. ​

Then you remove the petals. This is a part where it is a REALLY terrific idea to let anyone younger have they own bowl and their own flowers.
Basically you have to remove all of the yellow from all of the green. If you get little bits of the green in there, it’s fine, you just don’t want the entire green bit in the syrup because it makes it bitter. ​

We tired both pulling the yellow off and using scissors. I like the hand removal way better because it feels more exact and also seemed less time consuming. The 5-year-old could do it easily both ways. The 3-year-old like to cut the whole thing up into little bits, or pull it apart into little bits and toss it in the bowl green bits and all! That was when I decided she could have her own bowl and make her own batch. She loved that idea too. She even stole some of mine for her batch (much to my hard-work and dismay.)
I tired taking some off of a fresh flower and the ones that had been washed and wilted were so, so, so much easier. ​

It took awhile but was a nice little thing I could do in breaks of time between helping the kids, helping the baby etc. as long as they couldn’t reach the bowl. ​
The 3-year-old loved making her own bowl and here she is happily showing me what she did...greens and all. 
(Take a look at the awesome grip on her foot if you are a movement person!) 

After the yellow part is all taken off, I put them in a pan, covered them with water and boiled them for about 1minute. Then I removed them from the heat and steeped them in the fridge for about 20 hours. You could steep them a little more, or a little less. ​

Then we put the dandelion liquid in a pan over medium heat with an equal amount of sugar. We heated it over medium heat and stirred it frequently as it simmered. We simmered it for about 30 minutes while we made pancakes and it thickened a bit. ​

We let it cool, put some on our sourdough blueberry pancakes and put the rest in a jar in the fridge. Delicious! ​

This is the plate made by the 3-year-old. She exuberantly decorated it with some of her own syrup (including her greens) and some of mine! 
​

Enjoy, and feel free to email me with questions! 

***This lovely post is contributed by my friend and colleague Heather Jackson. She is a wonderful movement teacher and has online offerings that can be found on her website. I highly recommend her virtual prenatal workshop if you are pregnant. It saved me during my third pregnancy.  
​Not only is the following activity fun and beautiful, it can help to help kids (and probably parents) get out some of their frustrations from all of the routine changes and isolation. 

​We are two weeks (or so??) into the stay-at-home order in our state, and coincidentally, I am just about two weeks post-partum. Weird timing, right? I am currently at home with my husband, our 2.5 year old toddler, and a newborn. Turns out, toddlers don’t care if mama needs to rest and can’t entertain them 36 hours a day.

So today I took some inspiration from our Tinkergarten classes that we did in the winter months at the beginning of this year and the toddler and I collected flowers, buds, and herbs from our backyard to create frozen nature treasures!

​We went out in the morning with a big bowl and looked around the yard discussing what kinds of treasures we would like to find - how about these purple flowers? What about these yellow leaves on this bush? Over here is a bunch of purple dead-nettle, can you say that? Lovely, let’s put them in our bowl! There is no obligation to know the names of the wild plants and flowers in your backyard. I can identify about four or five, and only because someone taught them to me multiple times. Take photos and look things up if you want! Or don’t. Your kid will probably only care that this one is purple and it’s pretty. I had mine look on the ground and in the air to see if he saw anything in particular we wanted to collect.
After we collected a decent amount of treasures, I got out a muffin tin, and we filled the cups with flowers and plants. Next I grabbed our watering can, and together we poured water into each cup - definitely leave a little room for the water to expand as it freezes. Stick the pan in the freezer, eat lunch, take a nap, and then (as if by magic) your nature treasures will be frozen!

All in all, we got a decent amount of outdoor time, between collecting and destroying, my kid was super into it (he talked about the treasures the rest of the day), and we got to experience a whole lot of colors and textures in a very hands on way, without my having to do very much physical work that I’m not quite ready for. Success! 

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One of the things I love doing is telling little mundane stories to my kids. I also love to make up gloriously magical stories, but at some point I realized how much they love it when I tell something simple and straight out of everyday life.
I have made a habit of taking a solo walk almost every day. Sometimes they don’t want me to go, but it turns out if I bring them a story they are happy to let me go. One day the story went like this: “here is the story of when Mama slipped and fell in the muddy-mud. One morning, Mama went out for her walk. She walked up the hill, turned right, walked up another HUGE hill, turned right again and then reached the golf course. She walked into the golf course and thought ‘hmmmm…I will take this shortcut across the grass.’ Unfortunately, when she started to cross the grass she SLIPPED on some muddy-mud and fell down. She got mud on her leg, her feet, and even her back! Mama said a strong word and then got up. She thought about walking home and then decided that it was only mud and her body felt ok so she would travel on and finish her walk.”
They loved this story and it turns out that these little mundane stories are the ones they want me to repeat over and over again. This particular story was originally told about 8 months ago and they still ask to have it repeated.
Yesterday I went on a social-distance walk with my brother and we walked through the golf course and encountered some of that muddy-mud. I told them about it when I got home, then my husband went on a run through the same path and also told them of the muddy-mud. When we got outside this morning, and started our walk, they wanted to walk to see the muddy-mud!
I knew it would take us about an hour to get there and though I questioned whether the 3-year-old could make it that far without huge hassles (I couldn’t carry her because it was just me with baby, 5-year-old and 3-year-old…) I decided we should do it.
Armed with snacks and a thermos of coconut tea (it’s coconut rooibos tea from Mountain Rose Herbs. Super delicious…) we headed up the hill...

And they just might entertain themselves in the garden by regularly painting each other with mud...

About 1/2 block after this second pit stop, the 3-year-old squatted down and I could tell that she was DONE. And I knew that I couldn’t carry her and that the last 4 blocks of the walk could be treacherous.
I tried to start a new story. She kept stopping to squat down. I doubled down on my intention to stay calm and connected rather than get frustrated. The very end of a walk seems to be when she often hits her edge, no matter how far we have gone and it’s when I have to dig deep for my creativity and compassion. I am often wanting to get home too (I have to pee, the baby needs to get changed or nursed…whatever it is).
One of the things I am working on is allowing space and time to stop and help them when they are struggling rather than following my agenda and trying to rush through it. I am very stubborn and often too attached to my agenda and as many of us parents can relate, rushing through difficult situations can produce very contrary results with toddlers.
I stopped and I acknowledged that she seemed done, and that she was ready to stop walking. I told her that I wished I could carry her but that I could not because her brother was sleeping in the carrier and I also had our snack backpack.
I told her that I was sorry I couldn’t carry her right now and that we could take another little rest but that we did need to keep going home.
Acknowledging her difficulty seemed to help her and as we started up again I pulled her favorite story out of my pocket…the coast story about when we went to the coast for the day because Papa was removing the carpet. And I made it EXTRA long. I added more detail than ever and it bought us 2 WHOLE BLOCKS. Only 2 more to go! She started lagging again when the story was over and I tired pointing out some of the things we were seeing. After a bit of stop-start action, I found a puffy dandelion and gave it to her and told her she could make a wish.
Watching a 3-year-old blowing on the flower with the indirectness of trying to get her breath just right, while she whispered a wish was precious. I saw her preciousness and that helped me.
Shortly after that her 5-year-old sister said we should play “the bear game” and at first I was worried that such a game would scare the 3-year-old and asked what it was. It was a new game that the 5-year-old seemed to have crafted on the spot in which the 3-year-old was the bear and she was chasing us.
Brilliant! It worked wonders for the last 1.5 blocks. 3-year-old would start chasing us and we would run away. We would then stop feigning relief only to have her start chasing us again. We were all engaged and laughing the rest of the way home. Within the last 1/2 block we passed a black-clad skateboarder we have seen around the neighborhood. I have never seen him smile yet as we passed him he grinned broadly and after he was most of the way up the block turned and shouted: “THAT WAS THE MOST JOYOUS THING I HAVE SEEN ALL DAY! THANK YOU!!! HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAY.”
We had managed a wonderful 3 hour and 15 minute walk together and we returned home happily exhausted and still connected. My heart felt very happy.

*I wrote this the day before Thanksgiving. I have tried to edit it as little as possible, and to include the most real/unflattering images to capture the feelings of this day and mental state. Most days aren't quite like this, and we have many sweet days and beautiful moments too.
​Thanks for reading.  

​I’ve been thinking about the concept of radical honesty lately, and considering how I can implement the concept into my life. I also have been thinking lots about how we are all shaped by, and shape ourselves for, social media. There is more and more personality curation I sense in myself when I present myself through social media because that is one way I protect myself. Because my business is on social media and it feels implicit that we supposed to act a certain way that does not include radical honesty when we are in business. Fuck that.
Radical honesty: today is hard. This week is hard. Having 3 small kids is hard. I don’t really like being a parent this week. I feel only 1/2 way in reality the past few days and have no idea how to get off of the merry-go-round of exhaustion I currently inhabit. I sometimes wish that it was some personal failing of mine that was causing me to not get enough rest. But it’s largely tied to the fucked up system we exist within in that doesn’t support families. I mean, how could we support families when we don’t even support basic humanity or the environment?

I have childcare right now for 3 precious hours. (At least childcare for my kids. The baby is with me) In those 3 hours I have wandered around wondering what I could, should or want to do? I am in a state of exhaustion where I don’t know the answer to any of those questions. I feel like I need a manager today, someone who can say: “Now is a good time to rest. Try to fold some laundry while baby plays and then walk to the store for groceries.” That would be nice because my head feels completely jumbled in it’s current state. I am utterly disconnected from my needs, desires and what is possible in the small moments I have between soothing baby, feeding him and changing him…
This morning with all best intentions I walked the 3 blocks to the store with the baby sleeping in a wrap, and the 2.5 year old and 5 year old walking (while fighting over who got to pull the wagon). Upon arriving at the store, the baby was inconsolable in the carrier and therefore I only had one hand which meant I couldn’t really navigate the store at all. I stood waiting for the bathroom to empty for a bit because I had to wash his pacifier which had fallen on the floor (a pacifier is a  thing I thought I might never use and right now kind of worship TBH)…as I stood waiting for the bathroom I thought about trying to navigate the store one-handed.

​​We had a list of 25 things, some of which were bulk items like honey. I tried to think about how much my 5-year-old could do for me (she often does A LOT) and was almost considering it until the girls got into some argument which left the 2.5-year-old screeching. The toddler thought that the shelf of lip balm was candy, and the 5-year-old tried to correct her. The toddler insisted in a high-pitched screech “NO IT IS CAAAANNNNDY!!!” such that the whole store would know. At that point I decided to jump ship. After I had washed the pacifier, I realized that I couldn’t put the baby back in the wrap or put him in the wagon without him screaming bloody murder. And I also couldn’t negotiate the wagon out of the store one handed. I stood there for a few more minutes puzzling this out. Luckily an acquaintance came in and when she asked how I was doing I answered honestly that it was a tough moment. She offered to help me and got us out of the store.

​Once we were at home, I just gave up on plans. I wandered aimlessly around the house because (of course) the baby was sleeping peacefully once we got home. The girls stripped their clothes off and played some game which involved lots more screeching and throwing my therapy balls from the kitchen to the living room. At least they were occupied. At least they only woke the baby up a few times during this nap. At least I could maybe go to the store later…
I checked Facebook more than I am proud of and did some online shopping. Online shopping for used items can sometimes give me a vague sense of purpose on days like this which feels strangely rewarding and vaguely unhealthy at the same time.
Just now he went to sleep in the woven wrap on my chest. I thought I might walk to the store and get the things to make the couple of simple recipes I desperately want to concoct in my kitchen today. But I knew that didn’t feel like a good use of my time. I don’t want to spend this precious time in a crazed store around all of the thanksgiving shoppers. So I climbed into a bed covered in dirty spit-up rags, random things like baby nail clippers, breast pads, hemorrhoid cream, dirty clothes and clean clothes from me and baby…the sheets are semi-clean at least. I lay there a bit. I got the baby settled on the bed, out of the woven wrap (a small mercy because that doesn’t always stay asleep alone these days.) I thought about clipping his nails which are wicked-long. He scratches me on the chest when he gets upset. No, I decided I didn’t want to clip the nails right now, I feel like I “should” sleep. But I don’t want to. I am so tired that it will take me most of the last hour I have childcare to fall asleep and that doesn’t feel worth it. I want to stretch and also dump some of these wild thoughts out of my brain. I have too many thoughts today and many conflicting, confusing and unclear musings. I want to write this down. I get my computer and sit down on the floor to stretch while I type. So far it’s pretty satisfying. I am also drinking a small glass of wine which adds to my satisfaction. And I am still exhausted.
Earlier today I considered if it would be possible for me to sleep less in order to have some time alone around my house—time to tidy things without distraction, or make something or just do things like this more regularly. Considering how to sleep less in the midst of this much exhaustion is kind of comical.
Radical honesty: it is really difficult for me to admit that having 3 small children is hard. I am concerned that if I admit it’s hard people will say “I told you so. Having 3 is too many etc. etc.” And what if I ever wanted to have or to adopt more kids? Would people condemn me and say “You can’t have more. It was too hard for you.”
It was hard enough going through a third pregnancy and having certain types of people greet me by saying things like “Oh, you are having ANOTHER??” or “You’re pregnant AGAIN?” or “Are you going to stop after this one?” No polite: “Congratulations!” or anything like that. Only judgement.
But I don’t want those experiences and my fears to stop me from being honest. I want to be able to honestly share when the days are hard, when it’s hard to muster the compassion over and over and over again to be kind to the kids in the midst of a difficult day. I want to be able to relate that there are moments when I am overcome with rage on the inside, because this is a hard job and there are times I am at a loss for how to cope. I want to share that I think the overwhelm is normal, the rage is normal and the difficulty is 100% normal and even ok.
I do know that all of this is only ok when I share it honestly and commiserate with other moms. This postpartum time has been better than the others partially because I am starting to know more and more how to do things one little step at a time and how to let things go. These are things I have learned in part from teaching Mamas how to slip little bits of selfceare into daily routines with kids. These little things help me float through it all, like today as I type this and straddle stretch on the floor. Like yesterday when I did lat stretches while my 2-year-old sat on the potty and chatted with me…and like last week when the only thing I did in one day that felt at all constructive for my well-being was to roll my foot out with a rubber ball for a mere 30 seconds before all hell broke loose once again. But I told myself that my 30 second sojourn into taking care of my body was enough, that it mattered and that I didn’t need to worry about doing more that day. And it did help, it was enough and some days are just like that.

This is all much more ok when I ask for help and allow people to help—things that are difficult for me.
We have been surrounded by loving help from our friends, family and community in the past few months of late pregnancy and new baby. It has been amazing, and I feel thoroughly grateful. I know the ability to reach out for support and allow myself to lean in to that support has been huge this time around and I wish that for everyone. I hope that when I have written into Mama Moves Cards and into the Video course that it is crucial to find companionship and support in self care, that it helps connect people with their bodies, their friends and their community. Some days, I am lucky enough to sink into this beautiful body I inhabit and give thanks that I am not doing all of this alone, and recognize that it’s hard shit and I am a good mom.